Norfolk State University men’s basketball head coach Robert Jones will return to lead HBCUnited in the 2023 edition of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), his second time coaching the squad.
The Basketball Tournament consists of 64 teams, battling in a single-elimination bracket for a $1 million prize. TBT 2023 will be the tournament’s 10th anniversary, with high-level play across eight different cities around the country.
Jones’ return comes as no surprise after putting together a thrilling Sweet 16 run last summer with HBCUnited, a team comprised of alumni from Historically Black Colleges and Universities across multiple conferences and levels. The 2022 team picked up a win over No. 5 seed Skip To My Lou, before taking down the Rucker Park regional’s top seed, YGC, in the next round.
“When I was asked to coach HBCUnited again I was hesitant, but I have decided to continue building the brand of HBCU basketball on a national platform,” Jones said. “After last year’s Sweet 16 appearance, we look forward to building on that.”
Robert Jones’ squad will start off in the Lubbock region this time around, facing In The Lab as its first round opponent. The matchup will take place at 4 p.m. ET on July 19, aired live on ESPN+.
HBCUnited returns familiar faces to the team next week in Devante Carter and Malique Trent, while adding former Norfolk State University star Kyle O’Quinn to the roster. C.J. Clemons and Steven Whitley, current members of the NSU coaching staff, will also serve on the HBCUnited staff this summer.