The Basketball Tournament 2024: Zip Em Up Team Profile

Zip Em Up will aim to bring Xavier grit to the court this summer in The Basketball Tournament.

There are a few Big East alumni teams in The Basketball Tournament, but Zip Em Up might be in a league of their own. They’ve already played multiple times in past summers and have a winning record at 4-3. Some guys are back again and others are making their first appearance for the Xavier-inspired team.

Expect this squad to mirror what past Xavier teams have done best. They’ll bring toughness, defense, and shooting, and will have a chance to advance far.

Roster:

• Adam Kunkel (Belmont & Xavier)
• Ben Stanley (Old Dominion, Xavier, & Hampton)
• Jacob Polakovich (Southern Indiana)
• James Farr (Xavier)
• Jaylen Butz (DePaul & Western Kentucky)
• Jeff Robinson Jr. (Xavier)
• Justin Roberts (Georgia State)
• Malcolm Bernard (Charleston Southern, Florida A&M, & Xavier)
• Nate Johnson (Gardner-Webb & Xavier)
• Paul Scruggs (Xavier)
• Remy Abell (Indiana & Xavier)
• Shannon Bogues (Stephen F. Austin)
• Trevon Bluiett (Xavier)

Coaching Staff:

• Andrew Mitchell (Assistant Coach)
• Darwin “Dee” Davis (Assistant Coach)
• Jason Meyer (GM)
• Kurt Schneider (Assistant Coach)
• Nate Wolfe (Assistant Coach)
• Steven Santanello (Assistant Coach)
• Tyler Carter (Assistant Coach)

Region: Cincinnati

All-time Record: 4-3

First Matchup: vs. Takeover BC (July 19 at 6 p.m. on TBT Live)

Team MVP: Nate Johnson

While Trevon Bluiett also brought a lot of scoring last summer, it was Johnson who had the biggest game, with 19 points against Georgia Kingz. The former Musketeer is back this summer and is expected to have the same role – score the basketball.

With no Semaj Christon on this year’s Zip Em Up team, Johnson may have to expand his role to facilitator. Of course, Remy Abell and others can help in that department, but it seems as if Johnson (along with Bluiett) will be the go-to players in multiple ways this summer.

Make-or-break Player: Adam Kunkel

Last summer, JP Macura was a crucial three-point sniper for Zip Em Up, but he’s not on this summer’s roster. Insert Adam Kunkel, who drilled over 200 triples in his college career and knocked down 42.5% as a fifth-year senior.

Kunkel last played college basketball in the 2022-23 season, so he should be as fresh as a daisy heading into this year’s tournament. It’s a new look Zip Em Up squad and a new face like Kunkel could be all they need to make a deep run.

Team Outlook

While there are some returning players, there are a lot of new players who didn’t play on the 2023 Zip Em Up team. I mentioned Kunkel already, but Jaylen Butz is a forward who could bring toughness and rebounding, something that is much needed without Kerem Kanter.

Zip Em Up seems like a fun wildcard team. They have a solid history in The Basketball Tournament but will have a much different feel this summer. Sometimes, a little tune-up can go a long way.