MORGANTOWN — The end of an era concerning WVU men’s hoops history will be marked in the coming days, maybe weeks.
At least John Flowers and Kevin Jones hope the end comes in weeks, or more to the point, the two former WVU standouts hope their last game together isn’t until Aug. 3 in Philadelphia.
That’s when the championship game of the $1 million winner-take-all The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is scheduled.
Best Virginia — the WVU alumni team Jones and Flowers represent — begins play at 7 p.m. today in the Wheeling Regional.
The team made it to the national quarterfinals (Elite Eight) last season, one step further than it reached in 2021.
“Yeah, if we just keep playing for three more years, we’ll win it all,” joked Jones, noting Best Virginia has continued to go one step further in the tournament in each of its first three years.
Sadly, there won’t be another three years in the books.
Flowers, now a financial advisor working for Edward Jones, is hanging up his competitive sneakers for good following this TBT.
Jones, 33, said he’ll continue to play professionally overseas, but the 2023 TBT is his final run in front of home fans.
“This is it for me in the TBT,” Jones said. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll play overseas, maybe a couple of more years, so I want to make the most of this summer in front of the people who have always supported me.”
Along with Devin Ebanks, who is currently playing in the Big3 League, and Deniz Kilicli (overseas in Turkey), Jones and Flowers are all that’s left still playing competitively from WVU’s 2010 Final Four squad.
When they hang it up, all that will be left from that magical 2010 run will be memories and YouTube highlights.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how fast it’s gone,” said Flowers, 34. “Basketball has been my whole life, but now I have my family and I’m out in the real world now. My belly is a little bigger. I’m on to the next stage now.”
It certainly was a roster that left its mark in a number of ways in basketball and athletics.
Point guard Joe Mazzulla — one of the heroes from the Elite Eight victory against No. 1 seed Kentucky — is now the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
Backup guard Jonnie West was known in 2010 as the son of WVU legend Jerry West. Now he’s married to professional golfer Michell Wie and is the director of operations for the Golden State Warriors.
Da’Sean Butler, the star of the team, became a well-traveled coach after his pro career overseas. He coached in the NBA G League, as well as serving the role of video coordinator for the New York Knicks. He’s now an assistant coach back at WVU.
Wellington Smith is a businessman back home in New Jersey. He founded the Unity Legends, a youth sports organization.
Both Ebanks and Jones lived out a limited NBA dream, while others like Flowers, Truck Bryant and Casey Mitchell played professionally overseas.
Flowers founded Best Virginia and has served as the team’s general manager since it first played in the TBT in 2020.
“Honestly, I felt I would just keep playing basketball forever,” Jones said. “Now at the end, those plans obviously change. Life changes.
“To be able to play one last tournament with John, we have so many memories together. Obviously the Final Four is something we’ll never forget. I couldn’t find a better way to go out, to be able to play one last time with my brother.”
Wheeling Regional schedule
At Wesbanco Arena
July 25
GAME 1: (3) Challenge ALS: Florida vs (6) Dawg Town (Georgetown), 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
GAME 2: (2) Sideline Cancer vs (7) Ram Nation (VCU), 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
GAME 3: (1) Best Virginia (West Virginia) vs (8) DuBois (Pa.) Dream, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
GAME 4: (4) Herd That (Marshall) vs (5) Zoo Crew (Pittsburgh), 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
July 27
GAME 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
GAME 6: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
July 29
GAME 7: Regional championship, Semifinal winners, 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
Best Virginia roster
John Flowers
Kevin Jones
Teyvon Myers
Kedrian Johnson
Sean McNeil
Jamel Morris
Erik Stevenson
Nathan Adrian
Nathan Flowers
Quincy Ford
Chase Harler
Alex Gross
HEAD COACH: James Long
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