Team Colorado Eliminates Skinner’s Frate Train in Second Round, 94-85

Looking at the results of their first round matchups, the naked eye would’ve predicted another walk through for the Skinner’s Frate Train crew. The team comprised of Boston College alumni dominated Mostly Sports in the second half, running way for a 27 point victory. That earned them the right to take on Team Colorado, a Buffaloes alumni squad that barely squeaked by Shaare Zedek by five in a 5/12 upset special.

Unfortunately for the Frate Train crew, though, Team Colorado showed up in force.

Marcus Hall went 6-8 from beyond the arc, scoring 31 points in a 94-85 victory over the Boston College alumni squad. The decision eliminated Skinner’s Frate Train from The Basketball Tournament while Team Colorado advanced to Philadelphia to play in the Round of 16.

Despite trailing by six at halftime and by double digits early in the second half, the Skinner’s Frate Train crew rallied for a run into the final two minutes. They cut the Colorado lead to just four, adding a threat. But then an exchange where four shots in a row missed on an exchange in the Colorado defensive paint, followed by a foul, allowing the team to pull away.

Three players scored 20 or more points for Skinner’s Frate Train, including Joe Trapani with a game-high 23. shot 7-12 from the field to lead all members of his team, adding a 9-10 day at the free throw line. Sean Marshall and Marquez Haynes added 22 on 7-17 and 7-18 shooting, respectively. Haynes shot 33% from three point land, going 4-12.

On the glass, three players had six or more rebounds, including Trapani, who had three offensive rebounds on his own in 35 minutes. Kyle Casey added four offensive rebounds as part of an eight-board day.

They were bested by Marcus Hall’s 31 points. Hall went 10-13 from the field, including the aforementioned 6-8 from long range as Richard Roby added 23 points, including eight from the line. Roby added six rebounds for Team Colorado.

Colorado now advances to the Round of 16 to be played in Philadelphia, where the fifth-seeded team will take on top-seeded Team 23. Team 23 cracked the century mark for the second straight game in destroying New Mexico RH, 101-88. They cruised through Kimchi Express in the first round with a 121-81 victory.

Skinner’s Frate Train was far from the only upset of the day, however. The seventh-seeded Team Utah, comprised of Utah Utes alumni, knocked out second-seeded LAUNFD, 86-76, to advance to Philadelphia. They’ll meat Few Good Men, a team made up of Gonzaga alumni, who defeated 7outz by 44 points (98-54).

The only other alumni team to make it through the first weekend was a Virginia Commonwealth team that was the #3 seed in the South. Ram Nation defeated the 11th-seeded Kings of the South, 102-76, to advance. Two other alumni teams in that region were eliminated over the weekend; Bluff City Blues (Memphis) lost in the second round to Trained to Go, 83-82, thanks to two three pointers in the game’s final 11 seconds, while Davidson alumni team Cat Pack was knocked out by the Kings of the South, 113-92, in the first round.

The Basketball Tournament continues next weekend with the Midwest and Northeast Regionals.