Best Virginia set for TBT semifinal showdown against Eberlein Drive

MORGANTOWN — Box out. Rebound. Run.

That’s been the strategy from Best Virginia head coach Jarrod West when it comes to the WVU’s alumni team’s semifinal run in The Basketball Tournament (TBT).

What started with 61 teams – three No. 1 seeds received a first-round bye – is now down to four teams all playing for a $1 million winner-take-all prize.

In Charleston, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Best Virginia hosts TBT mainstay Eberlein Drive. Two hours later, and about 1030 miles away, Aftershocks (Wichita State alumni) will host We Are D3.

The winners will be a step closer to a nice payday for Sunday’s title game. That title game could be inside the Charleston Coliseum with a Best Virginia win and a loss by the Aftershocks. The title game will be in Wichita, Kan. as long as the Aftershocks win its semifinal game. In the case that both Best Virginia and Aftershocks lose, the championship game will be played at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky.

OK, that’s the technical stuff. Now, how does Best Virginia get there?

Box out. Rebound. Run.

And maybe add some pressure defense to that equation, too.

“That’s been in our DNA since Day 1,” West said. “Defense. Pressure. Adults in the room. These guys have bought in.”

That’s shown so far. In going 4-0, Best Virginia’s opponents have combined to shoot just 39.8% from the field. No one has shot better than 43% and only Herd That – in the second round – was able to score more than 70 points.

In beating Maryland alumni team Shell Shock in the quarterfinals, Best Virginia held Shell Shock to less than 30% shooting in taking a 32-24 halftime lead. Best Virginia never trailed in that 74-61 victory.

“That first half, our defense – I don’t know what the percentages were – but our defense was very good,” West said. “The only time they got a good shot was when we took a bad shot. When we set our defense, we’re pretty good.”

In Eberlein Drive, Best Virginia will face a program that’s been here before. Eberlein Drive has played in every TBT since the tournament began in 2014 and the program made it as far as the championship game in 2018.

The team is led by former Arizona standout Gabe York, who had 23 points in Eberlein Drive’s 88-75 quarterfinal victory over Sideline Drive. He is averaging 19.5 points in TBT and has 14 3-pointers over his first four games.

On the other side is Best Virginia guard James Reese, who has surpassed 20 points in each of his first four games. Reese, a former North Texas and South Carolina standout, had 24 points against Shell Shock and his 89 points over the four games is the third-most in the TBT this season.