Best Virginia captured statewide attention last summer when it made its debut in The Basketball Tournament, a single elimination winner-take-all event with a $2 million prize for the winning team.
This summer, the West Virginia faithful will have a better opportunity to see the action in person after Charleston was announced one of eight TBT regional host sites July 24-26. Games will be played at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.
“It’s great and a testament to the fans of West Virginia,” said Best Virginia head coach Jarrod West. “It’s going to be a great time. I can’t wait.”
West was a guard at West Virginia from 1995-1998 who now coaches boys basketball nearby at Notre Dame High School.
Other regional host sites include: Ohio State University (Covelli Center); Las Vegas (Cox Pavilion); Jackson, Tennessee (Oman Arena); Wichita State University (Koch Arena); Syracuse (SRC Arena); Washington, D.C. (Entertainment and Sports Arena); and Florida (Polk State).
The quarterfinals, semifinals and $2 million winner-take-all title game will be held Aug. 6-11 during championship week at University of Dayton Arena.
“It’s been an amazing 48 hours for TBT,” said founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “The outpouring of support for the Elam Ending in the aftermath of the NBA All-Star Game has been astounding. Our fans know it well, but it’s special to see an audience of eight million people experience it. We can’t wait to bring it to our eight regional sites this July and then conclude in Dayton, where someone will hit a two-million-dollar shot on August 11.”
Last summer, Best Virginia won its opener before falling in the second round to eventual semifinalist Overseas Elite. Although the games were played in Richmond, a large contingent of Mountaineer fans were on hand to watch a team headlined by former West Virginia University stars Da’Sean Butler, Kevin Jones and Juwan Staten.
Best Virginia also featured former WVU standouts Devin Williams, Jaysean Paige, Elijah Macon, John Flowers, Nathan Adrian, Darryl “Truck” Bryant and Teyvon Myers.
Flowers was instrumental in helping assemble the team and served as its GM.
The TBT will release its bracket for the 64-team field June 22.