Red Rose Thunder is making history before they step on the court, but look to add more history after.
Malin Morrison will coach this Red Rose Thunder team, making her one of the first female coaches in TBT history. She’ll have some talent to work with, with guys from all different backgrounds. Can Red Rose Thunder make a statement in their TBT debut? We’ll find out soon.
For more TBT team profiles, click here.
Current Roster:
- Anthony Smith (Murray State)
- Aquille Carr (N/A)
- D’Angelo Hunter (Nicholls State, West Virginia, & Navarro College)
- Isaiah Allford-Wilmore (Neumann University)
- Luke House (Drexel University)
- Markus Kennedy (Villanova & SMU)
- Maurice Watson (Boston College & Creighton)
- Melik Martin (Drexel)
- Michael Fakuade (University of Illinois Springfield)
- Quadir Welton (Saint Peter’s)
- Ryan Richards (N/A)
- Scottie Lewis (Florida)
- Wali Hepburn (Lock Haven University)
Coaching Staff:
- Lucas Morrison (GM, Asst. Coach)
- Malin Morrison (Head Coach)
- Michael Dibenedetto (Asst. Coach)
Region: Wichita
All-time Record: 11-4
First Matchup: vs. Brown Ballers (July 19 at 3 p.m. on TBT Live)
Team MVP: Scottie Lewis
Coming out of High School, Lewis was a top 10 recruit. He committed to Florida, and after two underwhelming seasons was drafted at the end of the second round. He couldn’t find his groove, but now he comes to the TBT hoping to make a name again. We’ve seen TBT players get NBA looks after their performances, so if Scottie can shine, then don’t be surprised if he gets the same treatment.
Lewis is a tall guard at 6’6, and has incredible athleticism. He’s a terrific defender, and disrupts the passing lane, making it extremely difficult on the opponent. Where he’ll need to be great is the offensive end. If he get score 15+, then he gives Red Rose Thunder a serious chance, so time will tell if he’s up for the task.
Make-or-break Player: Markus Kennedy
Markus Kennedy has had a long and successful pro career, bouncing around overseas but producing at most stops. At 6’10, he has the size to overmatch any opponent, and he has a nice touch at the rim then is tough to guard when he gets his positioning.
You’ll see it time and time again, but the team that wins the rebounding battle in TBT almost always wins the game. They’ll need Markus to be aggressive on the boards and not take plays off, because if the opponent can get those extra possessions, it’s bad news for the Red Rose Thunder. Luckily, Kennedy has a 7’1 buddy in Ryan Richards if he’s struggling to rebound.
Team Outlook
TBT is usually unkind to new teams, sticking them with a 7 or 8 seed, but Red Rose Thunder actually start as the 5 seed. They’ll face Brown Ballers, who pulled off arguably the biggest upset in the first round, when they took down the one seed Carmen’s Crew. If they can pull off the win, they’d mostly like have to take on Nasty ‘Nati on their homecourt, which will definitely not be an easy task.
When looking through the roster, you probably did a double take when you saw the name Aquille Carr. The former high school mixtape legend is competing, and hopefully will bring his insane athleticism and ball handling and lead his team. At 5’7, he could very well be the shortest player competing in the tournament, but that’s never been an issue for him. With this combo of players, this team can sneak under the radar and make some noise, so keep an eye on this Red Rose Thunder squad.