Latest news with #BestVirginia
Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Best Virginia TBT Roster
Best Virginia (West Virginia's alumni squad) has been a TBT staple since 2019, consistently showcasing the toughness and grit that defined WVU basketball. Winners of this year's West Virginia region, they also reached the quarterfinals in both 2021 and 2023. Check out the full roster for Best Virginia as they take the floor in TBT 2025. Best Virginia Roster Eduardo Andre – Power Forward (West Virginia) John Flowers – Small Forward (West Virginia) Wesley Harris – Small Forward (West Virginia) Kedrian Johnson – Point Guard (West Virginia) Tre Mitchell – Power Forward (West Virginia) Toby Okani – Small Forward (West Virginia) James Reese V – Shooting Guard (North Texas and South Carolina) Isaiah Sanders – Shooting Guard (Fairmount State University) Will Voorhees – Power Forward (Notre Dame College) Jarrod West – Point Guard (Marshall University and University of Louisville) J. D. Weatherspoon – Power Forward (Ohio State and Toledo) Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes discuaa Joel Embiid's cautious return from knee surgery and his ongoing battle with injuries, which limited him to just 19 games in the 2024-25 season. The panel debates how Embiid's chronic health issues impact the Philadelphia 76ers' championship aspirations and if "The Process" can ever truly achieve its potential with their star consistently sidelined. How to watch Best Virginia in the TBT Quarterfinals Best Virginia will face off against Shell Shock. Here's how to catch the game: Date: Monday, July 28, 2025 Time: 6 p.m. ET TV: FS1 Path to the Quarterfinals (3) Best Virginia (West Virginia) 79, (1) Elite Nation 68 (3) Best Virginia (West Virginia) 82, (2) Herd That (Marshall) 75 (3) Best Virginia (West Virginia) 72, (6) DuBois Dream 69 Get more from the The Basketball Tournament Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
Dominion Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: Apologies, an update and some insight on WVU men's hoops coach Ross Hodge
CHARLESTON — Ladies and gentlemen, I am a terrible writer. That was never more evident than Tuesday night inside the Charleston Coliseum. Best Virginia had just advanced to the TBT national quarterfinals with a 79-68 victory against Elite Nation and head coach Jarrod West was giving his summation of the game to the media. The victory kept Best Virginia alive for the $1 million winner-take-all prize money. A member of WVU athletic royalty with his game-winning shot against Cincinnati in the 1998 NCAA tournament, as well as a state championship hoops coach at Clarksburg Notre Dame, West was asked where any sort of TBT accomplishment would rank. His answer was an all-timer. 'I got married. I've had two kids,' he began. 'I hit a famous shot in college and won a state championship. 'I've already told my family that if we win $1 million, someone is getting bumped.' It's probably the quote of the year and I could just not find a way to fit it into the game story. My apologies, but coach West, that was one heck of a quote. *** Had an opportunity to catch up with former WVU assistant hoops coach Ron Everhart, who is assisting West during the TBT run. Now, the details of the conversation were strictly off the record, but what I can tell you is he's having a blast working with Best Virginia and he's doing just fine. Since making his transition away from WVU, he recently signed on to become a fundraiser for Fairmont State. *** Time for some insight, which leads us to first-year WVU men's basketball coach Ross Hodge. Not much has been heard from Hodge since his opening press conference back in April, but that hasn't stopped him from making some pretty good first impressions. That notion was relayed to me recently after a conversation with former WVU point guard Truck Bryant. 'Coach Hodge has reached out to the WVU basketball alumni many times and welcomed us with open arms,' Bryant said. 'He's invited us in. He wants all of us to be a part of the program. He's really a good guy who understands what it means to be part of the WVU family.' Best Virginia guard James Reese played at North Texas from 2019-21, when Hodge was an assistant coach there under Grant McCasland. 'I'm 100% not surprised to hear he's making a good early impression,' Reese said. 'I think as more people in the WVU community get to know who he is, they'll like him even more.' Reese did not hold back in the amount of love and respect he had built for Hodge in the short time they worked together. 'He's literally one of the few college coaches that I still talk with,' Reese said. 'I'm pretty sure when I get back to the locker room and check my phone, there'll be some type of message on it from him.' The two seasons Reese spent with the Mean Green came during COVID-19. The pandemic cut his sophomore season short and his junior season was muddled with eight regular-season games that were either postponed or canceled. North Texas still went on to win the Conference USA tournament his junior season and the Mean Green upset fourth-seeded Purdue in the first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament. 'Two reasons come to mind on why he earns the respect of his players,' Reese continued. 'One, he's not going to sit there and talk to you about stuff you already know and he's not going to tell you things you want to hear. He's very real and honest. 'The other thing is it's not always about basketball with him. I've probably had more conversations about life with coach than I've had about basketball. He goes out of his way to talk about life off the court.' That included when Reese wanted to transfer to South Carolina for his final season of eligibility. Reese is a South Carolina native and wanted to be closer to home, but that did not make the conversation any easier with Hodge. 'Yeah, that was tough when I had to tell him I was transferring,' he said. 'We sat down and talked and he understood I wanted to go home. 'We ended up having a great conversation and hugged it out. We won a lot together. We made some history together at North Texas and I left feeling a lot of love from coach Hodge. I think that's what the people at WVU are going to feel about him.'
Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
TBT Round of 16 Recap: La Familia, Carmen's Crew eliminated
The Elam Ending is the gift that keeps giving. Basketball fans have been treated to numerous breathtaking finishes so far in the 2025 version of The Basketball Tournament, and it was the same story on Tuesday. A total of five games were played on Tuesday, and all but one of them were decided by single-digits. Here is a recap of Tuesday's TBT action! Eberlein Drive 71, La Familia 70 La Familia saw their chance at $1 million go down the drain as Eberlein Drive's Anthony Clemmons drained a 3-pointer to reach the target score of 71 and deliver his team a 71-70 victory. Terry Taylor had a game-high 20 points, connecting on four three-pointers for Eberlein Drive. Gabe York (15) and Junathaen Watson (14) were the only other players in double-digits. La Familia had four players in double-digits, but one point too short. Archie Goodwin led the way in scoring with 19 to go with six assists and five rebounds. Kahlil Whitney finished with 18 off the bench. Willie Cauley-Stein poured in 12 points, going 6-of-6 from the field, and Andrew Harrison had 10 points. Eberlein Drive moves on to face the winner between Sideline Cancer and La Ignite. Shell Shock 68, NXT ERA Elite 62 Ronald March scored a game-high 21 points and Kevon Voyles added 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field to lead Shell Shock to an impressive 68-62 win over NXT ERA Elite. Former Maryland standout Melo Trimble did not play in the game, but that didn't stop Shell Shock's offense, which shot 42% from the field and 43% from 3-point range. Sage Tolbert led NXT ERA Elite with 13 points, while Bruce Massey Jr. and Jordan Dingle each chipped in 10 points in the loss. With the victory, Shell Shock will advance to play Best Virginia at 6 p.m. ET July 28 on FS1. Best Virginia 79, Elite Nation 68 Best Virginia pulled away late with a strong fourth quarter and earned an impressive 79-68 win over Elite Nation. Best Virginia was fueled by a monster night from James Reese V, who finished with 24 points, five 3s, and a dagger step-back jumper to push the lead to double-digits late in the Elam Ending. Kedrian Johnson also delivered a key momentum-swinging play in the second quarter, picking off a cross-court pass and finishing with a two-handed slam that ignited the Charleston crowd. Rashad Vaughn led the charge for Elite Nation with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including a scorching 6-of-8 from 3-point range. One of his biggest moments came midway through the third quarter, when he drilled back-to-back deep 3s from NBA range to cut the deficit to single-digits and force a Best Virginia timeout. AJ English chipped in 15 points and six rebounds in the loss. Best Virginia will move on to play Shell Shock at 6 p.m. ET July 28 on FS1. Fail Harder 68, Carmen's Crew 62 Carmen's Crew's quest to repeat as champions came to an end as the top-seeded team in the Indianapolis regional fell to Fail Harder, 68-62. Despite cutting the lead to four during the Elam Ending after trailing by 19 points at halftime, Carmen's Crew couldn't complete the comeback. Darius Adams sealed the win for Fail Harder with a baseline jumper. Adams finished with a team-high 19 points in the victory. The loss continues a rough trend for No. 1 seeds in this year's TBT, with six already eliminated. Aftershocks 66, Forever Coogs 63 Marcus Keene punched the Aftershocks' ticket to the next round with a game-winning 3-pointer in his team's 66-63 win over the Forever Coogs. Keene carried the offensive load for the Aftershocks, scoring a game-high 17 points. Ironically, Keene is not an alumnus of Wichita State like many of his teammates. Thanks to TBT's new Home Court Advantage rule, the Aftershocks will continue to host at Charles Koch Arena. If the Aftershocks keep winning, they will host every remaining game — including the championship — on their home floor. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! Get more from the The Basketball Tournament Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Dominion Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Best Virginia advances, James Reese quickly making a WVU connection in TBT run
CHARLESTON – The connection between James Reese and the WVU men's basketball program has generally been a story of respect from a distance. That's changed over his last three days inside the Charleston Coliseum, where he dropped 21, 20 and 24 points over three games that led Best Virginia to the West Virginia Regional championship and a trip to the TBT national quarterfinals following a 79-68 victory against top-seeded Elite Nation on Tuesday. TBT is a $1 million winner-take-all tournament. 'Back in my college days, WVU was always one of those teams I loved to watch,' said Reese, who nailed the game-ending 14-foot shot against Elite Nation that gave him 24 points to go along with six assists and four rebounds. 