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LAWRENCE — Kansas basketball’s alumni team has another opportunity on Monday in The Basketball Tournament, and Frank Mason III is a significant reason why.
Mason hit the game-winning shot July 22 in Topeka, evening JHX Hoops’ series against its Kansas State rivals in Purple Reign and avoiding elimination. Then July 24, in Manhattan, Mason delivered another game-winning bucket against Purple Reign to give JHX Hoops the overall victory in the three-game series. The plays allowed JHX Hoops to advance to what will be a game Monday at 8 p.m. (CT) against Wichita State’s AfterShocks in Wichita.
“It means a lot,” Mason told reporters as he discussed eliminating Purple Reign, according to the KUsports.com YouTube account. “It’s a rivalry, even though it’s alumni. Those guys was talking crazy before game one, game two, and now we’ve sent them home in game three. So, it means a lot to us. It was a great atmosphere and happy we came out with the win.”
RELATED: What channel is JHX Hoops vs AfterShocks TBT game? Time, TV schedule
Here are a few more things to think about, before JHX Hoops faces its next test, in the semifinals of the alumni portion of the TBT bracket:
JHX Hoops’ ability to better adapt to the Elam Ending in its series against Purple Reign not only kept the group’s TBT hopes alive, but allowed it to advance as well. And from Sherron Collins’ perspective, that’s because of their failures in the past. Collins, listed as the team’s head coach on the TBT website, said they have learned what they needed to correct and have a better understanding of how they want to try to score and how they want to try to defend.
The second win against Purple Reign, that came in a hostile environment, saw JHX Hoops mount another comeback victory that this time saw it win 62-55. Collins wished his side could have come out with a better start to the game, but praised how relentless his team is. He sees a group of guys who don’t care about who scores, and just want to be a part of winning basketball.
Zeke Mayo led JHX Hoops and all scorers with 25 points in the deciding third game of the series against Purple Reign. He shot 7-for-15 from the field, 4-for-11 from behind the arc and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. And Tyshawn Taylor, listed as a player/GM/owner for the team, noted the only time he can relax on the bench is when Mayo is on the line.
Mayo, who felt good in warmups, noted he’s well aware that the team that wins the tournament gets $2 million. He’s not going to act like that’s not something they could all earn in the end. But he detailed that he doesn’t do this for money, because he loves to wear the uniform and represent Kansas basketball.
Collins mentioned that they have to stay hungry, and not be satisfied. Of course they want to start the game better than they have in the TBT this year, but they also need to remain the relentless group that’s allowed him to feel as if they’re never out of a game. Defensively, too, he thought that third game was impressive.
Collins doesn’t want eliminating Kansas State’s team to be the highlight of his group’s journey. He said they didn’t come into the TBT just to win that series. They want to win the whole thing.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Can Kansas basketball’s alumni team continue to advance in TBT?
Continue reading...
Mason hit the game-winning shot July 22 in Topeka, evening JHX Hoops’ series against its Kansas State rivals in Purple Reign and avoiding elimination. Then July 24, in Manhattan, Mason delivered another game-winning bucket against Purple Reign to give JHX Hoops the overall victory in the three-game series. The plays allowed JHX Hoops to advance to what will be a game Monday at 8 p.m. (CT) against Wichita State’s AfterShocks in Wichita.
“It means a lot,” Mason told reporters as he discussed eliminating Purple Reign, according to the KUsports.com YouTube account. “It’s a rivalry, even though it’s alumni. Those guys was talking crazy before game one, game two, and now we’ve sent them home in game three. So, it means a lot to us. It was a great atmosphere and happy we came out with the win.”
RELATED: What channel is JHX Hoops vs AfterShocks TBT game? Time, TV schedule
Here are a few more things to think about, before JHX Hoops faces its next test, in the semifinals of the alumni portion of the TBT bracket:
Why has JHX Hoops thrived in the Elam Ending this year?
JHX Hoops’ ability to better adapt to the Elam Ending in its series against Purple Reign not only kept the group’s TBT hopes alive, but allowed it to advance as well. And from Sherron Collins’ perspective, that’s because of their failures in the past. Collins, listed as the team’s head coach on the TBT website, said they have learned what they needed to correct and have a better understanding of how they want to try to score and how they want to try to defend.
The second win against Purple Reign, that came in a hostile environment, saw JHX Hoops mount another comeback victory that this time saw it win 62-55. Collins wished his side could have come out with a better start to the game, but praised how relentless his team is. He sees a group of guys who don’t care about who scores, and just want to be a part of winning basketball.
What was behind Zeke Mayo’s recent impressive performance?
Zeke Mayo led JHX Hoops and all scorers with 25 points in the deciding third game of the series against Purple Reign. He shot 7-for-15 from the field, 4-for-11 from behind the arc and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. And Tyshawn Taylor, listed as a player/GM/owner for the team, noted the only time he can relax on the bench is when Mayo is on the line.
Mayo, who felt good in warmups, noted he’s well aware that the team that wins the tournament gets $2 million. He’s not going to act like that’s not something they could all earn in the end. But he detailed that he doesn’t do this for money, because he loves to wear the uniform and represent Kansas basketball.
What’s the key to JHX Hoops continuing to advance?
Collins mentioned that they have to stay hungry, and not be satisfied. Of course they want to start the game better than they have in the TBT this year, but they also need to remain the relentless group that’s allowed him to feel as if they’re never out of a game. Defensively, too, he thought that third game was impressive.
Collins doesn’t want eliminating Kansas State’s team to be the highlight of his group’s journey. He said they didn’t come into the TBT just to win that series. They want to win the whole thing.
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Can Kansas basketball’s alumni team continue to advance in TBT?
Continue reading...
