Virginia
Some good, some bad for Best Virginia in 75-59 exhibition victory to prepare for TBT – WV MetroNews
BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — For stretches of Friday night’s exhibition at Buckhannon-Upshur High School, Best Virginia looked like a team that had practiced only once in advance of its lone tune-up before beginning play in The Basketball Tournament next Saturday.
At other times, Best Virginia looked like a team plenty capable of making a deep run in TBT.
Ultimately, the West Virginia University-alumni based squad overcame a slow start and sluggish third quarter for a 75-59 victory against a team of former college players, some of whom have ongoing professional careers overseas.
“Yesterday was our first practice. We all played for WVU and we have that chemistry a little bit, but these guys are all overseas players and have different roles when they go overseas,” said Best Virginia coach/general manager Chase Harler. “When they come back, we’re still kind of just finding our niche with that.”
Donning BUHS jerseys, the opposing team was largely put together by Buckhannon native Tanner McGrew.
McGrew played for the Buccaneers and went on to have a decorated Division II career at West Virginia Wesleyan. He parlayed that into a professional career and previously played for Best Virginia in TBT, though on this night, he often found himself matched up with former Mountaineers Sagaba Konate and Jonathan Holton.
Both teams struggled offensively in the opening quarter and Best Virginia was scoreless for the game’s first 3-plus minutes, but managed to lead 11-7 through the first of four 9-minute frames.
Harler’s team put together what was easily its best quarter in the second when six of seven players scored, allowing BV to create separation and enter halftime with a 42-20 lead. Five of the team’s 13 field goals in that frame were three-pointers, including one from forward Esa Ahmad as part of his 13-point opening half.
“We have a ways to go, but we had one day of practice before playing the game. We’re still getting a feel for each other, but overall, we know how to play basketball,” Ahmad said. “It’s going to take a couple days, but I feel like we’re going to be good.”
Two of the remaining four triples in the second quarter were provided by Xavier Bledson, the only Best Virginia player present Friday with no WVU ties. Bledson won the Missouri Valley Conference Sixth Man of the Year last season for his efforts with Indiana State.
Guard Marcus Keene is the other Best Virginia player to never play for the Mountaineers, though Keene, fellow guard Tarik Phillip and post player Devin Williams were not with the team Friday, though Harler indicated each of the three will be in Morgantown for practice Monday.
“Devin Williams, Marcus Keene and Tarik Phillip will be huge additions to our team,” Harler said.
Best Virginia saw its lead significantly dwindle within the first few minutes of the third quarter and former Fairmont Senior all-state guard Darhius Nunn was a major reason why.
Nunn played collegiately at Glenville State and Palm Beach Atlantic and plays professionally in France. He started his 13-point frame with a four-point play. After three two-point field goals, Nunn made his second trey of the frame and one of his six for the game as he easily led all players with 29 points.
McGrew chipped in with seven points in the third, while Zakeem Davis, a former Morgantown High player, added five to help cut Best Virginia’s lead to 49-44 at one point, though it grew to 56-47 entering the fourth.
“One thing we could do better with was our defensive IQ,” Harler said. “We gave up a lot of layups and easy shots where defense needs to be our M.O. We have a full week of practice coming up and we’ll work on that.”
The teams agreed to an Elam Ending following the first stoppage of play inside the 4-minute mark of the fourth quarter, at which time Best Virginia led 67-57.
The Elam Ending, which takes place in every TBT game, adds eight points to the leading team’s score as the target score for both teams.
Though the lead was cut to eight moments after the game went to an Elam Ending, Best Virginia finished it off with eight consecutive points, including a triple from Bledson and another from guard Taz Sherman that wrapped up the win.
Ahmad led Best Virginia’s five double-figure scorers with 19 points. Holton added 12 and Bledson, Wesley Harris and Teyvon Myers scored 10 apiece. Sherman and Konate chipped in with eight and six points, respectively.
McGrew scored 11 to provide his team with a second double-figure scorer.
