West Virginia

Best Virginia set to Battle Brotherly Love in the First Round of TBT

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2024

Best Virginia set to Battle Brotherly Love in the First Round of TBT

Best Virginia will start its run for a million-dollar cash prize Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the opening round of The Basketball Tournament (TBT).

This year’s edition will begin its campaign on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at the Peterson Events Center in the Pittsburgh Regional.

Best Virginia is entering its fifth TBT. The cast, primarily made up of former West Virginia University men’s basketball members, made its deepest run in 2022, winning the West Virginia Regional and advancing to Championship Week.

Chase Harler has taken the head coaching reins of Best Virginia after James Long accepted head coaching position at the University of Charleston (WV) following three TBT runs. Harler, a former WVU guard, received the role as general manager from former Mountaineer forward John Flowers, who stepped aside following last year’s TBT.

Forward Kevin Jones has also taken on a new role and will not suit up for Best Virginia but will be on the sidelines as an assistant coach.

Guards Teyvon Myers and Tarik Phillip return to the team. Myers has been with Best Virginia in three of the four tournament appearances since the team was formed in 2019. Phillp made his only debut with the team in his lone TBT appearance in 2021.

Forwards Devin Williams and Jonathan Holton are reuniting with the team after the pair both represented Best Virginia once in the tournament. Williams was with the first edition of the squad before opting out the next season. Holton joined the team in 2021 but has been with Florida TNT the last two summers.

Esa Ahmad, Wesley Harris, and Sagaba Konate will make their Best Virginia debut.

Xavier Bledsoe joins Best Virginia fresh out of Indiana State and Marcus Keene switches sidelines after multiple appearances with Sideline Cancer, and are the only two BV members who are not WVU alum.

BEST VIRGINIA ROSTER

Teyvon Myers

Myers spent two seasons at WVU (2015-17) during the Press Virginia era and averaged 4.3 points and 1.0 assists per game for his career. He posted a career-high 16 points in a win over Texas during his final season.

In nine professional seasons overseas, Myers is averaging 15.7 ppg and is coming off career bests 19.1 points and 4.3 assists with TED Ankara Kolejliler (Turkey).

Tarik Phillip

Phillip averaged 7.7 points and 1.5 steals per game during his WVU career and helped guide the Mountaineers to two Sweet 16 appearances. In his final season, he earned Big 12 Conference’s Sixth Man of the Year Award after averaging 9.5 points and 1.7 assists.

Devin Williams

Williams suited up for Best Virginia in the team’s inaugural run in 2019, but the following season, he opted to play for the Money Team and has appeared in the TBT since.

The Cincinnati native played three seasons for the Mountaineers, and averaged double figures in his last two seasons, including nearly averaging a double double in his final year with 13.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and earned an All-Big 12 Conference second team selection.

Williams has played professionally overseas in six different countries (Australia, Turkey, China, Montenegro, Puerto Rico, and Taiwan) and two seasons in the NBA G League with Boston Celtics affiliate, the Main Red Claws, and Charlotte Hornets affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.

Last season, Williams played for the Taiwan Beer Leopards, where he averaged 16.5 points and 15.0 rebounds per game, including a 24 point and 33 rebound performance in January.

Jonathan Holton

After averaging 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game during his freshman season at Rhode Island, and after sitting a year due to transfer rules, Holton harassed opponents at the top of Press Virginia for two seasons (2014-16) and helped guide the Mountaineers to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16.

The Miami, FL, native is averaging 8.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game as a Mountaineer.

Holton has averaged 8.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in seven seasons internationally.

Esa Ahmad

Ahmad produced 1,032 points and averaged 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game during his time as a Mountaineer. He averaged 19.3 ppg in the first six games of his senior year, including producing a career-high 30 points against Valparaiso in the Jimmy V Classic.

The Cleveland, OH, was averaging a career-best 12.0 ppg as a senior and hit double figures in four of his last five games as a Mountaineer after missing double figures in five of the previous six games, but his time in Morgantown was cut short after he was dismissed from the team for violating athletics department policies in February of the 2018-19 season.

