Familiar faces, including Bryce Alford, lining up to represent New Mexico in this summer's TBT

May 8—He never did suit up for the UNM Lobos, like had been the plan throughout his storied prep career at La Cueva High School.

But Wednesday's official announcement that Bryce Alford will be joining The Enchantment, the New Mexico-based team making another run at this summer's $1 million winner-take-all prize in TBT (The Basketball Tournament), seemed natural.

If anything, it seemed long overdue.

"There was always a conflict or some reason I couldn't to it, like last year there was an issue with the dates of my camp (the annual Bryce Alford skills camp he runs each summer in Albuquerque), but everything lined up perfectly this year and I'm in. I'm excited about it," said Alford, the 29-year-old former UCLA Bruin who has been playing professionally for the past seven seasons.

The Enchantment was once a UNM Lobo alumni team that last year shifted to more of what founder and co-General Manager Brandon Mason envisioned as a team of former Lobos, New Mexico State Aggies and players who played high school ball in the state. The team advanced to the TBT's Sweet 16 last year before falling in Lubbock.

That run — two wins and a chance at advancing to the final eight — caught the attention of some who didn't want miss out on this year's team.

"Last year, watching them do so well in the TBT, I was just hurt I couldn't be a part of it because they were having so much fun and playing so well," said Anthony Mathis, the former Lobo and Oregon Duck sharpshooter who is also committed to play for The Enchantment this season. Mathis had to drop out due to injury before the 2023 TBT. "My goal for this year is to bring that same energy and enthusiasm to the team."

The Enchantment, coached again this year by former Lobo great and NBA player Kenny Thomas, will start this year's TBT in an eight-team regional in Houston in mid-July.

This year's roster is made up of Alford, Mathis and former Del Norte High great Scott Bamforth (a star for the Enchantment the past two summers), not to mention former Lobos J.R. Giddens, Troy Simons and even Isaac Mushila, a senior on the 2023-24 Lobos team.

Mason believes this year's squad might have the makings to make the team's deepest run yet.

And, as Alford said, these players wouldn't be playing if that wasn't the case.

"That's kind of the whole deal. Summers are so short for us overseas players that, well, I'll speak for myself, but one of the last things we want to do is play more basketball during our downtime," said Alford, who is married and has a 2-year-old son and lives in Arizona in the offseason after playing in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Another plus for Alford in playing this summer — aside from it lining up with his upcoming camp at La Cueva — is simple: It might get Mason off his back.

"I've been calling him every year for like five years to get on this team," Mason admitted.

"Yeah, he can quit now," Alford said with a laugh. "But he is a salesman. And I told him if I'm playing, I'm bringing my 7-footer with me."

Yes, Alford is also dabbling in general manager duties, convincing one of his overseas teammates, Joey Brunk (who played center for Butler, Indiana and Ohio State), to play on The Enchantment.

LG Gill and Christian Cunningham, who was a key player on last year's team, are also committed to play for The Enchantment.

Mason said one or two more spots will still be filled.

"I'm trying to get (former Lobo) Alex Kirk to do it, which would be huge and something we've wanted to do for years now, (former Lobo) Morris Udeze and (former NMSU Aggie) Johnny McCants," said Mason.

Helping Thomas coach will be former Lobo assistant and New Mexico Highlands head coach Craig Snow, and again helping run the show behind the scenes as Mason's co-general manager is Ryan Berryman, UNM senior associate athletic director and former UNM Lobo manager.

Mason noted that there will be fundraising events with players in July and that there also has been significant help with finances, travel, food and lodging from Kurt Roth and the 505 Sports Venture Foundation, the local collective aimed at helping make NIL payments to UNM Lobo athletes, and by Wayne Moore and D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro.