Last Updated on August 9, 2026 by Maurya
The Basketball Tournament 2016 was one of the most important editions in the early history of TBT. The third annual tournament brought together 64 teams, dozens of players with NBA experience, established professionals from overseas leagues and alumni squads representing some of the biggest names in college basketball.
But one team remained above them all.
Overseas Elite defeated Team Colorado 77-72 in the championship game on August 2, 2016, winning its second consecutive TBT title and claiming the tournament’s $2 million winner-take-all prize. Kyle Fogg was named tournament MVP after playing a major role throughout Overseas Elite’s championship run.
The victory helped establish Overseas Elite as TBT’s first true dynasty. More broadly, the 2016 tournament represented a breakthrough season for an event that was rapidly evolving from an unconventional summer basketball experiment into a nationally televised competition featuring recognizable professionals and substantial prize money.
Here is the complete story of The Basketball Tournament 2016, including its format, teams, championship game, standout players and lasting significance.
The Basketball Tournament 2016
| Category | 2016 TBT Details |
| Tournament | The Basketball Tournament |
| Edition | Third |
| Dates | July 9-August 2, 2016 |
| Teams | 64 |
| Format | 5-on-5, single elimination |
| Prize | $2 million winner-take-all |
| Champion | Overseas Elite |
| Runner-up | Team Colorado |
| Championship score | Overseas Elite 77-72 Team Colorado |
| Tournament MVP | Kyle Fogg |
| Final venue | Rose Hill Gymnasium, Fordham University, New York |
| Championship TV coverage | ESPN |
The tournament featured 63 games among 64 teams, with competition taking place in Los Angeles, Charlotte, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York.
What Was The Basketball Tournament in 2016?
The Basketball Tournament, commonly known as TBT, was created as an open, single-elimination basketball competition in which teams assembled their own rosters and competed for a winner-take-all cash prize.
Founder Jon Mugar launched the tournament in 2014. Notre Dame Fighting Alumni won the inaugural competition and a $500,000 prize. Overseas Elite captured the 2015 edition when the prize had increased to $1 million.
For 2016, TBT took another major step forward.
The championship prize was doubled from $1 million to $2 million, while the field was reduced from the 97 teams used in 2015 to a cleaner 64-team bracket. Mugar told ESPN that the change was designed to eliminate bye rounds and create a more straightforward tournament structure.
That produced a format familiar to fans of the NCAA Tournament: survive six single-elimination games and become champion.
Lose once and the pursuit of $2 million was over.
Why TBT 2016 Was a Major Turning Point
The 2016 edition was significant for several reasons.
First was the enormous increase in prize money. A $2 million winner-take-all purse gave the competition genuine financial stakes for professional players who might otherwise spend the summer resting, training or preparing for their next club season.
Second was the quality of the field.
ESPN reported before the tournament that more than 50 former NBA players were included among the 64-team field. TBT also featured numerous players from the NBA Development League—now known as the G League—as well as experienced professionals competing throughout Europe and other international leagues.
Third was television exposure.
ESPN and TBT announced their most extensive broadcast arrangement to that point, with the Round of 16 through the championship carried live across ESPN networks.
The result was a tournament that felt considerably bigger than the one launched just two summers earlier.
How the 2016 TBT Format Worked
The Basketball Tournament 2016 featured 64 teams divided into four regions.
Regional play began on July 9, with games staged in:
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Philadelphia
- Charlotte
The surviving teams advanced to the Super 16 at Philadelphia University, followed by the final championship rounds at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gymnasium in New York. The semifinals were held July 30 before the championship game on August 2.
Fans also played an unusually important role in the event.
Under TBT’s qualification system at the time, online fan voting helped determine much of the field. ESPN reported that 12 of the 16 teams in each region were selected based on vote totals, subject to qualification requirements. The top supporters of the eventual championship team could also share part of the prize pool; for 2016, the fan portion was 10%, or $200,000.
It was an unusual combination of professional basketball, crowdsourcing, alumni loyalty and high-stakes knockout competition.
Important Note: TBT 2016 Did Not Use the Elam Ending
Modern basketball fans often associate The Basketball Tournament with the Elam Ending, the clock-free finish in which teams play to a target score.
However, that format was not used in the main 2016 TBT tournament.
The Elam Ending was first experimented with by TBT in preliminary games in 2017. Research published in the Sports Innovation Journal confirms that the format’s first TBT implementation came the year after the 2016 tournament. It later became one of TBT’s defining features.
That means the famous 2016 championship between Overseas Elite and Team Colorado was played with a traditional timed finish.
This distinction is important when comparing historical TBT games with the modern tournament.
