Tri State – road through Big3

Tri State has been from the start in Fireball. The interesting team has been playing in all five seasons and gave the same tremendous and unforgettable moments in Big3. Some famous former NBA players played for this team and their influence on their performances was significant.

Their road during this time is worth observing in a story, so keep looking next paragraphs for details of the history of this team. From the early beginning in 2017 till August 2022. You will not regret it, for sure.

How did the project of Tri State start?

Tri State is founded on March 1, 2017. Two members of the new team were known right away. Jermaine O’Neal was appointed as captain and Bonzi Wells as co-captain.

Who was the coach of Tri state in 2017?

Julius Erving was the coach of Tri State at the beginning of the first season of Big3. Julius Erving is a recognizable figure in American basketball.

Julius won three-time NBA championships during his playing career and got four MVP awards as the best player in the league. Erving played in a small forward position and is considered one of the most talented players in the history of the NBA.

How was the squad in the first season formed?

Jermaine O’Neal was an ex-NBA star who played the majority of his career for the Indiana Pacers. Jermaine came to Big3 with a solid reputation as a high-quality center or power forward and became captain of the team. 

Bonze Wells represented Portland for five years in the position of shooting guard or small forward. Along with the coach they chose three players on the first ever Fireball’s draft pool in the summer of 2017.

The picked players were Xavier Silas, Lee Nailon, and Mike James. Xavier was the first option, Lee was the second pick, and Mike was picked in the third round of the draft.

Who were the three first signings in Tri-State?

Xavier Silas plays as a shooting guard or point guard and was representing many teams outside America.In NBA, Xavier had very short spells in Philadelphia and Boston. 

As we mentioned, Lee Nailon was the top scorer in Israel Basketball Premier League and performed in the power forward and small forward positions.

Mike James is a point guard and an interesting fact about him is that he is the first ever player in NBA history to go from a two-way contract to a regular contract.

How did Tri State finish the first season?

Tri State finished the regular part of the season with three wins and five losses. That was enough for sixth place on the BIG3 standing. This team didn’t qualify for a playoff in the first season because only the top four teams in the standings participate in the Final 4.

The expectations were higher before the season, so it was disappointing to end in the bottom half of the table. There was no consolation in receiving individual accolades. No player from Tri State received an individual award and was not a statistical leader in a specific category.

What did Tri State’s roster look like in the second season?

David Hawkins joined Tri State in the summer of 2018. David plays the position of shooting guard and small forward. Hawkins was representing Italian teams mostly and the rest of their career in 5×5 basketball he spent in the Turkish league.

Tri State signed Robert Hite from the second round of the draft pool. Robert is a shooting guard and had performances for Miami for one season. We are talking about a much-appreciated player in basketball circles and it was a good investment from Tri State’s perspective. 

Amar’e Stoudemire joined in February 2018 and became co-captain. Nate Robinson had signed an early 2018 deal with this team and got the role of co-captain.

Which place took Tri State in the second season?

This team finished with a 5-3 score in the regular 2018 season. Tri State succeeds to get a card for the semifinal of Big3 in the second season. It was a big achievement and progress from the previous season. Tri State was defeated with 51-49 against Power. They eventually lost the game for third place against 3 Headed Monsters with 52-49. Tri State took fourth place in the second season.

Jermain O’ Neil had the best field goal percentage in the league – 62.1%.

What was the roster of Tri State for the third season?

Jermaine O’Neal, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Nate Robinson stayed in the squad for the third season.

Tri State brought Yakhouba Diawara from the first round in the 2019 Draft pool. Yakhouba is a shooting guard and small forward and played in NBA teams Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.

This team picked Jason Richardson as the second option. It was a really impactful addition to the squad. Jason had significant experience in playing in the most 5×5 basketball prestigious league in the world. His proficiency in dunking and shooting is famous in basketball circles.

How did Tri State end up in the Big3 standings in the third season?

This team finished the season with 4 wins and 4 defeats. The league had 12 teams and Tri State ended as an eight-placed team in the standings. That result was not enough for participating in the playoff and the supporters of this club were sad again.

The only consolation for Tri State came in getting individual awards. Amar’e Stoudemire won the award for the Defensive Player of the Year. Amare’e also got recognition as the player who made the most blocks per game – 1.8.

How did the Tri State’s roster look in the fourth season?

Larry Sanders agreed in the spring of 2021 to join Tri State’s squad. Larry was playing in NBA for Milwaukee and Cleveland in the center or power forward position.

Tri State had made deal with Earl Clark in the first round of the 2021 Draft. Earl was drafted by Phoenix Suns in the NBA Draft 2009. His athleticism and versatility make him a perfect player for 3×3 basketball.

The second round brought Tony Wroten to this team. Tony Wroten is a point guard and shooting guard and was picked by Memphis in 2012.

What was the Tri State’s place in the final ranking in the fourth season?

Tri State’s score was 6-2 at the end of the regular part of the season. They positively surprised the basketball audience in that season. This team finished second and made it to the Final Four which was held in the Bahamas in August 2021.

In the semifinal, Tri State was defeated against Trilogy with 50-42. Tri State beat Triplets in a consolation game for third place with 50-31.  

It was the best result in Tri State’s history as they finished third in Big3 standing in the fourth season of Fireball. The new acquisition helped them elegantly do that.

Which players formed the team in the fifth season?

Justin Dentmon signed at the end of the previous season. Justin is a point guard and has big international playing experience.

DaJuan Summers joined Tri State in the first round of the 2021 Draft Pool. DaJuan played for Detroit, New Orleans, and Los Angeles Clippers, and then started the international road. Summers has good shooting skills and played in a small forward position.

Garlon Green was brought from the second round of the Draft. Garlon’s high intensity and ability to score from a variety of positions give him a good reputation in Big3. He was substituted with Ray Nixon, former Tampereen’s player, after two rounds.

What was the Tri State’s result in 2022?

Tri State ended the fifth season with a 4-4 score. They finished sixth in the Big3 final standings. This team missed the playoff because only the top four teams get to the Final Four. It was another devastating result for Tri State. Everybody from the club hopes that the next season will be more successful.

Tri State didn’t achieve what they have wanted for a long time. Ambitions before forming this team were very high. People from the club were loudly saying that trophy is desired. It’s still a goal and target for upcoming seasons. I don’t doubt one thing – Tri State will continue to push and strive for that.