Always A Brave Draws New Opponent

Tubby Time has been replaced by veteran TBT squad Chicago Hoopville Warriors in the TBT Illinois Regional

Bobby Parker, Associate AD for Communications General 7/14/2021 11:00:00 AM

PEORIA, IL – As training camp opens for Always A Brave, the Bradley alumni team has learned it will have a new opponent for the first round of The Basketball Tournament Illinois Regional. Following the announcement that No. 10 seed Tubby Time has withdrawn from the 2021 TBT, No. 7 seed Always A Brave now will face Chicago Hoopville Warriors in the first round.

The Basketball Tournament is a 64-team, open-application, single-elimination, winner-take-all event powered by ESPN that will offer a $1 million cash prize to the champion. Always A Brave joins Illinois alumni team, No. 2 seed House of 'Paign, as the featured teams in the TBT Illinois Regional, which is set for July 24-28 at the Peoria Civic Center's Carver Arena.

Both House of 'Paign (Session 1 at 1 p.m.) and Always A Brave (Session 2 at 6 p.m.) will play their first-round games Saturday, July 24. The winners of those two games will advance to a second-round matchup at 8 p.m. Monday, July 26 at Carver Arena. Third-round TBT games will be played Wednesday, July 28 at 6 and 8 'clock at Carver Arena.

An original TBT competitor from the inaugural tournament in 2014, Chicago Hoopville Warriors is making its sixth overall appearance in the event and will bring a 5-5 all-time TBT record into its first-round matchup against Always A Brave.. The Warriors were the No. 12 seed in the 2017 Midwest Regional played at Renaissance Coliseum, dropping a 91-87 decision to Iowa State alumni team Hilton Magic Legends in the first round.

Always A Brave begins its training camp today. As part of its camp schedule, the squad will have a light practice Friday morning at Carver Arena, then will be available at 11:15 a.m. in the Peoria Civic Center Great Hall Lobby for a combined media and fan meet-and-greet session in conjunction with Civic Center's in-person hours at the Toyota Box Office (Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).

The Always A Brave roster for the 2021 TBT includes nine former Bradley men's basketball players: Tony Bennett, Darrell Brown, Jimmy Gavin, Nate Kennell, Luqman Lundy, Patrick O'Bryant, Marcellus Sommerville, Donte Thomas and Andrew Warren. The squad also has welcomed former Peoria Notre Dame star Max Bielfeld, as well as former Illinois State center Dinma Odiakosa. The squad will be coached by Daniel Ruffin with assistance from Chuck Buescher and Lou Griffith.

2021 TBT Illinois Regional Schedule
Peoria, Ill. • Peoria Civic Center Carver Arena

Saturday, July 24 • First Round • Session 1
Game 1 - 11:00 AM - (3) Boeheim's Army (Syracuse alumni) vs. (14) Forces of Seoul
Game 2 - 1:00 PM - (2) House of 'Paign (Illinois alumni) vs. (15) Jackson TN Underdawgs

Saturday, July 24 • First Round • Session 2
Game 3 - 4:00 PM - (6) The OverLooked (Murray State) vs. (11) Team Heartfire
Game 4 - 6:00 PM - (7) Always A Brave (Bradley) vs. (10) Chicago Hoopville Warriors

Sunday, July 25 • First Round • Session 3 (New times)
Game 5 - 12:00 PM - (5) Autism Army vs. (12) SCD Hoops
Game 6 - 2:00 PM - (4) Always Us (Oregon) vs. (13) Peoria All-Stars

Sunday, July 25 • First Round • Session 4
Game 7 - 5:00 PM - (1) Golden Eagles (Marquette) vs. (16) B1 Ballers
Game 8 - 7:00 PM - (8) Team Brotherly Love vs. (9) Playing for Jimmy V

Monday, July 26 • Second Round • Session 5
Game 9 - 1:00 PM: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Game 10 - 3:00 PM: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Monday, July 26 • Second Round • Session 6
Game 11 - 6:00 PM - Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Game 12 - 8:00 PM - Game 2 winner vs. Game 4 winner

Wednesday, July 28 • Third Round • Session 7
Game 13 - 6:00 PM: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner
Game 14 - 8:00 PM: Game 9 winner vs. Game 12 winner
Winners advance to the TBT Championship round in Dayton, Ohio

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