Since leaving Morgantown, Ahmad has played professionally in Cyprus, Hungary, Argentina and Germany.

Ahmad averaged a career-best 14.2 ppg last season in Germany with BBC Bayreuth.

Wesley Harris

Harris transferred from Lawson State CC to West Virginia in 2017. He spent two years in Morgantown appearing in 59 games (54 starts) and averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebound per game.

Along with Ahmand, Harris was dismissed from the team for violating athletics department policies. He finished up his collegiate career at Tennessee State where he averaged 11.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Since turning pro, Harris has played for Etha Engomi Nicosia (Cyprus), CS Valcea 1924 (Romania), and Spišskí Rytieri (Slovakia).

Sagaba Konate

Konate became the nation’s top shot blocker rejecting 2.4 shots per game and passed D’or Fischer for the most blocks in school history with 191 during his three seasons at West Virginia.

Konate spent some time in the NBA’s G League with Raptors 905, but has since bounced around overseas playing for Zaragoza (Spain), PAOK Thessaloniki (Greece), Trieste (Italy), ratiopharm Ulm (Germany), Samsunspor (Turkey), and BC Körmend (Hungary).

Marcus Keene

Keene Spent two seasons at Youngstown State before transferring to Central Michigan for one season and led the NCAA in scoring at 30 points per game.

Xavier Bledson

Bledson joins Best Virginia after three seasons at Indiana State and averaged 7.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

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West Virginia

WV faith leaders urge state senators to reject camping ban bill

Published

5 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

WV faith leaders urge state senators to reject camping ban bill

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – Several West Virginia faith leaders are calling on state senators to reject a bill that would criminalize camping on public property, saying the legislation runs counter to Christian teachings on caring for the poor.

The West Virginia Council of Churches released an open letter signed by faith leaders and congregations from across the state, urging senators not to advance House Bill 5319. The bill, sponsored by Delegates Chiarelli and Browning, passed the House of Delegates on March 2 and is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Under HB 5319, it would be unlawful for any person to camp or store personal property — including tents, sleeping bags, tarps, blankets, and similar items — on any public street, park, trail, or other public property in West Virginia.

Penalties would escalate with each violation:

First violation: A written warning, along with information about resources and alternative shelter locations
Second violation: A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200
Third violation (within 12 months of the first): A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both

The bill specifies that each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. Exceptions include people camping in designated campgrounds, those camping lawfully under state outdoor recreation law, and people sleeping overnight in a registered and insured motor vehicle parked legally.

The open letter, organized by the West Virginia Council of Churches, is signed by member denominations representing millions of Christians statewide — including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, the United Methodist Church’s West Virginia Conference, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Salvation Army, and more than a dozen other Christian communions.

The letter calls on senators to reject the bill, arguing that criminalizing homelessness conflicts with the Christian call to serve those in need.

“As followers of Christ, we believe in a God who created all beings and loves all creation. And in this nation full of plenty, Christians ask God to open our hearts so that when we see a person in need of a place to sleep, rather than wanting them to be disappeared into a jail cell, we look at them the way God would and ask, ‘How can I help?’”

The letter warns that HB 5319 “will create a revolving door between homelessness and jail, prevent people from getting on a path to stable housing, and make it harder for service providers and law enforcement to focus on solutions that center human dignity.”

It also argues that fines are an ineffective tool: “We cannot disappear human beings, nor expect that people experiencing homelessness have the money to pay any fine.”

Instead, the letter asks legislators to consider “that the practice of the Christian faith calls us to minister to the homeless and others in economic distress through a variety of ministries including feeding, clothing, and housing programs.”

The letter concludes by calling HB 5319 “antithetical to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ” and asking senators to “roundly reject” the bill.

Read the full open letter here.

The statewide camping ban debate has been building for more than a year. In January 2026, two nearly identical bills — Senate Bill 175 and Senate Bill 184 — were introduced in the legislature, both proposing to make camping on public property a criminal offense. Those bills were referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

HB 5319 represents the version that advanced further, clearing the House of Delegates on March 2.

