Air Raiders to host Texas, North Texas alumni squads in Lubbock Regional of TBT
Basketball coming to Lubbock in July is officially a go.
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) announced its 2023 field on Wednesday, including the completed Lubbock Regional. The Air Raiders, the Texas Tech alumni team, will be the top seed in the regional with their first-round game against Purple Hearts set for 8 p.m. on July 19.
The winner of that game will face the winner of the contest between The Enchantment (representing the University of New Mexico) and Austin's Own, the University of Texas's alumni team, in the semifinals on July 21.
Andrew Sorrells, a former Texas Tech men's basketball player and general manager of the Air Raiders, said bringing a TBT regional to Lubbock is significant for what the future of the team could hold.
"I think that highlights the passion that our community has for the sport of basketball," Sorrells said during a Wednesday press conference, "and obviously it's made it a lot easier to recruit talented guys like Toddrick (Gotcher) with it being in Lubbock. We've assembled a pretty talented roster that I think has a chance to win the whole thing.
Toddrick Gotcher, a former Red Raider who last played in United Supermarkets Arena in March 2016, will join nine other former Tech players on the 2023 roster. Last year, during the Air Raiders' first foray into the TBT, the squad was comprised of mostly former Red Raiders with players from other schools — such as Peter Kiss of Bryant — rounding out the roster.
This time around, the 10-player team is entirely made up of players who called Lubbock home at one time or another.
"This will be special," Gotcher said, "just to see guys that we know and you have a feel for. They know West Texas, so it's really good to see."
Two roster spots will remain open, should other former players look to join the team closer to the start date. During the press conference, Sorrells made a pitch to Lubbock’s own Jarrett Culver to sign up, but noted there are many players the team would love to have.
"We're reserving those two spots for a pretty talented player," Sorrells said. "We're not going to name anyone, but there's still a chance to add someone if we need to."
Davide Moretti, Tariq Owens and Matt Mooney — three members of the 2019 national runner-up team — were the first to sign on for the 2023 tournament. Returning from last year's team, along with Owens and Mooney, are Davion Warren, Zach Smith and Parker Hicks. Hicks was recently hired as the first head coach of the Lubbock-Cooper Liberty boys basketball team, spending last year leading the Levelland program.
Gotcher and Moretti are among the newcomers to the team, as are John Roberson, Dejan Kravic and Kyler Edwards. Roberson still holds Red Raider records for career assists (636) and 3-point makes (274). Though Edwards transferred to Houston for his final season of collegiate eligibility, Gotcher said the point guard is one of the players he's most looking forward to partnering up with.
Clark Lammert and Sorrells will return to be general managers for the team. The pair have overseen the roster-building aspect, also spearheading logistical efforts such as lodging, transportation and food for each of the players.
"The interest from the player's side of things has been overwhelming since it's here in Lubbock," Lammert said. "We're really excited to welcome these guys back."
The coaching staff will be led by Jason Staudt, a veteran NBA coach who has spent time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets throughout his professional career. He'll be joined by Ronald Ross, Robert Brashear and Gino Saucedo, who will serve as assistants.
Ross and Brashear are both former Tech assistant coaches, the former having been an all-American during his Red Raider playing career. Saucedo returns after being an assistant on last year's Air Raiders team. Jared Boyd, the current director of basketball operations for the Lady Raiders, will be assisting as well.
Lammert said the team is "trying to replicate the coaching staff of the men's and women's programs" currently at Tech. That includes current Red Raiders head coach Grant McCasland.
Not only will McCasland, who was hired in April, have a chance to better acquaint himself with alumni during the TBT, he'll also get to see some of his former North Texas players.
Bleed Green, the UNT alumni team, is the No. 2 seed in the Lubbock Regional bracket. According to the team's TBT page, five of McCasland's former players during his team in Denton are on the squad that will compete next month. These players include last year's Conference USA newcomer of the year Kai Huntsberry.
Andre Shaw is the head coach of Bleed Green. He was UNT's director of operations for two years under McCasland and has since been elevated to an assistant coach for the Mean Green.
Bleed Green will face Rise & Grind while HBCUnited and In the Lab will meet on the opposite side of the bracket from the Air Raiders, potentially pitting Tech against UNT in the championship game, which is scheduled for noon on July 23.
The Air Raiders are hoping to make hosting a regional a new summer tradition, which would require solid attendance numbers throughout the tournament. Sorrells and Lammert are confident Lubbock can deliver in that regard.
"There's been a lot of teams that have hosted a regional in the TBT but only for one year," Sorrells said. "... Regions like Wichita, Syracuse, they run it back every year because they have good turnout. I fully expect, just with the interest and passion our community has about basketball, that hopefully we can make this a recurring, annual thing."
2023 TBT Lubbock Regional
When: July 19-23
Where: United Supermarkets Arena
Schedule
First Round (July 19) — Bleed Green vs. Rise & Grind, 1 p.m.; HBCUnited vs. In the Lab, 3 p.m.; The Enchantment vs. Austin's Own, 6 p.m.; Air Raiders vs. Purple Hearts, 8 p.m.
Region Semifinals (July 21) — Bleed Green/Rise & Grind winner vs. HBCUnited/In the Lab winner, 6 p.m.; The Enchantment/Austin's Own winner vs. Air Raiders/Purple Hearts winner, 8 p.m.
Region Championship (July 23) — Semifinal winners, Noon
Current Air Raiders Roster
John Roberson
Toddrick Gotcher
Dejan Kravic
Zach Smith
Parker Hicks
Davide Moretti
Matt Mooney
Tariq Owens
Kyler Edwards
Davion Warren
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Air Raiders to host Texas, North Texas alumni squads in Lubbock Regional of TBT
