By: Josh Goldfine

Marcus Keene burst onto the scene inside the TBT bubble last summer. This
summer, Sideline Cancer’s spark plug is bringing the heroics once again.

Held to just seven points headed into the Elam Ending, Keene hit two
three-pointers, the second of which came from just inside half court and was
the game-winner in Sideline Cancer’s 58-57 comeback win over the
Bucketneers.

“He came up big for us once again and was huge,” said coach Charlie Parker
of Keene, who finished with 13 points, five assists and five steals.

Keene, whose availability for this year’s tournament was in question until
the morning of the opener, has averaged 18 points per game in leading
Sideline Cancer back to the quarterfinals for a second straight summer.

“Marcus is the leader of the team,” said Parker of the 5-foot-9 Central
Michigan product. “This guy gives effort on the defensive end. This guy is a
lot more than buckets, and that’s why I’m happy to have him.”

Jamel Artis made nine of his 12 field goal attempts and led all scorers with
19 points in the win for Sideline Cancer.

“Jamel has the skill set that not many people have at his size,” said
Parker. “When he’s aggressive and attacks, he’s unstoppable.”

After barely escaping a Round 1 upset bid from the 16th-seeded Founding
Fathers, Sideline Cancer now finds itself in a familiar spot, only three
wins from the $1 million prize.

“We want to compete,” said Keene. “We’re playing for Sideline, and we play
with a lot of passion.”

The only team to play in each TBT since the tournament’s founding in 2014,
Sideline Cancer plays to raise money and awareness for those battling
pancreatic cancer and advanced to the title game last summer, falling to the
Golden Eagles.