The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

HEAD coaches of several of the top NCAA Division I men’s basketball programmes in America had a similar message for their players headed into the 2021 Battle 4 Atlantis - enjoy the amenities of the Atlantis resort and what the Bahamas has to offer, but treat the star-studded tournament like a “business trip.

The 10th edition of the tournament tipped off yesterdayand featured a double overtime thriller and several finishes decided in the game’s closing moments at the Imperial Arena.

With three nationally ranked teams in the bracket, the next two days of competition have the potential to impact the polls, making it the most competitive early season tournament on the calendar.

The UConn Huskies (American Athletic Conference) will make their third tournament appearance while the defending NCAA champion Baylor Bears (Big 12), Syracuse Orange (ACC), Michigan State Spartans (BIG 10), and Virginia Commonwealth Rams (A10) will make their second appearance, The remainder of the field includes the Arizona State Sun Devils (PAC 12), Auburn Tigers (SEC) and Loyola- Chicago Ramblers (Missouri Valley Conference) making their B4A debut in the 2021 field.

The field includes six teams who made the NCAA Tournament last year.

The Spartans opened the tournament with a 63-61 win over the Loyola Chicago Ramblers.

Malik Hall led Michigan State with a perfect 9-9 shooting day from the field while Marcus Bingham Jr scored 11 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked seven shots.

Bingham finished an alley oop from Tyson Walker with five seconds remaining to lift the Spartans to the opening day win.

Lucas Williamson led the Ramblers with 17 points.

“Anytime you can travel together and spend time together and do some things together...it’s always a positive,” said Spartans head coach Tom Izzo. “Three games in three days is very difficult on a coaching staff but it’s even more difficult for the players. What we can pick up for this...you won’t be able to measure it. It’s really going to help you later on, win, lose or draw.”

In the first matchup of ranked opponents, the No.22 ranked Huskies needed two extra periods to win 115-109 win over the No.19 Auburn Tigers.

Adama Sanogo led the Huskies with 30 points, while RJ Cole and Tyler Polley each scored 24. KD Johnson led the Tigers with 27 points and Jabari Smith added 22.

“This is an opportunity to play three great teams. It’s an opportunity to build or destroy your résumé. It’s an opportunity to play against the best teams in the country and to get tested in all the different ways that you’re going to be tested,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. “This is a business trip. There’s not going to be a lot of swimming with the dolphins. This is not a cultural summer tour. We won’t be visiting many museums or spending much time on the beach. Now we’ll enjoy the climate, we’ll enjoy a beautiful setting, and the guys will get a chance to see that. But we’re here for business.”

Huskies coach Dan Hurley has the unique opportunity of possibly facing off against his brother Bobby Hurley - head coach of the Sun Devils. UConn and Arizona State are on opposite sides of the bracket so they have the possibility of meeting in the championship game if both teams win out. “I would prefer, in a perfect world, if we played in the championship game, That would be, I think, something we would both sign on for out here. That’s the goal for both of us,” Dan said. “Obviously it would take a ton of work to get to that point. We would both be really happy to meet in the championship game. That means that we both had an unbelievable run in this tournament with the quality that we’d have to beat to get there. So we would love that if that were to happen.”

UConn’s appearance in the 2021 Battle 4 Atlantis is the third for the Huskies at the event. UConn finished third in the 2011 Battle 4 Atlantis, which was the first year of the event, and the Huskies finished fourth in the 2015 tourney. UConn’s overall record at the Battle 4 Atlantis is 4-3.

“The times that we can interact and see each other throughout this week is going to be positive,” Bobby said. “We’re really tight. We’re brothers and we love each other. And so we’ll be rooting for each other and supporting each other.”

In game three, the VCU Rams scored a 67-55 win over the Syracuse Orange.

Syracuse is making its second appearance on Paradise Island in The Battle 4 Atlantis. The Orange claimed the 2015 title in its last visit.

Levi Stockard II led three VCU players in double figures with 15 points and Marcus Tsohonis added 12. Buddy Boeheim finished with 20 points while Jimmy Boeheim added 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead Syracuse.

“This is obviously a huge tournament, having some of the best teams in the country here,’ said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim.

“No matter what, when we come down here, we’re trying to win the tournament. We’re trying to win games and play well. It’s not a vacation. They’re not outdoors. They’re not going swimming. You come down here, you go to practice and you get ready for the games….Once Wednesday comes they’re right there, bang, bang, bang. Three days. You don’t have time to do anything else. They want to play games and play well.’’

In their return to Atlantis, the top ranked team in the field, the No.6 Baylor Bears had the most dominant performance of day one.

They won 75-63 over Arizona State. LJ Cryer led five Bears in double figures with 15 points and Matt Mayer scored 14.

Baylor returns to Atlantis for the second time. The Bears won the 2016 Battle 4 Atlantis with victories over VCU and Michigan State and a comeback from 22-down to defeat Louisville for the title.

“You leave here, you know what your team needs to work on to get better. Areas you didn’t know you needed to work on get exposed. So, you leave a better team, and coaches all like that. There are no bad losses, just quality wins in tournaments like this.”

Baylor head coach Scott Drew said: “I know our staff has great memories of this tournament the last time we were here. It’s a real blessing for your team to see the beauty here and obviously everything in the Bahamas.”