BUCKHANNON — The 2024 edition of the Best Virginia WVU alumni basketball team is set to begin the annual $1 million TBT basketball tournament next weekend in Pittsburgh and began preparation this week to make a run at the winner-take-all prize.
BV visited Buckhannon-Upshur High School on Friday for an exhibition scrimmage against a team of former players that was put together by former Best Virginia player Tanner McGrew.
The WVU alumni took the contest 75-59 after reaching the target score in the Elam Ending on a three-pointer by Taz Sherman that ended the contest.
Esa Ahmad led the BV scoring with 19 points, while every player that touched the floor registered a basket.
“Yesterday was our first practice and while we all played for WVU, these guys are all over the place overseas playing in different roles so it takes a little time for it to come together,” Best Virginia head coach and general manager Chase Harler said. “One thing I think we could do better is our defensive awareness, we will work on that this week and make sure defense is our key identity going into next weekend.”
Three players were missing for Harler and Best Virginia as former WVU players Tarik Philip and Devin Williams, and TBT veteran Marcus Keene will join the team on Monday.
Along with Keene, another non-WVU player for BV, Xavier Bledson, is coming off of a historic season with Indiana State as the Sycamores reached the NIT championship. Bledson was named the Missouri Valley Conference sixth-man of the year as well.
“One of our assistant coaches, Alex Peavler, coached Xavier at Indiana State and he is good friends with the last Best Virginia head coach James Long,” Harler said. “We made a phone call and it made sense and I think he will be a huge asset to our team. Same thing with Marcus, he and Tarik are great friends and we reached out and he liked what we were doing and I think he is a perfect piece.”
While the exhibition was surely intended for the Best Virginia roster to build some chemistry and prepare for a competitive tournament, some of the alumni players were sure to take the time and remember that they were putting on the old gold and blue once again and playing for the Mountaineer fans as they had done some years ago.
“It feels great to be back in front of the best fans in the world,” former WVU forward Esa Ahmad said. “Going so far away to play overseas and then being able to come back here and play for the fans who supported you for so long and never forget who you are and what you meant to them. We know that Mountaineer nation will be loud and proud in Pittsburgh.”
Best Virginia will kick off its 2024 TBT basketball tournament campaign as the three-seed in the Pittsburgh regional held at the Petersen Events Center. The WVU alumni will match up against the six-seed Brotherly Love in the first round on Saturday, July 20 at 3 p.m.
