The Basketball Tournament to be held in Columbus, Ohio
Trey Landers is one of several former Flyers which make up the Red Scare team that will likely play in the upcoming TBT event, which has been isolated to Columbus. Photo courtesy of Griffin Quinn, Flyer News.
Peter Burtnett
Sports Editor
Originally scheduled to take place around the country with “Championship Week” in Dayton, The Basketball Tournament (TBT) will be played solely in Columbus, Ohio, from July 4-14.
TBT, a “5-on-5, winner take all tournament” with a $1 million prize will be held for the seventh time, beginning with the Round of 24 on July 4-5. Games will be aired on ESPN, and the tournament will be the beginning of a return to live sports in the United States.
Although only one team has been listed as “Accepted” on the official TBT team list – Best Virginia (West Virginia alumni) – the team that will likely represent Dayton is the Red Scare team, made up mostly of former Flyers.
Two players that especially stand out on the team are Trey Landers and Ryan Mikesell, who were both members of a historic 2019-20 men’s basketball team. Landers and Mikesell were instrumental in the Flyers’ run to a 29-2 record, a perfect 18-0 in A10 play and a likely No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Among the other players from UD are: Darrell (Class of 2018) and Kyle (2017) Davis (no relation), Kendall Pollard (2017), Dyshawn Pierre (2016), Devin Oliver (2014), and Rob Lowery (2010).
To make up the rest of the team, the Flyers picked up Ryan McMahon from Louisville (2020) and Justin Tillman from rival VCU (2018).
Former UD graduate Joey Gruden (2018, son of Jay Gruden and nephew of Jon Gruden) will serve as the team GM.
In the tournament, the Red Scare’s toughest competition will most likely be hometown and defending champions Carmen’s Crew (Ohio State alumni), and Overseas Elite, which won the four previous iterations of TBT.
Last year’s Red Scare team reached the Columbus Regional championship before falling to the eventual champions. With two “glue guys” on the team, this year’s version could take the next step.
The bracket for the tournament will be revealed next Tuesday, June 16.
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