BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – With 10 days to go until the Charleston regional of The Basketball Tournament, Best Virginia – the team of WVU basketball alumni – held the first of two pre-tournament exhibitions Wednesday in Beckley.
Facing a team called Southern West Virginia Elite, Best Virginia raced out to a quick lead, gaining more momentum in the second and third quarters. But they soon faced an obstacle due to a score adjustment.
TBT uses the Elam Ending, designed to have games end on a game-winning basket rather than the clock winding down to zero. At the midway point of the fourth quarter, the two teams will be given a target score, which is eight points more than the leading team’s total at that point. Whichever team reaches that target score first wins the game.
On Wednesday night, Best Virginia led 115-63 midway through the fourth quarter, so to make the ending more competitive, Elite was given a 119-115 lead to start the Elam Ending portion, with the target score being 127. Best Virginia, however, was unfazed by the change in circumstance, going on to win 127-122.
Sagaba Konate led Best Virginia with 20 points, while Devin Ebanks – a former WVU player – led all scorers with 26 points.
Best Virginia will hold a second exhibition Friday in Wheeling, with their TBT first-round game scheduled for July 17 in Charleston.
