A Reunion of Wildcats Alumni
The Basketball Tournament will open its alumni bracket on July 21 with a best‑of‑three series pitting Purple Reign, Kansas State’s alumni team, against JHX Hoops, the Kansas alumni squad. Games are slated to begin at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas, before potentially moving to Lee Arena on July 22 and returning to Bramlage Coliseum on July 24 if a third contest is required.
Fans can secure tickets through the K‑State Athletics Ticket Office, where general admission starts at $15 and a four‑pack is offered for $50, providing an affordable way for supporters to watch the opening clash.
The tournament’s new 14‑team format splits competitors into an eight‑team alumni bracket and a six‑team non‑alumni bracket, heightening the stakes for each matchup as the winner of the alumni side will host the $2 million championship game scheduled for August 2.
Purple Reign is spearheaded by former Wildcats Jordan Henriquez‑Roberts and Martavious Irving, members of the winningest class in school history, and features a roster that includes Michael Beasley, Jacob Pullen, Xavier Sneed, Cartier Diarra, DaJuan Gordon, Mike McGuirl, Dominique Sutton, Austin Trice and Shaun Williams, among others.
The team’s coaching staff is led by former Wildcat Lance Harris, currently an assistant with Dubai Basketball in the ABA League and EuroLeague, who will be joined by assistants Clent Stewart, Jonathan Hoard Martinez and Irving.
JHX Hoops counters with a lineup that includes Kansas alumni such as Darnell Jackson, Mario Chalmers, Tyshawn Taylor, Kevin Young, Carlton Bragg Jr., Marcus Garrett and Zeke Mayo, as well as former Washburn players Jacob Hanna and Andrew Orr, and additional contributors Tra‑Deon Hollins and DJ Burns, all under the direction of head coach Sherron Collins.
Other alumni groups competing in the TBT include The Ville (Louisville Alumni), La Familia (Kentucky Alumni), Boeheim's Army (Syracuse Alumni) and Hall In (Seton Hall Alumni), while The Aftershocks, representing Wichita State Alumni, enter as the defending champions.
Championship Implications
Should Purple Reign win its first‑round series, it will advance to a single‑elimination quarterfinal, bringing the possibility of a home‑court advantage in the championship game that could crown a new champion and distribute the substantial prize pool.