The issue has deep roots at the local level. Both Morgantown and Clarksburg passed camping ordinances in late 2024. In April 2025, Morgantown voters chose to keep their camping ban in place after a referendum. But advocates have continued to raise concerns about the lack of shelter capacity — Morgantown alone had nearly 150 homeless residents but only around 50 shelter beds, with roughly 80 people still without a place to sleep even during the winter months.

Prior Coverage:

2 newly-introduced bills could criminalize homelessness in W.Va. with a statewide camping ban

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West Virginia

W.Va. lawmakers push through multiple bills as Saturday deadline nears

Published

17 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

W.Va. lawmakers push through multiple bills as Saturday deadline nears

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) – West Virginia lawmakers continued working as the Saturday midnight deadline approaches.

Senate Action

The Senate passed 12 bills, including one requiring adult content websites to use age verification to block minors. Senators also passed a bill creating a Cold Case Task Force.

House Bill 49-90, targeting gift card crimes, and House Bill 54-37, the Vape Safety Act, also passed unanimously. All four bills now go to the House for concurrence.

Delegates passed Alyssa’s Law, allowing teachers to wear mobile alert buttons that notify 9-1-1 and trigger a school lockdown in emergencies. The bill is named after a victim of the 2018 Parkland shooting.

Bill 4005, which clarifies jobs prohibited for workers under 16 — including bar work and logging — also passed. Both bills now head to Governor Patrick Morrisey’s desk.

Senate Bill 4 would require bystanders to stay at least 30 feet from first responders.

Senate Bill 75 would allow West Virginia law enforcement to cooperate with officers in bordering states. A bill from the Education Committee would allow teachers with at least 15 years of experience to become certified as school principals.

For more legislative coverage, go to our website at wdtv.com.

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West Virginia

West Virginia Returns Home to Face Maryland in Midweek Clash

Published

2 days ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia Returns Home to Face Maryland in Midweek Clash

The West Virginia Mountaineers (10-3) welcome the Maryland Terrapins (10-5) to Kendrick Family Ballpark Tuesday afternoon the first encounter between the two programs since 2023 and the first meeting in Morgantown since 2018. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.

The Mountaineers captured their fourth consecutive series of the season after taking two of the three games from Columbia over the weekend. West Virginia sophomore Matt Ineich and senior Brodie Kresser both blasted grand slams during the series. Ineich lifted WVU in game two with a walk-off grand slam in the 10th in game two, and Kresser ignited a 16-1 rout, capping a six-run second inning in the series finale.

Gavin Kelly leads West Virginia at the plate with a .436 batting average with a Big 12 leading nine doubles. Ineich and senior Paul Schoenfeld has raked in a team-leading 16 RBI apiece, while senior Matthew Graveline has clubbed a team-high three home runs.

On the mound, West Virginia is expected to start sophomore David Hagen. The right-hander has made four appearances on the season, including one start. He last started in the home-opener against Ohio where he pitched two scoreless innings and recorded a strikeout to collect his first win of the season. He holds a 1.00 ERA with five strikeouts on the season.

After starting 3-4, Maryland is 7-1 in its last eight games. The Terrapins won two of three at UNC Wilmington in the season opening series, followed by a midweek win against Georgetown before getting swept at Louisiana. The Terps bounced back with a pair of midweek wins versus Delaware and swept a one-win Wagner team.

Junior Brayden Martin is batting a team-best .443 to go with four doubles and 12 RBI. Redshirt freshman Ryan Costello leads the Terps in home runs (9) and RBI (21) and is third in batting average at .328, while freshman Ty Kaunus has a team-high seven doubles and has .269 batting average.

Maryland is scheduled to start freshman Nic Morlang. The right-hander has four appearances on the season, including four starts. He allowed five earned runs in his appearances, coinciding with his two starts, in six innings of work. In his last two appearances in relief, He’s allowed one earned run on five hits.

West Virginia leads the all-time series 8-5, including a five-game winning streak over Maryland.

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