The Basketball Tournament 2025: Fire Family Team Profile

Fire Family joins the TBT and hopes to make a splash in its debut.

Fire Family hopes to carry last year’s 2023 The Basketball League (TBL) championship into The Basketball Tournament (TBT). Fire Family is a spin-off of the Potawatomi Fire, hoping to bring its winning culture to a new opportunity. In a short period, TBL teams trying to make the transition from TBL to TBT haven’t been overly successful.

Two teams last year attempted to make the transition in the LA Ignite and Midtown Prestige. Both teams lost in the first round, with Midtown Prestige scoring 71 points in their loss, while LA Ignite managed only 63 points. 

On a positive note, both of these teams played experienced TBT teams that had a hometown advantage. LA Ignite faced off against a dominant team in TBT in Bleed Green while Midtown Prestige took on another TBT staple in the Aftershocks.

Fire Family looks to break that curse, and not only win their first game, but all of them.

For more TBT team profiles, click here.

Roster:

• Daylon Guy (Arkansas-Little Rock & Tarleton State)
• DeShawn Munson (Harris Stowe University)
• Hunter Mickelson (Arkansas & Kansas)
• Isaiah Wade (University of Central Oklahoma)
• Jachai Simmons (University of New Mexico)
• Jevonlean Hedgeman (San Jacinto College & Louisiana Lafayette)
• Ketarrious Bouchum (Butler Community College)
• Lyle Hexom (Peru State)
• Paul Harrison (North Greenville)
• Ricardo Artis II (Wiley)
• Willie Warren (Oklahoma)

Coaching Staff:

• Emmanuel Toney (Assistant Coach)
• Mark Dannhoff (Head Coach)

Region: Wichita

All-time Record: 0-0

First Matchup: vs. Team DFW (July 18 at 4 p.m. EST)

Team Fire Family MVP: Lyle Hexom

Hexom was a standout on the Great Falls Electric. He is another ideal TBT player; he has a good-sized wing that can score on every level. Hexom can drive, pull up, create shots, and see the floor well. His footwork in the paint will likely lead to turnovers and increase his turnover numbers. However, Hexom is an offensive weapon, but it can be a defensive liability. If there is a mismatch, he will be an issue as he can score, but also on defense, he isn’t easily pulled off his feet.

Hexom does have some bounce and timing that allows him to come up with blocks and some big steals. He can blow up plays and isn’t likely to turn it over on a fast break. Hexom looks for the space and spacing of his teammates. The other big area where Hexom comes in clutch is that he is a ball hunter. He pulls in rebounds on both ends of the floor and creates second-chance opportunities while exploiting the easy buckets and anyone not paying attention.

Make-or-break Player: Daylon Guy

For an undersized guard, Daylon Guy’s 6-foot-0 can hurt him, but he can score. With Hexom being a double-double machine in points and rebounds, Guy is the other player putting up double-doubles, but in points and assists. He is a skilled pickpocket who can operate on multiple levels.

Guy also wants contact and is a dominant free-throw shooter. He can get hot from 3-point range, but when he’s cold from deep, he does get his points from driving. Guy won’t be a player who doesn’t score; last season, he only had one game with fewer than ten points. He will need to step up and be a coach on the floor.

Team Outlook

Fire Family is hoping to catch fire early, rather than smoldering out. This team has the benefit of knowing each other and having played against each other frequently. This team is going up against Run DFW, which has experience in TBT, but will be assembled as a new team. The lack of familiarity could hurt Run DFW, while it is a boost to Fire Family.