Pitt alum Jamel Artis and Sideline Cancer advanced to the quarterfinals of The Basketball Tournament with a 76-66 win over Challenge ALS in Columbus, Ohio.
Sideline Cancer, a Hollidaysburg, Pa.-based team, now has two upset victories as the No. 22-seeded team in the 24-team tournament.
Artis started and played 27 minutes for Sideline Cancer, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds. The 6-foot-7 wing, who spent the 2019-20 season with Metropolitans 92 in France, was 2 for 5 from 3-point range.
Former Indiana and Xavier guard Remy Abell led the squad with 17 points and hit the game-winning shot. Marcus Keene (Youngstown State/Central Michigan) had 16. Former Pacific forward Eric Thompson had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Sideline Cancer will face No. 3 seed Boeheim’s Army, a team of Syracuse alumni. In his final three seasons at Pitt, Artis averaged 17.7 points per game against Syracuse and became something of a specialist against the Orange’s 2-3 zone defense.
Fellow Pitt alum Ryan Luther is also still in the tournament. Playing for No. 23 Herd That, Luther will take on No. 7 The Money Team on Thursday at 2 p.m.
