After a heartbreaking loss in the championship game of last summer’s “The Basketball Tournament,” an open application, $2 million cash prize, single elimination summer tournament, Team Colorado went back to the drawing board.
General manager Beau Gamble and Trent Beckley, CU graduates and the two architects of Team Colorado’s roster, went out on the recruiting trail and brought in Xavier Silas, a former Buff who played at Colorado from 2006-08. Gamble and Beckley recruited a few other Colorado alumni as well to beef up their roster including former Indiana Pacer, New York Knick and Milwaukee Buck Chris Copeland, 2000-point college scorer Josh Scott, France’s Pro B League’s Most Valuable Player Michel Morandais and James Wright, who played last season for HKK Capljina-Lasta in the Bosnian League.
On paper, Silas is the perfect fit. The 29-year-old has the Colorado lineage, shined in the D-League with the Northern Arizona Suns last season, and got to the semis of TBT last summer with City of Gods before losing to the eventual champion Overseas Elite — the back-to-back tournament winners.
The move makes sense for Silas as well. He’s set to put down roots in Denver this summer with his wife and son, Ax Baker Silas, after playing internationally in France, Argentina, Israel, Greece, and Germany since his college career came to a close in 2011. He had a cup of coffee in the NBA with the 76ers in 2012 and the Wizards in 2014, but for now, his focus is on the $2 million.
BSN Denver spoke with Silas about his recent D-League success, his move from City of Gods to Team Colorado and expectations for this summer’s tournament.
You had a big year in the D-League last season with Northern Arizona, the Phoenix Suns’ affiliate — averaged more than 15 per game, shot it above 40 percent from three and played a big role for them. How did you think you played last season?
Xavier Silas: I think I got better. That’s always my goal and I accomplished it. Being able to shoot almost 45 percent from three and being on everyone’s scouting report as a shooter is something I’m building on this summer. Extreme measures to take it to another level.
You played with City of Gods last year in TBT, got all the way to the semi-final but lost to the eventual champ, Overseas Elite, who took home the title for the second-straight year. This year you’re on Team Colorado, who Overseas Elite beat in the 2016 Championship game. Why the switch?
XS: I think it was time. I played with 90 percent of the people involved with City of Gods when I was 18-years-old. We had a conversation and it just felt right.
You played with some of these guys at Colorado when you were there for two years — Marcus Hall, Levi Knutson, Richard Roby, Dwight Thorne and Trent Beckley What’s it going to be like to play with that group again, albeit in a different setting?
XS: It will be a great experience. Trent Beckley, Dwight and I were roommates. I brought Levi and Cory on their visits. MH (Marcus Hall), Nique (Dominique Coleman), and Cope (Chris Copeland) were the big brothers. Rich (Richard Roby) took me on my visit and was one of my best friends there. The black and gold runs deep in my journey.
How hard did Team Colorado recruit you leading up to this summer?
XS: We had conversations last summer about it. Then, Trent Beckley who is like The Godfather of this whole CU TBT thing really stayed on it this year. Then Beau and I finally sat down and put the pieces together.
I’m guessing with a runner-up finish last year and adding a player like you, plus bringing back mostly everyone from last season, you guys will be one of the favorites and you’ll have a target on your back every time you step on the floor. It will be, of course, championship or bust. Are you guys looking forward to that and how do you think this group will handle the pressure?
XS: This team is full of guys that have been overlooked or written off, which is probably the story of a lot of TBT teams. But I think the difference is we will prepare better than anyone else and we have the experience to truly make some things happen.
Watch Team Colorado in “The Basketball Tournament,” beginning in late July with most games scheduled to be shown live on the ESPN family of networks.