Overseas Elite Entered as the Team to Beat
Overseas Elite had already demonstrated its quality in 2015.
The roster was built primarily around accomplished professional players whose careers had taken them to major leagues outside the NBA. That gave the team something many alumni-based TBT entries lacked: players who were still competing professionally at a high level throughout the year.
The 2016 group included names such as:
Kyle Fogg, D.J. Kennedy, Errick McCollum, Myck Kabongo, DeAndre Kane, Paris Horne, Travis Bader, Johndre Jefferson, Todd O’Brien, Anthony Raffa and Ryan Richards.
Colin Curtin coached the team, while Andrew “Drew” Morrison was responsible for assembling the roster. Hofstra Athletics described Overseas Elite as the defending champion ahead of the final and detailed the team’s progression through Showtime, HBC, Ram Nation, Trained to Go and City of Gods.
Their greatest strength was not simply individual talent.
Overseas Elite had continuity.
Several players understood their roles, had previous TBT experience and were comfortable playing under the pressure produced by a winner-take-all format.
That became particularly valuable when the championship game went badly early.
Overseas Elite’s Road to the 2016 TBT Championship
Overseas Elite’s championship route included:
| Round | Opponent | Result |
| Opening round | Showtime | Won 97-75 |
| Second round | HBC | Won 91-84 |
| Super 16 | Ram Nation | Won 91-80 |
| Quarterfinal | Trained to Go | Won 74-66 |
| Semifinal | City of Gods | Won 103-92 |
| Championship | Team Colorado | Won 77-72 |
The semifinal demonstrated just how dangerous Kyle Fogg had become.
Facing City of Gods, Fogg scored 42 points, carrying Overseas Elite into another championship game. ESPN highlighted the performance immediately before the final.
It was one of the defining individual performances of the entire tournament.
Team Colorado’s Surprise Run to the Final
If Overseas Elite represented established TBT excellence, Team Colorado represented the power of the alumni-team concept.
The roster was made up of former University of Colorado players from different eras. Some had never actually been college teammates, but TBT gave them an opportunity to unite under the Colorado banner.
Players such as Marcus Hall, Austin Dufault, Dominique Coleman, Marcus Relphorde and Calvin Williams became key pieces in an increasingly dangerous team.
Colorado’s tournament run gathered momentum in Philadelphia.
In the West Regional final, Team Colorado defeated Team Utah 83-78, despite trailing by as many as 14 points. Marcus Hall finished with 22 points, while Dufault scored 17 and Coleman added 16.
The victory sent Team Colorado to New York.
Team Colorado Beats Always A Brave
Colorado’s semifinal opponent was Always A Brave, a Bradley University alumni squad largely built around members of Bradley’s memorable 2006 NCAA Sweet 16 team.
Team Colorado won the semifinal 78-70.
Always A Brave suffered an early setback when Daniel Ruffin went down with an injury, while Colorado’s defense and timely offense helped the Buffaloes alumni move into the championship game.
That left just two teams standing from the original field of 64:
Overseas Elite vs. Team Colorado.
One game for $2 million.
2016 TBT Championship: Overseas Elite vs. Team Colorado
The championship was played on August 2, 2016, at Rose Hill Gymnasium at Fordham University in New York and televised nationally on ESPN.
Overseas Elite entered as the defending champion.
Team Colorado arrived as the underdog.
For much of the first half, however, it looked like Colorado might pull off one of TBT’s biggest early upsets.
Team Colorado Builds a 20-Point Lead
Colorado opened the championship aggressively, scoring the game’s first seven points.
The Buffaloes alumni continued applying pressure and eventually built a lead of approximately 20 points during the first half. Marcus Hall was central to their success, although foul trouble forced him to spend time on the bench.
Overseas Elite gradually reduced the deficit before halftime, but Team Colorado still went into the break leading 46-36.
For a defending champion with $2 million at stake, the situation was becoming extremely uncomfortable.
But Overseas Elite had been built for exactly this sort of game.
Overseas Elite’s Second-Half Comeback
The defending champions tightened their defense and steadily worked their way back into contention.
Colorado’s 20-point advantage disappeared.
By approximately the middle of the second half, Overseas Elite had drawn level, turning the final into a possession-by-possession battle.
Colorado responded rather than collapsing. Marcus Hall helped spark another run that restored his team’s advantage, and neither side could establish complete control as the game entered its closing minutes.
This was not a comfortable championship defence.
It became a test of execution and nerve.
The Final Minutes
Overseas Elite eventually moved ahead, but Team Colorado remained within striking distance.
With Overseas Elite leading late, Colorado forced a turnover and had an opportunity to create another scoring chance. A critical handling mistake, however, returned possession to the defending champions.
