Making their Debut, UKnighted is the Bellarmine Alumni team taking on the 1-seed in The Ville.
This team is bringing the players from a Division 2 National Championship team to The Basketball Tournament. Hall, Hobbs, and Kendle are all legends from Bellarmine.
UKnighted only one player having experience in TBT, AJ Pacher. Pacher played for the Red Scare last year and hopes to help prepare this team for a difficult matchup. Playing in Freedom Hall will be a place that this team is all too familiar with. However, a difficult draw puts UKnighted against one of the best teams in the field.
For more TBT team profiles, click here.
Current Roster:
- Adam Eberhard (Bellarmine)
- AJ Pracher (Wright State)
- Al Davis (Bellarmine)
- Alex Cook (Bellarmine)
- Antonio Ballard (Miami (Ohio))
- Ben Carlson (Utah)
- Braydon Hobbs (Bellarmine)
- Dylan Penn (Bellarmine)
- Ginikachukwu “John” Ojiako (Coastal Carolina)
- Jeremy Kendle (Bellarmine)
- Joseph Burton (Oregon State)
- Loudon Love (Wright State)
- Vance Hall (Bellarmine)
Coaching Staff:
- George Suggs (Head Coach)
- Nick Holmes (GM)
- Bradley Bluestone (Asst. Coach)
- Bryce Hutchins (Asst. Coach)
- Cole McKeel (Asst. Coach)
- Scooter Galloway (Asst. Coach)
- Ty Michalowski
Region: Louisville
All-time Record: 0-0
First Matchup: vs. The Ville (July 20 at 1 p.m. on Fox)
Team MVP: Jeremy Kendle
With a year removed from his year with the Southland Sharks in New Zealand, Kendle averaged 24.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game. His 6-foot-1 frame is an undersized guard, but his ability to score is a boost for this team. Kendle should be the one that defenses focus on.
His experience is impressive, and he is a sharpshooter, especially for this team. Kendle almost averaged a double-double in his last season, not in rebounds, but in assists. He will suck in defenses, then find his teammates. The younger talent on this team will be an asset, so expect Kendle to be the leader on the court and off.
Make-or-break Player: Adam Eberhard
In 2020-2021, Adam Eberhard was a strong player in the Luxembourg team, averaging a double-double. He averaged 18.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He is an intense 3-point shooter but is highly confident around the rim in scoring. Eberhard will be the gap for these teams. He will connect the more experienced players in the professional game to the younger guys.
Eberhard has a challenging role as he will be hunting the ball off the rim. Looking for the easy bucket, he will have unselfish play. It will be interesting to see if he can bring this team together by providing additional offensive opportunities.
Team Outlook
It cannot be overstated: In the Basketball Tournament, anyone can beat anyone on any given night. However, this team is taking on an experienced and highly talented the Ville Team. Seeing how this team adapts and gels will determine if this game is a blowout or a battle. Overlooking this UKnighted team would be a mistake; it has experienced and younger players, both with things to prove.
UKnighted will be an issue for the Ville if it can find its groove and the physicality of the style of play. The negative for The Ville is that there is scouting tape on this team. If Uknighted takes advantage of it and has prepared, this battle will be fun to watch.Â