Marc D'Amelio and D'Amelio Huskies Collective to Enter UConn Alumni Team in The Basketball Tournament (TBT)

The Basketball Tournament is a March Madness-style event featuring a $1 million winner-take-all prize airing on FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the summer basketball event with a $1 million grand prize aired live on FOX Sports, today announced the addition of the Stars of Storrs to its 64-team field, an alumni team representing back-to-back national champions UConn. Stars of Storrs is organized by Marc D'Amelio and the D'Amelio Huskies Collective.

D'Amelio will serve as the team's general manager, and Chris Smith, UConn's all-time leading scorer, will be the team's head coach. Current commitments for the team include former Huskies stars Ryan Boatright, DeAndre Daniels, and Joey Calcaterra, all three of whom won national championships during their time at UConn.

If the Stars of Storrs wins TBT's $1 million prize, $100,000 will be donated to the D'Amelio Huskies Collective, an NIL collective exclusively for UConn student athletes.

Stars of Storrs will compete in TBT's Pittsburgh Regional at the Petersen Events Center July 19-23. While their first-round opponent is to be determined, the regional will also feature alumni teams from the University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, Penn State, and more.  

Before Stars of Storrs departs for Pittsburgh, there will be an open practice for fans to attend in Connecticut. The date and time will be announced on Stars of Storrs social media platforms, @starsofstorrs.

"Initially, a UConn fan on Twitter asked me to put together a team," general manager Marc D'Amelio said. "I love building brands, teams, and UConn Basketball, so assembling a UConn TBT team combines everything I am passionate about."

"We plan on donating $100,000 of the $1,000,000 championship prize winnings to D'Amelio Huskies Collective. So, a championship win for The Stars of Storrs will directly impact and support our current UConn athletes. UConn fans can expect to witness a unique partnership of UConn fan favorites, from players to coaches, all coming together like never before."

"Marc D'Amelio presented the opportunity to me to coach the team. It feels amazing to be the first coach of the team," said head coach Chris Smith. "To be one of the first highly recruited people from Connecticut to be the head coach is amazing. I feel like I am giving back to Connecticut and also if we win, we get a chance to give to Marc's collective. To be able to coach ex-Husky players from different time eras will be fun for myself and for the players. They will get a chance to play with guys they watched as well."

"Representing UConn in this tournament means everything because you get to put those colors on again and play for a common goal: winning another championship on a national stage with your brothers," said Stars of Storrs guard Ryan Boatright."

"Reuniting with Deandre will be fun and I'm super excited about it. We did some amazing things together on the court and are looking to continue that success this summer. But also getting to play with older and younger guys that share that love and dedication to the program and had success during their time in Storrs will also be fun. I'm looking forward to us all coming together and creating new memories!"

"All of us will need to buy in and commit to playing the right way to compete at a high level! That starts now with guys making sure they're in shape and ready to hit the ground running. This year's TBT will be a very competitive tournament and one slip up means you're out."

The D'Amelio Huskies Collective has been assisting UConn student athletes with name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities since being founded by Marc D'Amelio in May 2022. Current D'Amelio Huskies Collective athletes include UConn men's basketball players Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, and Hassan Diarra.

The D'Amelio Huskies Collective joins collectives from Kansas, Florida, and UMass to enter teams in TBT.

TBT's 64-team field is composed of eight regionals with eight teams in each, all hosted on the campus of a powerhouse college basketball team. If Stars of Storrs advances out of the Pittsburgh Regional, they'll play in TBT's quarterfinals on July 29.

TBT's semifinals and $1 million championship game will be held August 2 and August 4 at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

Now entering its 11th year, The Basketball Tournament has grown tremendously in popularity amongst both fans and players. A record 77,000 fans attended TBT games across the country last year, including 7,202 for TBT's quarterfinals, a new TBT single-game record. More than 75 players with NBA experience competed in TBT 2023 as well, the most in tournament history.

TBT is the home of the Elam Ending®, the alternate ending to basketball games where teams play to a Target Scoretm, which has previously been used in the NBA All-Star game and is currently in use in the G League, the CEBL, and other events across the globe.

Tickets for the Pittsburgh Regional and TBT 2024 can be purchased at TheTournament.com/tickets

About The Basketball Tournament
The home of the Elam Ending®, The Basketball Tournament has grown from a unique idea among friends to one of the most exciting and engaging events on the summer sports calendar, with national exposure, social media buzz and regional championships across the country - culminating in a winner-take-all $1 million game. Every year it attracts some of the best players in the world. For more information on TBT's tenth season, visit www.thetournament.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jake Pavorsky, TBT Enterprises ? [email protected]

SOURCE The Basketball Tournament (TBT)