Overseas Elite then converted at the free-throw line and finished the comeback.
Final score: Overseas Elite 77, Team Colorado 72.
The defending champions had survived.
And the $2 million belonged to Overseas Elite.
Championship Game Standout Players
Several players delivered major performances under the enormous pressure of the final.
D.J. Kennedy – Overseas Elite
Kennedy produced perhaps the most complete championship-game performance for Overseas Elite.
He finished with:
- 18 points
- 8 rebounds
- 4 steals
His ability to affect the game defensively as well as offensively proved vital during the comeback.
Kyle Fogg – Overseas Elite
Fogg followed his 42-point semifinal masterpiece with another strong performance in the championship.
He recorded:
- 17 points
- 6 rebounds
Those numbers, combined with his production throughout the tournament, helped earn him the 2016 TBT Most Valuable Player award.
Marcus Hall – Team Colorado
Hall was outstanding in defeat.
He scored 24 points, leading Team Colorado and giving the eventual champions problems throughout the night.
For much of the tournament, Hall had been the engine behind Colorado’s improbable championship run.
Austin Dufault – Team Colorado
Dufault also delivered in the biggest game.
The former Colorado forward recorded 16 points and six rebounds in the final.
Kyle Fogg Wins 2016 TBT MVP
Although D.J. Kennedy led Overseas Elite in scoring during the championship game, Kyle Fogg was the tournament’s standout performer overall.
Fogg finished the competition as its leading scorer with 131 total points across six games. Historical tournament records list him as both the 2016 scoring leader and MVP.
His defining performance was undoubtedly the semifinal against City of Gods.
With a place in the $2 million championship game on the line, Fogg exploded for 42 points in Overseas Elite’s 103-92 victory.
That performance demonstrated why TBT could be so compelling.
Players who were accomplished professionals—but not necessarily household names to casual American basketball audiences—had an opportunity to perform on a national platform with enormous stakes.
Fogg took full advantage.
Final Four Results at The Basketball Tournament 2016
The four remaining teams in New York were Overseas Elite, City of Gods, Team Colorado and Always A Brave.
Semifinal 1
Team Colorado 78-70 Always A Brave
Colorado advanced behind another disciplined performance, ending the Bradley alumni team’s impressive run.
Semifinal 2
Overseas Elite 103-92 City of Gods
Kyle Fogg’s 42-point outburst powered the defending champions into the final.
Championship
Overseas Elite 77-72 Team Colorado
Overseas Elite erased a huge first-half deficit to become the first repeat champion in TBT history.
Major Alumni Teams Helped Define TBT 2016
One of the features that helped TBT grow was the appearance of teams connected to well-known college basketball programs.
The 2016 field included alumni-oriented squads associated with programs such as Syracuse, Kentucky, Marquette, Bradley, Colorado, Utah, Pittsburgh and others.
That structure gave fans an immediate reason to care.
A supporter who had watched a particular guard or forward in college could suddenly see that player return years later alongside other former stars from the same program.
Boeheim’s Army, for example, continued building its identity around former Syracuse players. Other squads followed a similar model.
ESPN noted before the tournament that college alumni teams had become an important component of the competition, helping TBT combine nostalgia with genuinely competitive professional-level basketball.
Team Colorado’s trip to the final demonstrated exactly how powerful the concept could be.
The $2 Million Prize Changed the Stakes
TBT was always designed around a simple concept:
Win and get paid. Lose and go home.
By doubling the purse to $2 million in 2016, organizers dramatically increased the pressure.
The jump was particularly striking when viewed against the event’s rapid progression:
| Year | TBT Prize | Champion |
| 2014 | $500,000 | Notre Dame Fighting Alumni |
| 2015 | $1 million | Overseas Elite |
| 2016 | $2 million | Overseas Elite |
In just two years, the championship purse had quadrupled.
ESPN reported that 10% of the 2016 prize—$200,000—was allocated to winning fans under TBT’s fan participation system.
The remaining stakes were enough to make every late possession enormously meaningful for players and staff.
How Overseas Elite Became TBT’s First Dynasty
Winning the 2016 championship meant more than defending a title.
It established a pattern.
Overseas Elite had won the 2015 championship by defeating Team 23 67-65. After beating Team Colorado in 2016, the franchise had two championships in two appearances.
And it wasn’t finished.
Overseas Elite would go on to capture the 2017 and 2018 TBT championships as well, ultimately winning four consecutive tournament titles from 2015 through 2018.
Viewed retrospectively, therefore, the 2016 championship represents an important point in TBT history.
The first championship showed that Overseas Elite could win.
The second showed that its success was not accidental.
