LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ville had its chances, and Montrezl Harrell kept giving it life, but La Familia did just enough down the stretch to claim a 63-57 win in the deciding Game 3 of the TBT alumni series and move on to the semifinals.
It was the kind of game that never settled for long. The Ville opened with Harrell setting the tone on a baseline jumper, and after he scored nine first-quarter points, the visitors were out front 21-13 after one. Harrell later powered in a dunk to push the lead to 10, but La Familia answered in the second quarter and trimmed the margin to five by halftime.
That momentum carried into the third, when La Familia ripped off a 16-4 run to turn the game around and build a five-point edge. The Ville’s shooting went cold in that stretch, with just 5-of-14 shots falling in the quarter.
Still, The Ville had one more push left. With 6:29 remaining, Harrell dove on the floor to secure a loose ball, then finished at the rim seconds later. Trey Lewis knocked down a three to cut the deficit to two, and Harrell added a free throw to make it a one-point game.
Then Archie Goodwin answered with a three-pointer, and La Familia carried a 55-51 lead into the Elam Ending, where the first team to 63 wins. Lewis opened that final stretch with a contested corner three, and Harrell tied it at 57-57 with another three. But that was the last spark for The Ville, as La Familia scored the next six points to close it out.
“It was a game of runs,” the Ville guard Russ Smith said. “I think that was the difference with their run in the beginning of the third quarter.”
The Ville was also shorthanded, playing without game two starters Malik Williams and David Johnson. Smith said, “We got the news kind of just before the game started, but coach did a good job getting us ready.”
Harrell finished with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Lewis added 16 points and Alex Matthews scored 10. The Ville shot 36.7% from the field and made just 6 of 31 from three-point range.
The defeat ends The Ville’s TBT run. Smith said he’s “excited to get started on the next TBT.”
In Other News...
Louisville Freshman Obinna Ekezie Jr. Looks Even More Imposing Already
Louisvilles offseason overhaul has already given the roster a different look, and the frontcourt is a big reason why. The Cardinals added nine players, including Kansas transfer Flory Bidunga and freshman center Obinna Ekezie Jr., a top recruit who reclassified to the 2026 class and arrived with the kind of size that immediately stands out in a gym.
Ekezie is listed at 7-foot-2 and 240 pounds after reportedly adding two inches and 20 pounds over the summer, a development that only adds to the intrigue around his freshman season. He was once considered one of the elite prospects in his class before the reclassification, and with Bidunga alongside him, Louisville suddenly has a pair of young big men who could help reshape the way the Cardinals play inside. [Read more 🡒]
Vince Marrow Just Pulled Louisville Into Another Ohio Recruiting Fight
Louisville has jumped into the mix for Cartae Ligon, a four-star athlete in the 2028 class who is already drawing attention well beyond Ohio. Vince Marrow, the Cardinals executive director of player personnel, extended the scholarship offer as Louisville continues trying to build early relationships with one of the more intriguing young prospects in the region, a player who is also hearing from Michigan, NC State, Indiana, Minnesota and Miami.
Ligon is still early in the process, but the next stretch should matter. He plans to take campus visits and is looking ahead to a possible commitment next summer, which gives Louisville time to keep pressing in a crowded recruitment. For a program that has spent plenty of time battling for Ohio talent, this is another one worth tracking closely as the offers keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Journalism's Racing Career Just Took A Stunning Turn After San Diego
Journalisms latest chapter took shape in the most unusual way possible at Del Mar, where the Preakness Stakes winner was hurt in the starting gate before the San Diego Handicap and still managed to win the race. The performance only added to the colts reputation as one of the sports most resilient runners, even as the post-race examination made clear the day had carried a cost.
Now the focus shifts away from the track and toward what comes next for a horse whose best moments came in high-pressure spots. Journalism is headed to Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, where he will begin his stallion career with the 2027 breeding season, a move that closes the book on a racing run that had already delivered enough drama for an entire campaign. [Read more 🡒]