TBT
Best Virginia Survives Nail-Biter Against Elite Nation to Advance in TBT
Best Virginia mounted a second-half comeback against Elite Nation in the third round of the TBT Tuesday for a 79-68 win.
Guard James Reese V led the way for Best Virginia with 24 points.
Johnson was the first to score Tuesday, following his 18-point performance against Herd That Sunday. He made a transition layup off a steal before Wesley Harris added two from the foul line for a 4-0 Best Virginia lead.
Elite Nation caught fire quickly after, scoring 12 unanswered points in the following two minutes and seven seconds.
Best Virginia clawed back with three-pointers from Tre Mitchell and Jarrod West. James Reese V ended the quarter on a high note, drilling a three-pointer to cut the Elite Nation lead to 23-15 before the buzzer.
James Reese literally doesn’t miss…🔥
Neck and neck battle here in WV as Best Virginia is down by 5 at the end of Q1!
Watch it live on YouTube 👀 pic.twitter.com/HS0SYrSmd6
— TBT (@thetournament) July 22, 2025
The Mountaineer alumni squad struggled to keep up as Elite Nation continued to cash in from beyond the arc. Elite nation finished the first half 10-17 from three-point range.
Desi Washington hit a three for Elite Nation, giving them a 32-20 lead, their largest of the game thus far. After cutting the lead to 11, Best Virginia responded with a trio of three-pointers from Reese and Johnson with Reese connecting twice. Best Virginia trailed 41-39 with 1:04 remaining in the half.
Elite Nation overcame the Mountaineer defense, as Washington nailed a right-corner three at the buzzer for a 44-39 Elite Nation halftime lead.
At the half, Reese led Best Virginia with 11 points, going 3-5 from three. Rashad Vaughn led Elite Nation with 16, going 4-5 from three-point range.
Mitchell cut the lead down to two points with a free throw and turnaround jumper, but Elite Nation exploded for 10 straight points, forcing a Best Virginia timeout.
Best Virginia cut the lead to two points after an 8-0 run before a three-pointer from Dangelo Harrison. However, Reese made a three-pointer and JD Weatherspoon made a layup for a one-point game at 57-56.
The third quarter ended with a score of 59-58 after a block from Okani on a on a layup attempt by AJ English kept the deficit at one point.
Isaiah Simmons gave Best Virginia its first lead to start the fourth quarter, hitting a three-pointer for a score of 61-59.
Best Virginia kept the pressure on, achieving a 70-69 lead heading to the Elam Ending.
Reese made the game-winner for the WVU team with a mid-range jumper for a 79-68 win.
James Reese with the ender!
Best Virginia is moving on pic.twitter.com/wmP7dErBtJ
— Luke Blain (@LukeDBlain) July 23, 2025
Find more coverage of Best Virginia at WV Sports Now.
