This California team, the Mecca, makes the short trip to Vegas to compete for the 2 million dollar prize
Based out of Long Beach, California, The Mecca is a Pro-Am team with no shortage of elite players at all levels. They’re looking to take that skill and chemistry and bring it to TBT. They’ve got several players who played in last year’s TBT, including the Ware family of head coach Casper, assistant coach Ervin, and point guard Casper Jr. With the three-game series, they’re hoping for a painless first round, then an eventual trip to the championship for a chance at the grand prize.
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Roster:
- Garrett Nevels (Hawaii)
- Casper Ware Jr. (Long Beach State)
- Van Girard II (CSU-Dominguez Hills)
- Cullen Russo (Southern Idaho & Fresno State)
- Cameron Oliver (Nevada)
- Terrell Carter II (Fresno State)
- Marvelle Harris (Fresno State)
- Tarin Smith (Nebraska, Duquesne, & UConn)
- Lamar Peters (Mississippi State)
- Brandon Moss (Louisiana State University at Alexandria)
- Mark Carter (Alcorn State)
- Steven Jamerson II (San Diego & UCLA)
- Kavaughn Scott (Loyola Maryland)
Coaching Staff:
- Stephen Almquist (GM, Sponsor, Owner)
- Casper Ware (Head Coach)
- Tim Austin (Asst. Coach)
- Ervin Ware (Asst. Coach)
- Richard Clay (Asst. Coach)
- Russell Brown (Asst. Coach)
All-Time Record: 0-0
First Matchup: vs. Red Rose War Ready (July 23 at 5 p.m. PDT)
Team MVP: Lamar Peters
Peters played just one game in last year’s TBT, but was great, scoring 22 points. He hit 5 threes, and added two steals in the loss. It’s just one game, but having one under the belt is great and will give him a lot of confidence heading forward. He showed at Mississippi State that he can score at a high level, and he’ll look to replicate that for Mecca.
Make-or-Break Player: Casper Ware Jr.
Ware is the backbone of this team. At 5’9, he shows that heart over height frequently. He played in the 2024 TBT and scored 19 points, but shot just 7-20 from the field and 1-8 from the three. They’ll look to him to be the leader on the court, and with his father coaching the team, they’re hoping that the communication will be perfect.
Team Outlook
On paper, this team looks to be one of the weaker ones in this tournament, but they may have the chemistry, which is super important in a tournament where teams are determined at times hours before tip-off. Cullen Russo, Cameron Oliver, Terrel Carter, Tarin Smith, and Brandon Moss all played in last year’s tournament for different teams. Moss was the only one to average double digits, though.
The good news is they’ll have a short commute, so that’ll help with preparation, and Casper Ware is a legend. Hopefully, that turns into a successful time in the TBT for The Mecca.