Eberlein Drive

Lore & Background

Eberlein Drive first appeared in TBT 2014 as the 29th seed and was eliminated in the first round, losing 113–71 to 4th seed Big Apple Basketball. The 42-point differential placed them last in the 32-team field. The team suited up with several amateur players, including co-founder Jacob Hirschmann, who was sent to the hospital after being dunked on by 7-foot former UMass center Luke Bonner. Sports Illustrated referred to Eberlein Drive as 'the lost cause of The Basketball Tournament'.

In TBT 2015, the team received sponsorship from DraftKings and added players such as Von Wafer and Renaldo Balkman. They received a first-round bye based on fan voting but lost in the second round to Sconnie Legends. In TBT 2016, they fell in the first round to Pedro's Posse. In 2017, the team joined with actor Michael Rapaport and played as The Stickmen, winning their first-round game before losing to Team Challenge ALS.

In TBT 2018, the team resumed the Eberlein Drive name and won their region, defeating Team Challenge ALS in the regional final and Team Fredette in the semifinals, before losing to three-time defending champion Overseas Elite in the championship game. In TBT 2019, they were the top seed in the Salt Lake Regional and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they lost to eventual champion Carmen's Crew. In TBT 2020, they withdrew due to a player testing positive for COVID-19. In 2026, partnering with Davis Sports Corp. as Davis Steel, they won the tournament after 13 years of competing.

Reader's Guide

Eberlein Drive represents a persistent participant in The Basketball Tournament, a winner-take-all single-elimination event. Their significance lies in their long tenure—competing since the tournament's inception in 2014—and their eventual championship victory in 2026 under the name Davis Steel. The team's early years were marked by poor performance, including a last-place finish in 2014 that drew a dismissive label from Sports Illustrated. Over time, they improved, reaching the championship game in 2018 and becoming a consistent contender. Their 2026 title, after 13 years of competition, underscores the endurance and evolution of a team built from non-NBA professionals. The team's name, derived from a street in Fraser, Michigan, and its temporary rebrandings (The Stickmen in 2017, Davis Steel in 2026) reflect the flexible, sponsor-driven nature of TBT rosters. Eberlein Drive's journey from a last-place 'lost cause' to tournament champions illustrates the unpredictable arc possible in single-elimination play.

Did You Know?

• Eberlein Drive is named after the street in Fraser, Michigan, that co-general manager Jacob Hirschmann grew up on.
• In TBT 2014, Eberlein Drive placed last in the 32-team field after a 42-point loss to Big Apple Basketball.
• The team withdrew from TBT 2020 due to a player testing positive for COVID-19.

A Street in Fraser and a Lost Cause

Eberlein Drive traces its name to a residential street in Fraser, Michigan, where co-general manager Jacob Hirschmann spent his childhood. That humble geographic origin gave the franchise a distinctly personal identity from day one. The team entered The Basketball Tournament in 2014, the competition's inaugural year, fielding a roster of amateur players, including Hirschmann himself. Their first-round matchup against fourth-seeded Big Apple Basketball ended in a 113-71 defeat, a 42-point margin that left them at the very bottom of the 32-team standings. The game also produced an unforgettable moment: Hirschmann was dunked on by seven-foot former UMass center Luke Bonner and subsequently sent to the hospital. Sports Illustrated captured the team's early reputation by dubbing them "the lost cause of The Basketball Tournament." Despite the bruising introduction, the franchise committed to returning year after year, building a loyal following and a reputation for perseverance that would eventually pay off.

The 2018 Gauntlet and a Championship Game

The 2018 edition of The Basketball Tournament marked the highest point in Eberlein Drive's history. Resuming their original name after a one-year stint as The Stickmen, the team assembled a roster featuring returning veterans Lou Amundson and Donald Sloan alongside Jerome Randle and James Michael McAdoo. Seventh in the West region, they embarked on a remarkable gauntlet, defeating the 10th-seeded Broad Street Brawlers 86-71, the 2nd-seeded Team Colorado 83-76, the 3rd-seeded Gael Force 72-59, and the 1st-seeded Team Challenge ALS 78-67 to claim their regional title. In the semifinals, they outlasted Midwest champions Team Fredette, led by Jimmer Fredette, by an 80-76 margin. The championship game on August 3 pitted them against three-time defending champion Overseas Elite. Eberlein Drive fell 70-58, but reaching the final of a winner-take-all event represented a stunning transformation from the 29th-seeded also-rans of 2014.

Name Changes and Roster Evolution

Throughout its history, Eberlein Drive has undergone notable identity shifts that reflect the fluid nature of The Basketball Tournament. In 2017, the team partnered with actor Michael Rapaport and competed under the moniker The Stickmen, fielding players like Lou Amundson, Markel Brown, Joe Alexander, and Donald Sloan. They won their first-round game as the 3rd seed in the West before falling to eventual runners-up Team Challenge ALS. The following year, they reverted to the Eberlein Drive name. In 2026, the franchise took a dramatically different turn, partnering with Davis Sports Corp. to rebrand as Davis Steel. That rebranding proved transformative: after thirteen years of competing since 2014, the team finally captured the championship. The roster has similarly evolved from the amateur squad of 2014 to feature professional players competing outside the NBA, with names like Von Wafer, Renaldo Balkman, Justin Dentmon, and Taylor Braun appearing across different seasons.

Thirteen Years of Grit and the 2026 Title

For thirteen consecutive tournaments, Eberlein Drive navigated the grueling single-elimination format of The Basketball Tournament without lifting the trophy. Their journey included a 2020 withdrawal after a player tested positive for COVID-19 the day before their scheduled first game, a narrow 79-78 loss to Bleed Green in 2022, and an 86-66 defeat to the Jackson TN Underdawgs in 2023. Yet the franchise never abandoned the competition. In 2026, operating as Davis Steel through a partnership with Davis Sports Corp., the team finally broke through and won the tournament. The 2026 roster featured a mix of continuity and new talent, including Anthony Clemmons, Terrell Brown, and Tommy Rutherford who had appeared in previous seasons, alongside newcomers like DJ Rodman, Gabe York, and Hassani Gravett. The championship capped a remarkable arc: from a 42-point loss and a hospitalized co-founder in 2014, to the ultimate prize in professional basketball's most unpredictable stage.