LEXINGTON, Ky. — La Familia’s run through The Basketball Tournament came to an end Sunday afternoon, falling to Davis Steel in the championship game and finishing one win short of the $2 million prize.

While the final result was not what the team hoped for, the Kentucky alumni squad put together an impressive run after entering the tournament with plenty of questions surrounding its roster and chemistry.

Featuring former University of Kentucky Wildcats from multiple eras along with TBT “portal players” — players who did not attend Kentucky but are eligible to join alumni teams under tournament rules — La Familia had to build chemistry quickly before making a deep run through one of the toughest fields in TBT.

Led by first-year head coach Jon Hood and general manager Twany Beckham, La Familia defeated the University of Louisville’s alumni team The Ville, Syracuse University alumni team Boeheim’s Army and the University of Kansas alumni team JHX Hoops before falling just short against Davis Steel in the championship game.

A Roster Built Through Changes

The biggest storyline surrounding La Familia before the tournament was the roster.

Unlike traditional alumni teams made up exclusively of former players from one program, TBT allows teams to add up to four “portal players” to their roster. These additions can provide additional talent and depth, but La Familia still dealt with several roster changes leading into the tournament.

Players became unavailable, replacements were added and Hood and Beckham had to adjust quickly while trying to develop chemistry with limited practice time.

The final roster featured former Wildcats from multiple Kentucky eras alongside outside additions who embraced the opportunity to represent La Familia.

Instead of allowing the changes to become a distraction, the group found roles quickly and developed into one of the best teams in the tournament.

La Familia Survives Louisville Rivalry Series

The road to the championship started with one of the biggest rivalries in college basketball.

La Familia opened the tournament against The Ville, Louisville’s alumni team, in a best-of-three series.

Even outside of the college basketball season, the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry brought the same intensity fans have come to expect. Former players had another opportunity to represent their programs, while fans packed Memorial Coliseum and Freedom Hall to watch the rivalry continue.

After splitting the first two games, the series came down to a deciding Game 3 at Memorial Coliseum.

After missing the opening games of the series, point guard Archie Goodwin became a topic of conversation among Kentucky fans, including comments from former Wildcat Aaron Harrison, who was unable to play this year while his twin brother Andrew participated.

When Goodwin returned for Game 3, he immediately provided the offensive spark La Familia needed.

The former Kentucky guard scored 22 points, including the game-winning basket during the Elam Ending, sending La Familia into the next round.

From that point forward, Goodwin became the team’s primary offensive weapon. His ability to create offense and take over possessions became a major reason Kentucky continued advancing.

That production was especially valuable considering the limited time the roster had together. With players coming from different eras, systems and backgrounds, having a player capable of creating offense individually helped stabilize the team.

Beating Boeheim’s Army and Finding a Championship Identity

The quarterfinal matchup against Syracuse alumni team, Boeheim’s Army, tested La Familia’s ability to win another close game.

The Syracuse alumni team pushed Kentucky throughout the contest, forcing another dramatic finish.

Goodwin provided scoring, while center Willie Cauley-Stein anchored the interior defense and gave La Familia a veteran presence in the paint.

The biggest moment came from small forward Kahlil Whitney. With the game approaching the Elam Ending, he crashed the offensive glass and finished the game-winning basket with a putback dunk.

For Whitney, the moment created a new Kentucky memory after a collegiate career that did not unfold the way many expected during his time in Lexington.

For La Familia, it was another example of different players stepping up at the biggest moments.

Kentucky Takes Down Kansas Alumni

After surviving Boeheim’s Army, La Familia faced another major challenge against Kansas alumni team JHX Hoops. The matchup brought together two of college basketball’s winningest programs with a trip to the TBT Championship Game on the line.

La Familia played its most complete game of the tournament. Goodwin continued his strong offensive play, while the defense created problems for Kansas throughout the matchup, which ultimately turned into a blowout.

Kentucky’s alumni team controlled the game and earned a spot in the championship, moving one win away from the TBT title.

Davis Steel Ends La Familia’s Championship Run

The final challenge was Davis Steel, one of the most experienced teams in the tournament.

The championship game came down to the areas that often decide close games: rebounding, second-chance opportunities and free throws.

Davis Steel controlled the glass and created additional possessions throughout the game, making it difficult for La Familia to build consistent momentum.

Goodwin battled through a difficult shooting night but remained the team’s primary offensive option.

Cauley-Stein provided one of his strongest performances of the tournament, finishing with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds while continuing to impact the game defensively.

Despite the challenges, La Familia continued fighting until the final possession, but Davis Steel closed out the championship and ended Kentucky’s run with a 67-59 victory, finishing the game with the Elam Ending basket on a floater from point guard Terrell Brown.

A Successful Run Before Attention Shifts Back to Kentucky

For a team built in the middle of the offseason, La Familia accomplished exactly what these alumni teams are designed to do.

The roster brought together former Wildcats from different generations, along with TBT portal players, and gave Kentucky fans a chance to watch familiar faces compete in meaningful basketball for the third straight year, and will continue to do so as the years go on.

The run also provided several memorable performances.

Goodwin became one of the tournament’s top offensive players. Cauley-Stein showed he could still impact winning basketball and may have played his final game before retirement after hinting before the event that he was considering hanging up the shoes. Whitney delivered some of the biggest moments of the tournament. 

Hood guided the program to the deepest TBT run in team history while doing a phenomenal job leading and coaching the group.

The championship loss will leave the team disappointed, especially after coming one victory away from the title, but the offseason story has now come to an end.

Kentucky fans will quickly shift their attention back toward the current basketball roster, recruiting, and the upcoming football season.

For a few weeks, though, La Familia gave Big Blue Nation something to follow, celebrate and rally behind. It brought former players back together, created new memories, and showed once again why Kentucky fans remain one of the most passionate and best fans in college basketball, filling up and yelling throughout Memorial Coliseum a handful of times.

For more Kentucky news and coverage, follow me on X @DrewByousBBN.