Jordan Crawford puts in a reverse layup in Team Fredette’s 83-80 loss in the second round of TBT. (Hannah Miner)

Team Fredette has been eliminated from The Basketball Tournament following an 83-80 loss to Challenge ALS.

It took both teams a few minutes to find the inside of the baskets, with the two squads going a combined 0 for 8 from the field before trading consecutive and-ones and three-pointers.

Pollard and Gray netted a pair of three’s for Team Fredette before the five-minute mark, a feat that wasn’t accomplished until the second quarter of their first-round game against the CitiTeam Blazers on July 25. Through three minutes of play, Team Fredette led 9-8.

Coming out of a time-out with just over three minutes remaining in the opening quarter, Challenge ALS forced a turnover and drained a three-pointer on the other side of the court. On their next trip down to Team Fredette territory, a Marvelle Harris running layup extended their lead to six.

Challenge ALS saw a 9-0 run before Team Fredette was able to find an answer — an answer that came in the form of a Tu Holloway and-one. Austin Daye immediately answered for Challenge ALS with an uncontested layup, which was followed by another Challenge ALS bucket.

Similar to the night before, Jordan Crawford used his speed to find hard-earned baskets for Team Fredette, netting two points with six seconds remaining in the first quarter. After nine minutes of play, Challenge ALS led 25-16.

In the second quarter, Team Fredette found the basket first off a pair of Holloway free throws, which Holloway followed up with a three-pointer on his next trip down the court.

The speed of Crawford proved yet again to be lethal for Team Fredette, finding open court before dishing a pass to Central Connecticut alumni Kenneth Horton for an open three-pointer, bringing the score to 27-24 for Challenge ALS with 6:36 remaining in the second frame.

Jeff Ledbetter and Rob Gray checked back in for Team Fredette after a time-out with 5:39 remaining in the half, making an immediate impact in the form of a Ledbetter behind-the-back pass to Gray for an uncontested three-pointer, tying the game at 27 apiece.

Jordan Crawford runs the ball up the court with Rob Gray in his sight. Crawford finished the night with 11 points. (Hannah Miner)

Before the media took a time-out with 3:23 remaining in the half, a pair of Challenge ALS baskets put them back up by four. Out of the time-out, Challenge ALS netted consecutive baskets to put themselves on an 8-0 run, leading Team Fredette 35-27. Pollard halted the run with 2:11 remaining in the half, while an alley-oop pass from Crawford to Josh Sharma brought Team Fredette back within two.

Two Pollard free throws and a Ledbetter three-pointer gave Team Fredette a 9-0 run with 45 seconds remaining in the half as they reclaimed the lead with a score of 36-35. Gray would lay in another two points for Team Fredette before the end of the half, giving them an 11-0 run before the buzzer. At the half, Team Fredette led 38-35.

A MarQuez Haynes three-pointer for Challenge ALS started the half and brought the score back even, but Horton quickly regained the lead for Team Fredette with a 15-footer. Gray converted on a layup after a Pollard steal, but Deshawn Stevens quickly answered for Challenge ALS with a layup of his own. With 7:36 remaining in the third quarter, Team Fredette lead 42-40.

Challenge ALS retook the lead with 6:10 remaining in the third frame off another Haynes three-pointer, but Team Fredette followed it up with a three of their own. On Team Fredette’s next trip down the court, Pollard gave the lead back to Team Fredette with a two-handed slam.

Team Fredette Coaches Dave Rose and TJ Fredette direct their team in the second round of The Basketball Tournament. (Hannah Miner)

A 7-0 run for Challenge ALS gave them a six-point lead with under four minutes remaining in the frame. Ledbetter buried a shot from deep to stop the run that was quickly matched with a Team ALS three-pointer before Crawford rushed down the court for Team Fredette and finished the play with an and-one. With 3:21 remaining in the third quarter, Challenge ALS lead 55-52.

Challenge ALS took a time-out while they were up by nine with 31 seconds left in the quarter, but a missed shot led to a Holloway three-pointer at the buzzer for Team Fredette. After three quarters of play, Challenge ALS lead 63-58.

Marshall drained a shot from deep for Challenge ALS to start the quarter, extending their lead to eight. Holloway hit a mid-range jumper while drawing a foul, then proceeded to hit his foul shot to bring Team Fredette back within five. On their next trip down into Challenge ALS territory, Ledbetter hit a three to make it a one-possession game.

Crawford hit the third shot in a row for Team Fredette to tie the game at 66, followed by a pair of free throws by Holloway to give Team Fredette a two-point lead with 6:38 remaining.

A quick 7-0 run for Challenge ALS gave them a 73-68 lead before Holloway converted on a shot from deep, cutting the lead to two.

Tu Holloway takes the ball down the lane against Challenge ALS. Holloway finished with a game-high 29 points. (Hannah Miner)

A drawn foul by Crawford was followed by a single-made free throw, bringing the game to 74-72. With less than four minutes remaining, the Elam Ending came into play with the target score set at 82.

The two teams traded baskets at the conclusion of the media time-out before a Crawford steal lead to Holloway drawing a goaltending call and a foul. Holloway proceeded to make his free throw shot, giving Team Fredette a 77-76 lead.

The two teams traded three-pointers, bringing both within one possession of the win. Two Challenge ALS offensive rebounds eventually lead to a Crawford foul, sending Marshall to the line for Challenge ALS.

Needing only two points to win the game, Marshall went 1 for 2 from the line which gave the ball back to Team Fredette, tied 80-80. Holloway airballed the shot for Team Fredette on the next possession, which was followed by a controversial foul call on Ledbetter that sent Challenge ALS to the free throw line. Harris went 1 for 2 from the stripe, giving the ball back to Team Fredette with both teams needing just a single point.

Unable to capitalize, Challenge ALS went the other way and sealed the victory with a two-handed dunk courtesy of Deshawn Stephens, eliminating Team Fredette from The Basketball Tournament.

Holloway finished the night with a game-high 29 points, while Crawford added 11 points, six assists and five rebounds for Team Fredette.

Harris led Challenge ALS with 22 points with Marshall adding 19 of his own, while Stephens garnered a game-high 12 rebounds.

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