Accepting the Challenge for ALS

Summer represents the slowest time of year for sports. While baseball churns through its day-to-day motions, a general lack of action contrasts with the frenetic pace of the fall and winter. While there are distractions, the landscape, especially at the college level, sits largely devoid until football reports for training camp in August.

But that's all starting to change thanks to The Basketball Tournament. Now in its fourth year, the 64-team bracket is fast becoming a July staple. With a five-on-five, single elimination tournament, it plays out much in the way that March Madness occurs. Teams are broken up into regions, advancing to a Super Sixteen and, eventually, a final four. In the end, a champion is crowned, the recipient of a $2 million, winner-take-all prize.

When the final four hits the court this week in Baltimore, fans looking for a team to latch onto will find one in Team Challenge ALS. Formed by former Boston College captain Sean Marshall, the team heads to the championship not only armed with a talented roster looking for championship, but one that takes the court armed with a message championed by Marshall's friend and former roommate, BC's own Pete Frates.

"I played for the first time in The Basketball Tournament with a local team from California called Inland Empire," Marshall said. "It was organized by one of my friends, and back then, it was a $1 million tournament. At the time, I had no idea what it was, so my friend explained it to me. Outside of playing in the Drew League in California back home, I felt it was something that I could use to stay in shape during my offseason. Then I realized how great of a tournament and how well organized it really is."

That sparked an idea in Marshall's mind. Chatting with fellow Eagles alumni Steve Haley, Tyrese Rice and Craig Smith, the group began talking about putting together a BC alumni team. They recruited Tyler Neville to take the lead with Haley and formed a roster featuring other players who wore the Maroon and Gold.

"It was really the beginning of something we wanted to start every year," Marshall said. "We named ourselves after Al Skinner as our coach at BC, but I threw in to call it the Frate Train because I wanted to do something special for Pete, given my relationship with him throughout college. All of the other guys jumped on board with it and we became known as Skinner's Frate Train."

Following last year's second round exit, the group attempted to put together another BC alumni team for this year's bracket.

"I really didn't want to do it without Tyrese Rice, though, because of how important guard play is during the tournament," Marshall said. "Tyrese had some other commitments, so I decided to go a different route and put together a different team. During the process, it was decided that instead of just honoring Pete, we wanted to make it entirely about people battling ALS. That would allow us to raise awareness in addition to money."

Marshall contacted another college roommate and former baseball teammate of Frates, Joe Ayers. Ayers put Marshall in contact with the Frates family, and after a discussion with Pete's mother Nancy and brother Andrew, Team Challenge ALS was born.

"I explained the concept of what I was trying to do," Marshall said. "They were totally on board with it. I asked them to come up with our name that we would play with and they came up with Team Challenge ALS."

From there, Marshall started putting together a competitive roster. He began by recruiting a high-profile coach in Darren Collison. A former LA Clipper and Sacramento King, the point guard had recently signed with the Indiana Pacers this offseason.

"Darren is one of my best friends and he was right on board when I explained to him the cause and how we could use this platform to raise awareness," Marshall said. "After that, we just built the team one-by-one by getting guys that I knew would be committed to playing hard. The Tournament is about who plays the hardest and who plays the most 'together.' When we built this team, we focused on playing for each other and nobody cares who is the leading scorer on any given night. It's all about getting a win."

Seeded sixth in the West Regional, Team Challenge ALS hit the court in Las Vegas as part of a bracket featuring five of TBT's 22 alumni teams. After a 97-81 win over The Wasatch Front (Weber State alumni), it beat third-seeded The Stickmen, 87-73, to earn a trip to Brooklyn for the Super 16.

Playing at Long Island University's Steinberg Center, Team Challenge ALS knocked off second-seed Few Good Men (Gonzaga alumni), 77-60, before beating Armored Athlete, 75-63, to advance to the final four in Baltimore. On August 1, they will take on Scarlet & Gray, an Ohio State alumni team featuring former Boston Celtics big man Jared Sullinger, in the semifinals. The winner will meet either Syracuse's alumni team, Boeheim's Army, or the two-time defending champion, Overseas Elite, for the grand prize. Unlike the other three, however, Team Challenge ALS heads to its game armed with a driving and special message.

"This team has been special," Marshall said. "A lot of the guys barely knew what ALS was but when they jumped on board, they all did research. Once they learned about ALS, they all got behind the cause. It's been amazing to see how they can play inspired and for something more than ourselves. It's pushed us and energized us. It's given us a sense of purpose and it's unbelievable."

At the team's heart stands Marshall's old roommate and friend, Pete Frates. They all play with his last name on the backs of their jerseys and he's with them in every game and every moment on and off the court.

"I remember being placed with a guy named Brian Markell during my freshman and Pete was always in my room because he was good friends with Brian," Marshall said. "During my junior year, when I was living with Joe Ayers, Pete asked me to live with them, though I'm sure he probably thought I would say no. When I said yes, he was so happy and it was the best year of my four years living with those guys.

"When Pete was diagnosed, I had no idea what ALS was," Marshall said. "It was tough to see Pete or plan a reunion, but I bought some of the Team Frate Train gear. So now I just want to do something special for him and his family. Pete is the ultimate warrior. I feel for him because he just keeps fighting but he has medical expenses and all that. I feel that it's my human duty to help the family out no matter how I can."

So with Skinner's coaching in his brain and the Frates name on his jersey, Sean Marshall will lead a team into a summer basketball tournament's semifinals round. With rosters stacked by international stars and former college icons, the competition level will be high. But it's something the team is ready to challenge and attack.

"The Basketball Tournament keeps getting better every year," he said. "There's nothing like it since there's no hoop in the summer time. It's gotten so big. The games are so competitive. Everyone wants to win so badly. There are great commentators, great staff and great refs. There's nothing like it and it's the perfect mixture of street ball and college basketball.

"Pete's father (John Frates) will join us at the final four," he continued. "I want him in our locker room to talk to our team. I want to talk to ESPN. People are fighting ALS and there are people out there who don't know what it is. There's no cure for it right now and people need help. If I can do my part by being Pete's friend and being a friend to the Frates family, then I'm going to do that."

Team Challenge ALS takes on Scarlet and Gray on Aug. 1 at 9 p.m., immediately following the Boeheim's Army-Overseas Elite semifinal game. The championship game is scheduled for Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. All games are broadcast on ESPN.

For more information on how to donate for the fight against ALS, visit www.petefrates.com.

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