“This was great. It’s tough. I’m the general manager, too, so I’m making decisions and setting up events and what not,” Harler said. “I have a great team behind me. The least stressful thing I have to do is coach. We have a good group of guys that compete. This was the first game and maybe these guys haven’t played 5-on-5 in a while.”
Best Virginia opens TBT on July 20 at 3 p.m. against Brotherly Love at Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh.
Virginia
Five Key Takeaways From Virginia’s 80-72 Win Over Maryland
Virginia picked up another key win on Saturday evening after a 56 point explosion in the second-half marked by stellar shooting from the perimeter. Virginia pulled away to a double-digit lead and hit its free throws late to put the game away. Let’s take a deeper look at some key takeaways in the victory for the Cavaliers.
1. Virginia shoots the lights out in the second half
After struggling in the first half and only making nine of its 33 field goals, Virginia found its groove in the second half. The Cavaliers went 21-33 and were scorching hot from three-point range. The Hoos went 6-11 from beyond the arc, and their best perimeter shooter Jacari White went 3-3 from the three-point line in the second half. How was Virginia able to find its groove? They were sharing the basketball and continuing to find the open man. Virginia had 13 assists on 21 made field goals. Maryland had no answers for the Virginia offense and struggled to slow them down after an impressive showing in the first half. The Hoos had two players who scored double figures in the second half.
2. Chance Mallory gets it done on defense
The young guard didn’t have a great game shooting the basketball, going just 2-9 from the field, but what makes him special is his ability to affect the game in other ways especially defensively. Mallory was a pest on the defensive side of the ball and came up with five steals in the game, which led the team. He also added a block on Saturday evening. To be a small guard, he guards the perimeter extremely well. In days like Saturday when your offense is not hitting on all cylinders and struggling to score, it is a luxury to have a defense you can lean on to get you going. The Hoos have a perimeter player who can lead the charge and help the offense get back in a rhythm.
3. Dallin Hall Ignites
Hall was a go-to player in the second half of the game for the Cavaliers. He finished with 20 points on 8-8 shooting. In the second half alone, he scored 18 points. Hall scored in multitude of ways by driving to the rim, hitting perimeter shots, catch and shoots, and creating offense for himself. He did a little bit of everything and was the main engine on offense for the Cavaliers, especially when their best players struggled to get it going. That is what makes Virginia so good; they have true depth on their roster, and anybody can get theirs. Tonight happened to be Hall’s night.
4. Virginia defense is a problem
As we mentioned earlier, a main part of the defensive effort was Mallory, but he didn’t do it alone. Virginia continued to apply ball pressure and make it tough for the Terrapins to bring the ball up the floor. That led to 19 turnovers by Maryland on Saturday evening. The Hoos turned those turnovers into 22 points. A stat that further brings home their performance is their 15 steals on the evening. Yes, you read that right: 15 steals. Virginia had three different players with at least three steals on Saturday. Mallory, Hall, and Jacari White. Their first-half defense was exceptionally good as they held Maryland to just five made field goals and 21% from the field. They also only made two threes and forced 10 turnovers. When Virginia is playing at that level defensively, they are tough to beat.
5. Virginia is a scary basketball team
They are ranked No.24 in the country for a reason, but the Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the country, and they continue to prove it each night on the floor. After a long break, the first half was rough for the Hoos, but they hung their hat on their defense, which came through in a major way. Then their offense came alive, and the game wasn’t even close. Virginia has one of the better offenses in the ACC, and they have hit 80+ points in 10 of the 11 games played this season. What makes that stat even better is that the scoring isn’t predicted on their best players like Thijs De Ridder, Johann Grunloh, or Chance Mallory. Anybody can be the leading scorer on any given night. In their win over Maryland Eastern, Sam Lewis was the leading scorer with 15 points. Tonight it was Dallin Hall with 20 points on a perfect 8-8 shooting. When you have the depth, defense, scoring prowess, and unselfishness that Virginia has, it makes the team a tough one to play against and stop. Virginia continues to send warning signs to college basketball about how legit they are. Don’t just look at the 10-1 record, but what they are doing in each game and how they play basketball together. This team is legit.
