They’ve got their superstar; now Purple Reign looks to take down their Sunflower Showdown rival in this year’s TBT
Since 2016, A Kansas State alumni team has played in the TBT. It feels like every year, the team teases that Michael Beasley, the second overall pick in the draft, will suit up for them. Every year, that dream didn’t come true. Until this year. As of now, Michael Beasley is on the roster and looking ready to represent his alumni school in this year’s TBT.
It hasn’t gone well for Purple Reign. They are 8-10 all-time and have never made it past round three. Last year, they lost by 2 to JHX Hoops, so they’re excited to get an opportunity for revenge this year. This is arguably the best team they’ve put together, so hopefully for them, that means a deeper run and perhaps even a championship.
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Current Roster:
- Michael Beasley (Kansas State)
- Tyonte Robertson (Panola College)
- Cartier Diarra (Virginia Tech & Kansas State)
- Jacob Pullen (Kansas State)
- Dajuan Gordon (Kansas State, Missouri, New Mexico State, UTA)
- John Florveus (Georgia)
- Austin Trice (Moberly Area CC, Wabash Valley, & Kansas State)
- Shaun Williams (Kansas State, Cal State Bakersfield, & Ouachita Baptist)
- Xavier Sneed (Kansas State)
- Brandon Childress (Wake Forest)
Coaching Staff:
- Martavious Irving (GM, Asst. Coach, Owner)
- Ashleigh Sharp (GM)
- Lance Harris (Head Coach)
- Jordan Henriquez-Roberts (Asst. Coach)
- Clent Stewart (Asst. Coach)
- Tyler Adams (Asst. Coach)
- Noah Jacobson (Asst. Coach)
- Jonathan Hoard Martinez (Asst. Coach)
All-time Record: 8-10
First Matchup: vs. JHX Hoops (July 21 at 8 p.m. CT)
Team MVP: Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley could be the best player in the entire tournament. While his NBA career didn’t live up to expectations, everything else has. He’s the back-to-back reigning MVP in the Big 3, and in China he averaged nearly 30. He’s 6’9, but has the ball-handling skills of a guard. He can score on all three levels and will be a nightmare to guard in the Elam Ending.
Beasley is used to playing in a non-traditional basketball league, so the transition won’t be too hard. If JHX Hoops doesn’t find a way to stop him, then he’ll dominate them, and this rivalry won’t be much of one.
Make-or-break Player: Jacob Pullen
Pullen has been the heart and soul of this Purple Reign team for the past few years. He’s hit countless big shots, and has become a bit of a household name in TBT. Last year, though, he finally showed signs of slowing down. In his first game, he scored 12 points on 3-for-13 shooting and 2-for-9 from three. Then, against JHX Hoops, he didn’t play, and his absence was ultimately the difference-maker between them winning and exiting.
So, are we going to get the legend version, which would make him and Beasley the most dangerous duo in TBT, or will we see what we saw last year, limiting their ceiling significantly? Time will tell, but Purple Reign fans are definitely hoping they see the one who hit a 35-footer in the Elam Ending a few years ago.
Team Outlook
Again, put Beasley and Pullen on the court together, and you’ve already got a great shot to win. Both just need to stay healthy and committed, which it seems like both will be. They also bring back their leading scorer from last year, Shaun Williams, and Austin Trice, who was second in scoring and first in rebounds. Cartier Diarra and Dajuan Gordon have played in several TBTs, so they’ll help with the chemistry.
Purple Reign have struggled against JHX Hoops in the past, but getting to play in Manhattan and not having to play in Lawrence or even Kansas City is a huge advantage. This should be a great environment regardless, and hopefully, we get three games in this series for maximum chaos.