West Virginia’s alumni team ‘Best Virginia’ will get another chance at hosting a regional. After losing in the regional semifinals a year ago, Best Virginia will look to redeem themselves as they host a regional in Charleston, West Virginia, this weekend.
The West Virginia region consists of eight teams. Best Virginia is the No. 1 seed in the region, and are set to face No. 8 seed Virginia Dream in the first round. Virginia Dream is a first-time applicant to TBT and are looking to upset Best Virginia. The head coach of Virginia Dream is Bo Jones. Jones, a four-year starter at VCU previously coached in TBT with Bleed Virginia a season ago.
If Best Virginia were to beat Virginia Dream, they would face the winner of No. 4 seed Herd That and No. 5 seed Founding Fathers. Herd That is a Marshall alumni team who also appeared in the West Virginia Regional last summer. Herd That lost in the second round to Team 23 last summer — the same team Best Virginia lost to. Herd That’s roster this year features Jon and Ot Elmore, to go along with Marshall alumnus Ryan Taylor, Rondale Watson, and James Kelly. Herd That is 3-2 all time in TBT games and will have many fans at the Charleston Civic Center.
Founding Fathers was a No. 16 seed in the West Virginia Regional last summer, losing to Sideline Cancer 80-77 in the first round. Founding Fathers is made up mostly of alumni from James Madison University. Founding Fathers will look to build upon last year’s upset bid.
The other side of the West Virginia Regional features No. 3 seed WoCo Showtime, against No. 6 seed War Ready.
WoCo Showtime almost upset Best Virginia last summer, losing 70-67 in the first round. Full of former players at Wofford, and led by Fletcher Magee, WoCo Showtime features nine players on their roster who played college basketball at Wofford.
WoCo Showtime will go against War Ready — another team who appeared in the West Virginia Regional last summer. War Ready were on the wrong side of a 27-point loss last summer and are going to try to reverse last year’s performance. Eight of War Ready’s players played college ball at Auburn, and they plan to donate some of their earnings AUTLIVE — Auburn basketball’s fight against cancer.
The final matchup in the region is between No. 2 seed Bucketneers and No. 7 seed Fully Loaded. The Bucketneers went to the regional semifinals last summer in the West Virginia Regional and were on the right side of a 27-point win against War Ready last summer. Bucketneers is full of alumni from East Tennessee State University, and has eight players on their roster who went to ETSU.
Fully Loaded is making their TBT debut in the West Virginia Regional this summer. Made up of alumni from their AAU program Team Loaded, Fully Loaded holds a smaller roster, with Curtis Jones acting as their General Manager, and Curtis Jones Jr. who played at Indiana, Oklahoma State, and Penn State being on their roster.
First round games of the West Virginia Regional are set to take place on Sunday, July 24.
