Overseas Elite Wins 2017 Basketball Tournament over Challenge ALS

Overseas Elite capped off the 2017 Basketball Tournament with an 86-83 victory on Thursday over Challenge ALS to secure its third straight championship in this event. 

Adding to the sweet taste of victory for Overseas Elite is the $2 million winner-take-all purse that will be divided between the 12 players on the roster and the coaching staff. 

Per ESPN's Darren Rovell, the individual payout to each player is a substantial increase over what the average player in the NBA developmental league gets:

There were fireworks that nearly led to a new champion being crowned. Overseas Elite held an 84-79 advantage with 23.7 seconds remaining when Ivan Aska hit a three to cut the lead to two. 

Following a timeout by Overseas Elite, Aska stole the inbounds pass but missed a jumper that would have tied the score at 84. Challenge ALS got two offensive rebounds in the sequence before Sean Marshall was fouled and went to the line for two free throws with 3.2 seconds left on the clock. 

Marshall made one of his two attempts, prompting Challenge ALS to foul on the inbounds pass to extend the game. Kyle Fogg, who finished with 29 points, made both of his free throws to give Overseas Elite an 86-83 edge with 1.6 seconds to go. 

Needing a Hail Mary to send the game into overtime, Challenge ALS was able to get the ball in Kevin Pinkney's hands, but his attempt from well beyond the three-point line came up just short. 

Overseas Elite was pushed around early in the first half. Challenge ALS held a 27-21 lead 10 minutes into the game, with the defense stifling Overseas Elite's shooters to the tune of a shooting percentage of 26. 

Needing a spark to turn things around, Overseas Elite coach Colin Curtin turned to Fogg. The former Arizona Wildcat had 18 points in the first half thanks in part to a light shooting touch from behind the three-point line:

Challenge ALS wasn't going quietly, even after Overseas Elite came back to take the lead late in the first half, shooting 53 percent from three-point range. 

Coming out of halftime, both teams continued to trade blows with neither giving an inch in their quest for a championship. 

Casper Ware was leading the charge for Challenge ALS to keep things close, hitting this jumper to tie the score at 65:

This was already a memorable tournament for Ware coming into Thursday. He hit the game-winning shot in double-overtime against Scarlet & Gray on Tuesday that brought Challenge ALS to the championship game, and he carried that momentum with him. 

When it appeared as if Overseas Elite was going to finally pull away late in the second half after using an 8-2 run to take a 76-71 lead with less than five minutes remaining, Challenge ALS kept chipping away at the lead and came within an eyelash of winning its first TBT championship. 

Instead, Overseas Elite moved its all-time record to 19-0 in this event. All three of the team's title wins have come in games decided by five points or less. That ability to close late is invaluable and a big reason why the celebration continues for the Overseas Elite once again.