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Boeheim’s Army looked for a knockout punch. They controlled the game for large portions, but The Nerd Team wouldn’t go away.

Prentiss Hubb swished home his fifth 3-pointer of the game, cutting BA’s lead to 72-67 with just over four-and-a-half minutes remaining. On the ensuing possession, Boeheim’s Army deferred to Grant Riller, the man they’d been giving the ball to all night.

Riller sprinted past midcourt following a screen from Chris McCullough. He accelerated to get a step ahead of his defender, and barreled toward the rim. Riller absorbed the contact, floating the ball off the glass and in for a clutch and-one to put Boeheim’s Army back up seven.

Time and time again on Wednesday, Riller came up clutch for Boeheim’s Army as they defeated The Nerd Team 83-75 in the second round of The Basketball Tournament. The BA newcomer scored a game-high 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the floor, providing them an offensive spark without Tyus Battle on the floor due to injury. Riller’s final points of the night came at the free-throw line, sealing the Elam ending as BA avenged their loss from last season to TNT.

“I knew we had a tough opponent, they beat (Boeheim’s Army) last year. So I just wanted to come here and give us a spark and be aggressive and just play my game,” Riller said.

Despite playing in his first TBT, Riller has looked comfortable in BA’s first two games. Riller spent this season in the NBA G-League, where he averaged 21.3 points for Texas Legends. Riller said before TBT that it’s “another opportunity to showcase myself and showcase what I can do.” After impressing in Boeheim’s Army’s first-round game against Team Gibson, scoring 17 on 8-of-13 shooting, Riller looked even better against TNT.

Riller missed his first shot of the game, a 3-pointer from the top of the key, but started to attack the paint for more efficient looks. With BA down 8-5 early in the first, Riller rejected a screen, using a quick in-and-out dribble to get by his defender. When the help defense came in the paint, Riller kept going, rising up with the ball in his right hand for a reverse layup.

“He’s very crafty and kind of an old school player,” said Boeheim’s Army head coach Ryan Blackwell. “He’s good in transition, he gets downhill. Even when he draws two guys a lot of guys bring the ball out, but he’s like ‘I’m gonna make something happen on this.’ He doesn’t shoot a lot of 3s, it’s a lot of transition and midrange, but he’s very tough.”

During a two-minute stretch in the first quarter, Riller scored six of BA’s eight points. Tied at 26-26 five minutes before half, Riller pounded the ball with his right hand at the top of the key. Rakeem Christmas set a screen and when the defender chose to go under, Riller cashed in on a 3-pointer. After five straight points from The Nerd Team, Riller answered with a mid-range pull-up, tying the game at 31-31.

Riller’s bucket was part of a 17-1 run to end the half for Boeheim’s Army. Riller finished off the run as he cut hard towards the baseline, running to his left. Justin Robinson fed him the ball for an easy pull-up, putting Boeheim’s Army up 46-32 at the half.

“Everybody was touching it during that time. Everybody was making shots and playing hard. Ultimately it gave us what we needed to get the win,” Riller said.

In the second half, Riller continued to have the ball in his hands and had more pressure on him to create with Dwight Buycks Jr. injured. He continued to get into the paint and was a big reason why Boeheim’s Army shot 59% (25-for-42) on 2-pointers.

As TNT threatened to make a run, Riller always had the answer. Hubb converted on a 4-point play to put The Nerd Team within eight, and Riller tried to respond with a 3 of his own which fell long. As Hubbs handled the ball at the top of the key, Riller poked the ball away, leading the fast break which he finished by himself.

Riller will have to continue his strong play for Boeheim’s Army to advance to the quarterfinals. BA faces off against defending TBT champions Blue Collar-U, a team made up of University of Buffalo alums.

“We just need to stick to the game plan and do what we’ve been doing, playing hard, playing selflessly as a group,” Riller said. “We got a good staff and we got a good group of guys man that’s willing to play with each other to play the right way.”

Published on July 27, 2023 at 12:41 am

Contact Zak: zakwolf784254@gmail.com | @ZakWolf22