Best Virginia Gets Rolling, Defeats WV Tech in Exhibition Game

FAIRMONT, W. Va. — During an entertaining night at Fairmont State on Saturday night, Best Virginia defeated WV Tech 101-92 in an exhibition game. John Flowers led the Mountaineers with a game-high 21 points on 7-three’s made.

For context, during the fourth quarter, the clock was turned off with Best Virginia up 91-55 to practice the Elam Ending. WV Tech was awarded 31 points to set up the scenario. The Elam Ending is the TBT’s way of finishing off a game. With four minutes left in the game, the clock turns off and the only way to win is to hit the target score. The target score is the leading team’s score, plus eight points.

Flowers ended the game with a three.

“We tried to just accomplish one thing in each department: transition offense, transition defense. Keep moving, keep building through the week and just try to get comfortable by [next] Sunday,” Best Virginia head coach James Long said.

Kevin Jones finished with 16 points and Devin Ebanks added 15.

Best Virginia was one player short as former Ohio State player Kaleb Wesson no longer could participate with the team due to his contract. The frontcourt was filled in by 2010 Final Four members Jones and Ebanks.

For Long, this was a unique experience as he coached against his former team. Two weeks ago, Long accepted a job as the Director of Basketball Operations at The Carolina Factory. Long spent three seasons as the head coach at WV Tech, coaching the Golden Bears to 2-NAIA National Championship appearances.

“It’s just weird, I don’t know if it has hit me yet. I think it’s really going to hit me when I’m watching the first game next year and I wasn’t there for the preparation leading up,” Long said. “There’s just nothing like it, you go through so much together.”

Best Virginia is returning to Charleston, W. Va. from July 24-27 to co-host one region of the TBT tournament with Herd That, Marshall’s alumni team. Best Virginia earned the No. 1 seed in their region and will play No. 8 Virginia Dream on Sunday, July 24. The link for tickets for the 2022 TBT can be found here.