Florida alumni team, Gataverse, will try and emulate the 2006 and 2007 Gators teams and win this year’s TBT championship.
It’s about time a Florida alumni team is competing in The Basketball Tournament! Gataverse is as Florida as it gets and features one very recognizable player with plenty of NBA experience.
For more TBT team profiles, click here.
Current Roster:
- Collin Smith (George Washington, UCF, & NC A&T)
- Corey Brewer (Florida)
- Egor Koulechov (Arizona State, Rice, & Florida)
- Erving Walker (Florida)
- Keith Stone (Florida & Miami-Fla)
- KeVaughn Allen (Florida)
- Lee Humphrey (Florida)
- Myreon Jones (Penn State & Florida)
- Phlandrous Fleming Jr. (Charleston Southern & Florida)
- Taurean Green (Florida)
- Walter Hodge (Florida)
Coaching Staff:
- Brian Klatsky (GM)
- Jack Warren (GM/Asst. Coach)
- Matthew McCall (Head Coach)
- Matthew Ulino (GM)
Region:
- Louisville, Kentucky
Team MVP: KeVaughn Allen
I’m looking to Allen, who spent four years in Gainesville, to be the go-to player on a team with a lot of good options, but no great ones. Allen gets the nod thanks to a stretch of four straight seasons averaging at least 11 points per game at Florida. He can also step outside and hit the three-point shot consistently, which is a must-need in TBT. The long ball can separate the good teams from the great ones, especially when the Elam Ending comes into play.
Make-or-break Player: Corey Brewer
Why isn’t Brewer, who played in over 800 career games in the NBA, the automatic team MVP? It comes down to age. Brewer is 37 years old, which by all accounts, isn’t outrageous, but is a big difference compared to the majority of players he will be playing against. Brewer will need to be in shape to be effective, and he will also need to score the ball. Defense was his calling card in the NBA, and it’s a reason he played for so long. That will translate into TBT, but he’ll also be counted on to drop some buckets.
Team Outlook
It’s not just Allen and Brewer. Phlandrous Fleming Jr. and Myreon Jones are a few more key pieces that give Gataverse a very talented backcourt. Erving Walker is another interesting wild card. He last played college ball in 2012 but was a very talented point guard during his tenure.
Gataverse is thin underneath, especially with Juwan Durham no longer listed on the roster. That means Collin Smith and Keith Stone will need to take advantage of the offensive and defensive glass.
As it is with any new team in TBT, winning it all without any prior experience is tough. But if Gataverse plans on playing in the future, this roster is certainly a good start.
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