The Enchantment TBT, the New Mexico Alumni team look to improve their overall record and make a deep run in this year’s TBT.
With a 1-2 record all-time record in The Basketball Tournament, this team has turned over a bit. After beating Panamaniacs, the New Mexico State Alumni team, last year, The Enchantment suffered a loss to Heartfire, who ended up losing in the semifinals to Blue Collar U. The lone win’s leading scorer, Scott Bamforth, returns with this new group to add more wins to The Enchantment’s record.
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Current Roster:
- Anthony Mathis (New Mexico & Oregon)
- Brandon West (New Mexico State & Jackson State)
- Christian Cunningham (Jacksonville State University)
- Darington Hobson (USU Eastern & New Mexico)
- Devon Williams (New Mexico)
- Jamal Fenton (New Mexico)
- Johnny McCants (New Mexico State)
- Lamar Morinia (Montana State)
- Roman Martinez (New Mexico)
- Scott Bamforth (Weber State)
- Troy Simons (New Mexico & Kent State)
- Vance Jackson (UConn, New Mexico, Arkansas, & ECU)
Coaching Staff:
- Brandon Mason (GM & Asst. Coach)
- Ryan Berryman (GM)
- Kenny Thomas (Head Coach)
- Dairese Gary (Asst. Coach)
- Chris Perez (Asst. Coach)
- Craig Snow (Asst. Coach)
- Michael Murphy (Asst. Coach)
- Samuel Dowd (Asst. Coach)
Region:
- Lubbock, Texas
Team MVP: Scott Bamforth
In 2022, Scott Bamforth earned the title of honorary Lobo. He led his team in scoring in the two games last year for The Enchantment. Bamforth averaged 23 points and 3.5 assists. If you think that’s impressive, he shot 71.4% from the field. Bamforth did so much for this team. With new teammates to take off some coverage, Bamforth has a chance to shine in Lubbock. He still shot the ball well when he was the focus of defenses. With other shooters, the load should be taken off of him slightly, making this team even more dangerous.
Make-or-break Player: Darington Hobson
Darington Hobson has shown that he can ball out, but it is a slippery slope when he goes cold. Hobson played very well in the Iranian league in 2021, averaging 18 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He has a nice frame and can play inside and out. However, when it comes to his struggle, he cannot shoot out of it in a game. With no new updates on his stat sheet since 2022, his time away may have been good for his body and his mind.
If Hobson can return to form, The Enchantment will have another weapon that can score at will and goes hard for the ball. He could be a massive boost defensively, as he has good bounce and can limit other teams’ shot attempts. On the other end of the floor, he can create second-chance opportunities and is also able to see the floor.
Team Outlook
Bigger than basketball❤️🏀
JB White was a nationally ranked player from Santa Fe High School when he was tragically killed on August 1st, 2020 just days before he was set to report to Albuquerque / @UNMLoboMBB.@Enchantment_TBT are playing in the memory of JB White in TBT! pic.twitter.com/uIISkDtS4S
— TBT (@thetournament) July 12, 2023
The Enchantment grabbed its first win last year in a cross-town battle. This year, they go into hostile territory as they play a team with a much shorter drive in Lubbock for fans of Austins Own. The good news for The Enchantment is they have experience playing in TBT, something their first-round opponent doesn’t. This team should grab its second win if they can take advantage of the rules and their experience. Unfortunately, the next round will likely be a shootout against the Air Raiders. This team will need to slow down the game and try to make it a defensive battle against the Air Raiders or hope their shooters are off.
The Enchantment has some size, but it has to be hoping to face off against Purple Hearts. As all teams in TBT hope to make it to a big payday, this team continues to make minor tweaks and figure out what works best, with the ultimate goal being $1,000,000.