Vegas Rebellion is making its debut in TBT, and the UNLV Alumni fly to Wichita to face off against the Show Me Squad again.
Vegas Rebellion was spearheaded by Jermaine Seagears, who gathered eight UNLV alumni. Seagears also found some other players that have experience in The Basketball Tournament. This could be fun to watch as they match up against another first-time team in the Show Me Squad made up of Mizzou Alumni.
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Current Roster:
- Ben Carter (Oregon, UNLV, & Michigan State)
- Ben Coupet Jr. (UNLV, Little Rock, & SIU)
- Cheikh Diong (UNLV)
- Chris Obekpa (St. John’s)
- Dre Martin (Southern Utah)
- Dwayne Morgan (UNLV & Southern Utah)
- Ian Baker (New Mexico State)
- Jerome Seagears (Rutgers & UNLV)
- Jordan Johnson (UNLV)
- Ronnie Boyce (San Francisco)
- Shakur Juiston (Hutchinson CC, UNLV, & Oregon)
- Stephen Zimmerman (UNLV)
Coaching Staff:
- Dave Rice (Head Coach)
- Preston Laird (Head Coach)
- Jermaine Seagears (GM)
Region:
- Wichita, Kansas
Team MVP: Jordan Johnson
With the importance of guard play, Jordan Johnson will be a vital piece of the Vegas Rebellion. He averaged 15.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in the Germany-Pro A. He finds places for himself and creates shots for others while forcing people to guard him. Johnson has a fluid shot from beyond the arc but can create in the paint. Depending on the game flow, he will likely be the leader in assists and may even get points.
If Vegas Rebellion pulls off a couple of wins, Johnson will be the puppet master to get them there. Whether he takes the shot, changes the pace, or finds the open shooter, Johnson will be a central cog for the Vegas Rebellion.
Make-or-break Player: Stephen Zimmerman
The inside-out play will be capable with Stephen Zimmerman. Adding second-chance opportunities, his ability to score in and out of the paint will make him an asset for the Vegas Rebellion. Being 7-foot will give him ample opportunity for rebounds. While playing in Japan, he averaged 10.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks. The way Zimmerman affects the game could be a boost to Vegas Rebellion.
The worry is that if teams are smaller and quicker, it could cause Zimmerman to be regulated to the sideline. In TBT, guards are a big part of the game, and traditional bigs are uncommon. Luckily, Zimmerman is capable of shooting 3-pointers and making them, but it is not his traditional role. He has been in and out of the G-League and playing professionally overseas. Bouncing back-and-forth between overseas and the U.S., Zimmerman may be using this time to show off that he can shoot with range and expand his game to be in the NBA.
Team Outlook
The Vegas Rebellion has done some recruiting of players with experience in TBT. The name familiar to TBT fans will recognize include Ben Coupet Jr. from Air Raiders. There are also two players from the Panamaniacs, in Jerome Seagears and Ian Baker.
The excellent news for Vegas Rebellion is that JUCO Products, Mass Street, We Are D3, and Living the Dream all have zero wins historically. The most experienced of these teams in the TBT is We are D3, who are 0-4. LA Cheaters and Heartfire are both 4-3 in their time in the TBT in the Wichita Regional.