Remember Aaron Craft? He was the point guard that captured the nation's attention during his collegiate basketball career. People were drawn to his desire to do the dirty work, getting aggressive and playing smash mouth defense despite his somewhat slight stature. Well, he was back gracing screens around the nation on Tuesday night. He and his Ohio State teammates participated in The Basketball Tournament...and they did not disappoint.
Ohio State represents at TBT
Scarlet and Gray, a team of Ohio State alumni, made it all the way to the semifinals of this year's competition, where they faced off against Challenge ALS on Tuesday night.
Their former Buckeyes coach, Thad Matta, was watching from the stands in Baltimore. The energy in the building was palpable. With just four seconds to play, the team led by two points. Then, Craft made a rare mistake, fouling Casper Ware on a three-point shot; Ware made two of three to force overtime.
For Craft, that marked his sixth foul of the game, forcing him out of the competition. From there, he watched as his Ohio State brethren traded baskets with the Cinderella darlings of the tournament's semifinals. The game lasted until a second overtime, when Challenge ALS jumped out ahead and fought to an 88-83 victory, advancing to the finals for the right to take home the tournament's $2 million in prize money.
Craft honing his talents
Craft wasn't necessarily the Ohio State focus of the tournament - that honor fell to Jared Sullinger. He has struggled to find an NBA job after losing his with the Phoenix Suns. He recorded 26 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday night, receiving enough exposure that at least one NBA team should come calling in the near future for the once highly-touted Buckeye.
It was good seeing Craft back on the court, though. He became a beloved (and reviled) player at Ohio State, earning All-Big Ten accolades and Defensive Player of the Year honors during his four seasons with the Buckeyes. He wasn't selected in the NBA Draft but earned D-League Defensive Player of the Year honors with the Santa Cruz Warriors during his first season.
He starred for the squad for a second year before moving on to play overseas. Last month, he signed a contract to play with AS Monaco in the LNB Pro A league. His opportunities for exposure stateside are limited these days, but his brand of basketball is clearly still in-demand, judging by fan reactions this month.
