Philly Hoops Connections Abound this Weekend in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), Friday, July 17th – Sunday, July 19th at Philadelphia University

$1 Million Prize in Winner-Take-All, Single Elimination Tournament

Former Philadelphia Big Five & Local Talent among 24 Teams Field Competing in Northeast Regional of TBT

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – July 15, 2015 –  A plethora of Philadelphia basketball talent, including former players from LaSalle, Saint Joseph’s, Temple and Villanova, are slated to compete this weekend in the Northeast Regionals of The Basketball Tournament (TBT),  the national winner-take-all, single-elimination basketball tournament with a $1 Million prize for the winning team.

Action begins at 9 a.m. sharp Friday morning, July 17^th at Philadelphia University’s Gallagher Athletic, Recreation & Convocation Center, and continues on Saturday, July 18^th and Sunday, July 19^th.  

Tickets for The Basketball Tournament (TBT) are on sale now at http://www.thetournament.com, and will also be available at the Gallagher Center this weekend.  Tickets are $20 per day, General Admission. There are 97 games in this year’s second annual edition of TBT, which started in Philly last summer.  The field includes no fewer than 125 players who have played in either the NBA or the NBA D-League, and over 500 with professional experience. Opening rounds began last weekend (July 10^th to 12^th) in Atlanta (Clayton State University) and Los Angeles (Cal State Los Angeles), and continue this weekend (July 17-19) in Chicago (DePaul University) and Philadelphia (Philadelphia University).  The final Super 17 play in Chicago (July 23^rd to 25^th) before advancing on to New York’s Fordham University to play for the Championship live on ESPN August 1^st and 2^nd.

Among the host of basketball participants with Philadelphia-area roots are:

·         The team “20^th & Olney,” featuring former LaSalle players Steve Zack, D.J. Peterson, Tyreek Duren, Rodney Green, Tyrone Garland, Jerrell Wright, Steven Smith and Ramon Galloway;

·         Former Villanova Wildcats Antonio Pena (who holds the record for most points in a TBT game with 52), James Minor-Bell and Reggie Redding (Liberty Ballers);

·         Former Temple players Jake O’Brien (Big Apple Basketball); David Hawkins (City of Gods); Ryan Brooks (Liberty Ballers); Khalif Wyatt, Dalton Pepper, Ramone Moore, T. J. Dileo, Rahlir Hollis Jefferson, Jacob Godino, (North Broad Street Bullies); Mark Tyndale, Dionte Christmas and Mardy Collins (TYGTAL);  and Jay Jameson (WOYG);

·         Community College of Philadelphia’s Tyrone “Manchild” Hill (WOYG);

·         Penn’s Michael Fink (coach of the North Broad Street Bullies);

·         Former Drexel players Phil Goss (City of Gods); Scott Rogers, Stevan Manojlovic, Chris Fouch, Frantz Massenat, Dartaye Ruffin, Dom Megia, Jake Lerner and Sammie Givens (The Blue and Gold Club);

·         Former West Chester player Shannon Givens (The Blue and Gold Club);

·         Former Philadelphia University player  Christian Burns (The Blue and Gold Club);

·         Former Delaware player Jamelle Higgins (TYGTAL);

·         Former Saint Joseph’s players Garrett Williamson (Liberty Ballers) and C. J. Aiken (WOYG);

·         And from University of Valley Forge, Latrell Alford (Elite).

Also represented in the 24 teams competing in Philly’s Northeast Regional of TBT are players from Georgetown, Syracuse, Connecticut, Providence, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Fordham, Iona, Kansas, Wichita State, Arkansas, Purdue, Maryland, UNLV, Cincinnati, Rutgers, Morgan State, George Mason, Clemson, Virginia Tech, New Mexico State, St. John’s, Old Dominion, Texas A&M, Boston University, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Maine, Monmouth, Harvard and many more.

The field of 24 teams in Philly this weekend for TBT’s Northeast Regional is led by Boeheim’s Army, a team of Syracuse alums (with a few others), along with Big Apple Basketball, featuring Smush Parker and former Kansas NCAA Champion Russell Robinson. Also notable is City of Gods, which features former NBA players Michael Sweetney and DerMarr Johnson. The full bracket and additional info is available at http://bracket.thetournament.com/#/.

Media credentials for qualified members of the media are available by contacting local representative Jim DeLorenzo by e-mail at jim@jhdenterprises.com, with your name, affiliation, and updated e-mail and cell phone information.  Credentials will be available for pickup at the Gallagher Center beginning on Friday morning, July 17^th (first game tips-off at 9 a.m.), with media availabilities for on-site interviews and post-game press conferences and other media opportunities.

There were 317 teams that applied to make the 97-team field, with each team consisting of a General Manager (GM), at least seven players, and 100+ fan votes. All players must be 18 or older and all games will be played under college rules with two 18-minute halves.

About The Basketball Tournament:Conceived by CEO Jonathan Mugar as the ultimate opportunity for fans, athletes and social media mavens to create teams and then participate in a high-stakes, professionally run and organized sporting event, The Basketball Tournament is a winner-take-all, single elimination, open competition for players 18 years of age or older.  In its first season, The Basketball Tournament drew over 100 team entries from around the country with 32 teams ultimately making the field.  Participants ranged from professional players and recent college talent to local legends and pickup basketball stars.  An overwhelming success in its launch year, the event is expanding nationwide in 2015, and doubling its prize. Among the advisors for the event are sports industry veterans Tony Ponturo of Ponturo Management Group, Andy Dolich of Dolich Consulting, and Len DeLuca of Len DeLuca & Associates, LLC. For more details visit http://www.thetournament.com/

Media Contacts:Philadelphia:  Jim DeLorenzo, 215-266-5943, jim@jhdenterprises.com

Fran Kirmser fran@kirmserponturo.com

Joe Favorito, Kirmser Ponturo Group, 201-746-0005, fatherknickerbocker1@yahoo.com

Bill Hofheimer, ESPN, 860-766-9589, bill.hofheimer@espn.com