The Ville, a squad composed of former University of Louisville standouts, opened their best‑of‑three series against La Familia with a 72‑68 defeat at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington on July 18. Despite a promising start, the team could not sustain the early lead.
Early Momentum
The Ville surged ahead 21‑17 after the first quarter, but La Familia answered with a 12‑0 run that flipped the tempo before halftime, leaving the former at 41‑33.
The second half saw the Ville battling back, trimming the deficit and narrowing the gap to four points in the final minutes. Montrezl Harrell contributed nine of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, while Chris Jones paced the team with 16 points.
Coach Michael Baffour praised the effort, saying the film will be reviewed to iron out the mistakes that led to the 17‑point third‑quarter slump. Malik Williams recorded a game‑high three blocked shots, yet could not alter the final play.
Looking Ahead
The series shifts to Freedom Hall on Monday, July 20, where The Ville hopes to even the matchup. With a thin margin for error, the team is aware that each possession will count as they aim to force a Game 3.