Why Was Overseas Elite So Successful?
Several factors made the team particularly well suited to TBT.
Professional experience
The roster was filled with players actively competing in strong international leagues.
These were not simply former stars returning for a reunion. Many were full-time professionals accustomed to high-level opposition.
Roster balance
Overseas Elite could score from the perimeter, attack off the dribble, rebound and defend multiple positions.
When one star struggled, another could take over.
Fogg’s semifinal performance and Kennedy’s championship contribution illustrate that balance.
Continuity
The team retained an important core from its 2015 championship.
Chemistry can be difficult for summer tournament teams that have only a short period to prepare. Overseas Elite already knew how to play together and understood the pressure of TBT.
Composure
Perhaps nothing demonstrated the team’s mentality better than the championship.
A lesser group might have panicked after falling approximately 20 points behind Team Colorado.
Overseas Elite continued defending, reduced the margin methodically and eventually completed the comeback.
How TBT 2016 Helped the Tournament Grow
The tournament had only been launched in 2014, yet by 2016 it had:
- A 64-team bracket
- A $2 million prize
- National ESPN coverage
- More than 50 former NBA players in the field
- International professional talent
- Popular college alumni teams
- Regional competition across multiple U.S. cities
That combination provided a foundation for what TBT would eventually become.
The following year brought experimentation with the Elam Ending, which would eventually change the identity of the event even further.
But the 2016 tournament proved that the core concept worked even before that famous rules innovation.
Summer basketball could attract meaningful national attention when recognizable players, alumni loyalty, knockout pressure and substantial prize money were placed together.
The Basketball Tournament 2016 Legacy
Nearly every successful sporting competition has a season that helps establish what it is going to become.
For TBT, 2016 was one of those seasons.
The expanded television presence increased visibility. The $2 million prize raised the stakes. Alumni teams strengthened connections with established college basketball fan bases. Meanwhile, Overseas Elite gave the young event something every tournament needs: a dominant champion that everyone else wants to beat.
The final itself delivered the type of drama organizers could have hoped for.
Team Colorado came remarkably close to completing its Cinderella run. It built a huge first-half advantage and forced the defending champions to respond.
Overseas Elite did.
A 20-point deficit became a five-point victory, a second championship and another major step toward a dynasty.
FAQs
Who won The Basketball Tournament in 2016?
Overseas Elite won The Basketball Tournament 2016, defeating Team Colorado 77-72 in the championship game. It was Overseas Elite’s second consecutive TBT title.
How much money did the 2016 TBT winner receive?
The 2016 tournament featured a $2 million winner-take-all prize, double the $1 million purse offered in 2015.
Who was the 2016 TBT MVP?
Kyle Fogg of Overseas Elite was named the 2016 TBT MVP. He also finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with 131 points.
What was the score of the 2016 TBT championship game?
Overseas Elite defeated Team Colorado 77-72 in the final on August 2, 2016.
Where was the 2016 TBT championship played?
The championship game was played at Rose Hill Gymnasium at Fordham University in The Bronx, New York.
How many teams competed in TBT 2016?
There were 64 teams in The Basketball Tournament 2016. The field had been reduced from 97 teams the previous year.
Did TBT use the Elam Ending in 2016?
No. The main 2016 tournament used a traditional timed finish. TBT first experimented with what became known as the Elam Ending in 2017, before expanding its use later.
Who did Overseas Elite beat in the semifinals?
Overseas Elite defeated City of Gods 103-92. Kyle Fogg scored 42 points in the victory.
Who did Team Colorado beat in the semifinals?
Team Colorado defeated Always A Brave 78-70 to reach the championship game.
Final Thoughts
The Basketball Tournament 2016 helped transform TBT from an intriguing summer competition into a legitimate event on the American basketball calendar.
The 64-team single-elimination bracket created constant pressure. The $2 million prize gave every possession meaningful financial consequences. College alumni teams brought passionate fan bases, while international professionals demonstrated that elite basketball talent exists far beyond NBA rosters.
Above everything else, 2016 belonged to Overseas Elite.
Kyle Fogg produced one of the tournament’s great scoring performances in the semifinal and earned MVP honors. D.J. Kennedy delivered when the championship was on the line. And when Team Colorado threatened to complete an extraordinary upset by building a huge first-half lead, the defending champions showed precisely why they had become TBT’s premier team.
Overseas Elite’s 77-72 comeback victory over Team Colorado secured the $2 million championship and made the team the first repeat winner in TBT history.
In hindsight, it was also the middle of something much bigger. Overseas Elite wasn’t merely defending a championship in 2016—it was building the dynasty that would define TBT’s formative years.
