X

The Basketball Tournament 2021 Results: Golden Eagles, Boeheim's Army Advance To QFs

Tyler Conway@@jtylerconwayFeatured Columnist IVJuly 29, 2021

The basketball rim during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
AP Photo/Charles Krupa

The Illinois Region is down to two at the 2021 Basketball Tournament.

Golden Eagles and Autism Army met each other in the night's first matchup, while Boeheim’s Army and Always a Brave wrapped up the night's festivities from Peoria Civic Center.

Here is a look at how things shook out.

Golden Eagles 88, Autism Army 75

TBT @thetournament

Golden Eagles Smooth Moves of the Game Presented By <a href="https://twitter.com/EJBrandy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EJBrandy</a> 🥃 <a href="https://t.co/mKqpPclbjs">pic.twitter.com/mKqpPclbjs</a>

Dwight Buycks scored a game-high 23 points and Elgin Cook added 19, leading Golden Eagles to a high-scoring 88-75 win over Autism Army.

Golden Eagles shot 52 percent from the field overall and knocked down 13 threes, as Austism Army struggled to keep up. Buycks and Cook combined to shoot 18-of-25 from the field; at one point, Cook had made 21 straight field goals overall in the tournament.

Jamil Wilson added 13 points to round out double-figure scorers for the victors. 

Autism Army lost despite making more than half of their shots, due in large part to their 15 turnovers and 7-of-18 rate from three-point range.

Delroy James and D'angelo Harrison had a team-high 18 points, and Darryl Monroe had a 15-point effort in the loss.

The Golden Eagles are looking to repeat as champions of The Basketball Tournament and have reached the final four each of the last three years.

Boeheims Army 69, Always a Brave 54

Chris Mccullough went off in Wednesday's second game, putting in 19 points and seven rebounds to lead Boeheims Army past Always a Brave, 69-54. 

TBT @thetournament

Watch the Game Highlights from Boeheims Army vs. Always A Brave, 07/28/2021 <a href="https://t.co/CUd4naWUVh">pic.twitter.com/CUd4naWUVh</a>

Keifer Sykes added 10 points off the bench. Darrell Brown Jr. posted 16 points and six rebounds for the losing side. 

Boeheims Army won behind excellent perimeter shooting (8-of-20 from three) and an opportunistic defense (nine steals) that held Always a Brave to 35 percent shooting from the field. 

The talented group of Syracuse alumni that makes up Boeheims Army continues to look like one of the favorites at this tournament. Things won't get easier, however—they'll next meet the defending champion Golden Eagles in the quarterfinals on Saturday.