PREVIEW: Best Virginia Competing in TBT Regional Final

Coming off a thrilling 82-75 win over in-state TBT rival Herd That, the WVU alumni team of Best Virginia is one game away from punching its ticket to the tournament quarterfinal. Best Virginia has won five straight games in Charleston and is often the de facto home team. Read More: Best Virginia Competing in TBT Regional Final. 

Setting the Scene

The West Virginia regional final of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is set to tip off at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Best Virginia will face the top-seeded Kentucky alumni team, Elite Nation, at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Elite Nation narrowly scraped by the Court Street Kings, 88-85, in a game where Elite Nation almost blew a double-digit lead. Best Virginia is also coming off a stress-inducing win against Marshall’s Herd That squad, a game that seemed to never end in the elimination portion of the contest. 

Related: What the Series against Wake Forest Says about WVU Men’s Basketball

Elite Nation (formerly La Familia) made it to the tournament semifinal round in 2024 before falling to Carmen’s Crew. Best Virginia was eliminated early in the 2024 tournament, getting dropped by the Zoo Crew. 

Roster Makeup

Despite originally being a UK alumni squad, the Elite Nation roster is comprised of players who did not play for the Wildcats. Star players such as Darious Hall and Desi Washington played at entirely different schools. According to the roster, none of the Elite Nation players played for Kentucky. As for Best Virginia, the team has former Mountaineers such as Toby Okani, Eduardo Andre, Tre Mitchell, and Kedrian Johnson. It is no longer a WVU-exclusive roster, however, as players such as former Marshall/Louisville great Jarrod West are on the team. West’s father is a former Mountaineer and the head coach of the Best Virginia squad. 

In short, the two rosters are assembled in completely different ways and should make for an intriguing matchup.

Best Virginia in Charleston

It is no surprise that Best Virginia thrives in its de facto home arena. Dating back to previous regionals held in Charleston, West Virginia, the WVU alumni squad has won five consecutive TBT games in its home state. Just over two and a half hours south of Morgantown, the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center turns into a glorified home court for Best Virginia, and the crowd can give an edge to the team over the visitors based out of Kentucky. After all, WVU basketball itself is no stranger to playing in Charleston, as the team has played over 80 games in the collegiate program’s history in the Capital City of the Mountain State.

Tune In

The West Virginia regional final of The Basketball Tournament is slated for a 7 p.m. start on Tuesday. The #3 seed, Best Virginia, will defend the court against the top-seeded Elite Nation out of Kentucky when the tipoff commences on Tuesday evening. All TBT games will be streaming on YouTube at the time of tipoff. 

For more Best Virginia coverage, as well as all things West Virginia sports, stay up to date with WV Sports Nation.