More Virginia Basketball News:
•How to Watch Virginia Basketball vs Butler: Tipoff Time and TV Channel
•Virginia Men’s Basketball Ascends In Latest KenPom Rankings After Win vs Northwestern
•Will Virginia Land a Spot on the AP Top 25 After Win Over Northwestern?
•Virginia Finishes Strong, Downs Northwestern
•Three Key Takeaways from Virginia’s Tight 83-78 Win Over Northwestern
Virginia
Colorado, Deion Sanders to hire former highly-touted DC as defensive assistant
Colorado is expected to hire former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve as its next linebackers coach, according to CBS Sports. Marve served as the Hokies DC from 2022-2024.
Marve has previous experience on defensive staffs at Vanderbilt, his alma mater, Mississippi State, Florida State and Virginia Tech. He’s been in the coaching industry since 2014 when he was brought on as a defensive assistant with the Commodores.
By the time he left his alma mater in 2018, he had worked his way up to inside linebackers coach. He was brought on at Mississippi State in 2019 as the Bulldogs’ defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach. His run there lasted one year before moving on to coach at Florida State for two seasons as the Seminoles’ linebackers coach.
ACC foe Virginia Tech would poach him away ahead of the 2022 season, where he stayed until he was fired following the 2024 season. He spent the 2025 season away from college football, and will now get another shot by joining Deion Sanders’ staff in 2026.
His playing days spanned from 2007-2011, where he has a three-time All-SEC linebacker for the Vanderbilt Commodores. Marve also earned Freshman All-American honors in 2008.
He’ll join a Buffaloes program that finished the 2025 season with a 3-9 record, which included a 1-8 record vs. conference opponents. This came in the fallout of their 9-win season led by current Cleveland Browns QB Sheduer Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal
Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. He caught 20 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown this past season.
His 2024 season was a bit better. Miller caught 32 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns prior. He’s shown he can get the job done when there’s some solid quarterback play on offense.
Miller played high school football at Silsbee (Silsbee, TX), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 141 overall recruit in the 2024 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted algorithm that complies all major recruiting media services.
Time will tell where he ends up next. There will certainly be plenty of interest in his services when the time comes.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Virginia
Virginia Democratic operative arrested on child pornography charges
WARNING: This story contains material some readers may find disturbing due to its graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
RICHMOND, Va. — A Virginia Democratic operative is accused of distributing child pornography.
Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 30, allegedly engaged in conversations with an undercover FBI agent in May of this year through the Jack’d app under the name “Randy.”
The 9-page affidavit states that Sprinkle asked the agent to move their conversation to Telegram, where he allegedly wrote “mostly into young, rape, incest – you?”
The arrest has prompted swift condemnation from elected officals who worked with Sprinkle in various capacities.
Richmond City Council Vice President Katherine Jordan said Sprinkle served as her 2024 campaign treasurer, handling campaign forms, events and financial reporting.
“What has been alleged is disgusting and abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement. “I’m shocked and sickened.”
1st District Council member Andrew Breton also used Sprinkle’s services for campaign finance reports and event logistics.
“The allegations are shocking and disturbing. I am grateful that law enforcement is involved, and that justice is taking its course,” Breton said.
Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who has appeared in several photos with Sprinkle that he posted on X, also responded through spokesman Jared Leopold.
“Congresswoman McClellan is shocked by these appalling accusations which should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Leopold stated.
Sprinkle previously served as a leader in the Young Democrats of Virginia and held a financial director position with the Democratic Part of Virginia.
He has also been photographed with Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger. Spanberger’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment.
The FBI affidavit confirms that 68 files were extracted during a forensic sweep of Sprinkle’s electronic devices, some with disturbing titles. Legal expert Ed Riley said the investigation may have uncovered evidence of distribution through peer-to-peer networks where individuals exchange illegal video files and images.
If convicted on the single charge of distribution of child pornography, Sprinkle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with potential sentencing up to 20 years.
“If they find the images and they can connect you to the images, you’re not dealing with the merits of the case anymore. You’re dealing with the resolution that it’s going to be,” Riley said.
Sprinkle is currently being held at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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