'They were always that tough and gritty team that played hard defense and never backed down. That's sort of my basketball DNA, too.' Best Virginia, the WVU alumni team competing in its sixth TBT all-time, is in the final eight for the first time since 2022. Best Virginia will remain in the state, as Charleston will host the quarterfinal round. Best Virginia will play Shell Shock – an alumni team from the University of Maryland – at 6 p.m. Monday for the right to advance to the semifinals. Shell Shock won the James Madison Regional with a 68-62 victory against NXT ERA Elite on Tuesday. Some of Reese's college days were spent at North Texas, where he played for then-assistant coach Ross Hodge, now the WVU head coach. That's Reese's distant connection to the Mountaineers. He was also a former roommate at South Carolina with former WVU player Erik Stevenson. 'Actually, when Erik was called up to the Miami Heat for (NBA) Summer League, it opened up the spot here,' Reese said. 'He was the one who called me and told me about the opening. That was how I got connected.' For added measure, there was also a sort of mutual respect between Best Virginia head coach Jarrod West and Reese. When West's son – also named Jarrod – played at Marshall, the two would bang against each other often in Conference USA matchups. 'Him and Lil Jarrod went at each other a few times,' coach West said. 'I knew his game from afar. Getting to know him more now, James is about doing the right things. He does the things that I've tried to instill into my own kids. 'Having him join our team was a no-brainer. He's a winner, it's in his DNA.' That became clear when it appeared Best Virginia was headed for defeat midway through the third quarter. Trailing 54-42, Reese nearly went on a one-man scoring spree. There was a driving lay-up, a free throw and then a wide-open 3-pointer. After former WVU standout Kedrian Johnson nailed two free throws, Best Virginia had cut the lead to 59-58. 'I never would have dreamed of having three games like this,' Reese said. 'Being with these guys at Best Virginia, they get all the credit. We've got a great coaching staff and great teammates. It all just kind of came together for me, but this has been a real blessing.' That fourth quarter belonged to Best Virginia, to Reese and to teammate J.D. Weatherspoon, who came up with five big points and some even bigger rebounds in the fourth quarter for Best Virginia. Reese added a 3-pointer that gave Best Virginia a 64-62 lead with 8:01 remaining. By the time the Elan Ending was set, Best Virginia's lead had grown to 70-63. That set the target score at 78. During the Elam Ending, Reese hit two free throws for a 74-63 lead. Moments later, he hauled in a pass from Toby Okani and drove in from the right side. His game-ender came a step inside the foul line. 'I thought we executed well in the Elam Ending,' West said. 'I think we took only one bad shot. I don't think they took any good shots.' Reese's final connection with the WVU program, well, that came with the firing of the Mountaineers' musket. 'The only reason it didn't scare me was because I was paying attention,' Reese said. 'Man, that thing goes off loud, though. That is something else.'
Dominion Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Best Virginia survives, sets up TBT showdown with Herd That
MORGANTOWN — Best Virginia squandered a 17-point lead to begin the fourth quarter and had to pull off a mini-comeback Friday night to pull off a 72-69 over DuBois (Pa.) Dream in the opening round of TBT. Toby Okani sank two free throws to end the game inside the Charleston Coliseum, but the WVU alumni team, seeded third in the West Virginia Regional, had to overcome a 69-65 deficit in the final moments to do so. BOX SCORE The victory sets up another meeting against Marshall's alumni team, Herd That, at 5 p.m. Sunday (FS1). Herd That — the No. 2 seed in the region — beat SIKH Warriors, 84-71, in the opening round. Best Virginia led 62-45 heading into the fourth quarter, but that's when disaster struck. It turned the ball over six times and made just one basket before the Elam Ending was set up. By that time, Dubois Dream had closed to within 64-60 — the target score was 72 points — and took a 69-65 lead after a dunk from Shane Hunter. Best Virginia's Tre Mitchell scored off a turnover and then took a 70-69 lead from a free throw by Kedrian Johnson and lay-up from Mitchell. The Dream went for the win with a 3-point attempt that came up short and Okani was fouled and went to the line for the win. A 57.3% free-throw shooter during his one season at WVU in 2024-25, Okani calmly sank both free throws for the win. 'Survive and advance sometimes is pretty and sometimes is ugly,' Best Virginia head coach Jarrod West said. 'All of our downfalls and negative plays they created, so you have to give them all the credit. But if we win five more games like that, we walk away with $1 million. To these guys' credit, they're dogs.' James Reese, who played collegiately for Buffalo, North Texas and South Carolina, led Best Virginia with 21 points on 8 of 19 shooting. Mitchell added 13 points and Okani had nine points and 11 rebounds. Best Virginia shot 40% (26 of 65) for the game and turned the ball over 35 times. Jacorey Williams, a former Conference USA Player of the Year while at Middle Tennessee State, scored 29 points and added 10 rebounds to lead Herd That to the second round. Williams began his college career at Arkansas, but landed at Middle Tennessee State after being dismissed from the Razorbacks. Herd That came away with a 46-34 edge on the glass with Derek Cooke Jr. adding eight points and 11 rebounds. Jean Pierre Tokoto added 18 points for Herd That.
