Richards Elite looks to showcase British talent on the American stage.
When you think of basketball countries, the US and France are probably the first two that come to mind. Then you’ll think of Spain and Argentina, and maybe Serbia or Canada. It would take you a while to reach the United Kingdom. However, Richards Elite is looking to change that narrative and will do so on TBT stage this year.
With a roster full of British ballers, Richard Elite can make a run. This process is no joke, as they held tryouts to make the team and find the best of the best British talent.
For more TBT team profiles, click here.
Current Roster:
- Ange Yapo (Bidgeton Academy)
- Brett Thompson (Tennessee Tech, Youngstown State)
- Calvin Godfrey (Memphis)
- Chase Adams (Jackson State)
- Chase Audige (Northwestern)
- D’Angelo Hunter (Nicholls State, WVU & Navarro College)
- Harry Godwin (Myerscough College)
- Marlon Johnson (New Mexico Highlands)
- Michael Mays (King University)
- Myles Hesson (East London)
- Steve Taylor (Marquette)
- Walt Lemon Jr. (Bradley)
- Will Perry (Lenoir-Rhyne)
Coaching Staff:
- Ryan Richards (Head Coach)
Region: Lexington
All-time Record: 0-0
First Matchup: vs. Eberlein Drive (July 18 at 4 p.m. EST)
Team MVP: Walt Lemon Jr.
Walt Lemon Jr. is the only player on this team with NBA experience. It wasn’t much, with only 11 combined games with the Pelicans and the Bulls, but in the six games with the Bulls, he started three and averaged 14.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 5.0 APG. He had a 24-point and 8-assist game against the Wizards, and if we’re being honest, deserved a better shot in the NBA.
He’s an extremely gifted scorer and a good defender as well. He could play a similar role as Andre Roberson did for Team Colorado last year. If he can be an on-court general and set his teammates up for success, and defensively match up with the opponent’s top guards, they can stay in these games and use the Elam Ending to their advantage.
Walt Lemon is definitely in his late basketball years, but even then, he’s still one of the better players in this region.
Make-or-break Player: Chase Audige
Real hoopers remember how awesome the Audige-Boo Buie backcourt was at Northwestern. Defensively, he’s a special talent, averaging 2.4 a game his senior season, and finishing his career top five in program history. He can do it on both ends, though, averaging 14.1 PPG in his senior season. He wasn’t able to replicate his success in the G-League, but we know that the defensive IQ is there.
If he can be the primary defender and shut down the top guard, while letting Lemon play Robin on defense, Richards Elite has a chance. That could mean locking down Gabe York, Alex Hamilton, and Eric Bledsoe. We saw him do it against the best Big Ten guards in college, and in TBT, he is more than capable of doing so. Next year, we need to see Buie join in, so Northwestern and college basketball fans can watch them share a backcourt once again.
Team Outlook
Richards Elite takes on Eberlein Drive in Round 1, a team that has experience, talent, and chemistry. This is far from an ideal matchup for Richards Elite, but they’ll have to deal with the cards they’ve been dealt. If they pull off the upset, they’ll most likely have to face Dunkin’ Dogs, the Louisiana Tech alumni team, in a much more favorable matchup.
After Lemon and Audige, there’s definitely a talent dropoff on paper. However, we’ve seen guys blossom in TBT play. They have a nice blend of size and guards, and a will to win.
The most important member of this team is Ryan Richards, the team’s head coach. Richards won the tournament in 2016 with Overseas Elite. While the tournament has changed in the last nine years, Richards still knows the path for success, and there’s no doubt he’ll install that knowledge in his team.