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HBCUnited unveils impressive roster for 2023 TBT run

HBCUnited is back and ready to make another run in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) for the one million dollar prize with a roster full of talent.

HBCUnited TBT The Basketball Tournament

HBCUnited, the only HBCU alumni team competing in the 10th Anniversary of The Basketball Tournament, TBT, returns for their third year with fresh faces and a few returners. This year’s roster is stacked with the talent and experience needed to power HBCUnited deep into the tournament with the chance of winning it all in the championship.

After taking down highly ranked seeds Skip To My Lou and YGC in last year’s tournament, HBCUnited would come up short in the Sweet Sixteen in a tight game against the eventual runner-up, Americana for Autism. HBCUnited looks to build on last year’s success to officially establish itself as a strong program. 

The highly anticipated roster is complete and they are on their way to Lubbock, Texas to open up the first round against In The Lab on Wednesday, July 19 at 4 p.m. EST on ESPN. Check out the 2023 roster below:

DEVANTE CARTER

HBCUnited TBT

POSITION

Guard

LAST TEAM

Charlotte Purple Jackets (TBL North Carolina)

COLLEGE

Norfolk State & Nicholls State

AGE

25

HEIGHT

6’3

ABOUT

Devante Carter will return with HBCUnited for his second year for TBT 2023. In TBT 2022 Carter led HBCUnited in assists with averages of 9.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 7 rebounds a game. Carter had a 2-year career at Norfolk State before transferring to Nicholls State for his final season in 2021-22. He had career averages of 12.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. The Virginia native played his high school ball at the well-known Montverde Academy in Florida.

MALIQUE TRENT

HBCUnited TBT The Basketball Tournament

POSITION

Guard

LAST TEAM

Ironi Nahariya (Israel)

COLLEGE

TCU & Hampton

AGE

29

HEIGHT

6’3

ABOUT

Malique Trent will appear in this year’s TBT once again with HBCUnited. Trent played collegiately at TCU for two years (2015-2017) before transferring to Hampton. In his only year with the Pirates, he averaged a career-high 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Since college, he has been playing overseas in Ukraine, Romania, Iran, Russia, and most recently Israel. Last TBT, Trent put up 10.3 PPG.

KYLE O’QUINN

HBCUnited The Basketball Tournament

POSITION

Center

LAST TEAM

San-En Neophoenix

COLLEGE

Norfolk State

AGE

33

HEIGHT

6’10

ABOUT

Kyle O’Quinn will be making his TBT debut this summer as he will be playing for HBCUnited, as well as being an assistant coach. Kyle attended Norfolk State to play at the collegiate level, who are known for upsetting the then-#2 seed Missouri Tigers in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament. After completing his collegiate eligibility, he was drafted 49th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, who would play three seasons with them and would then see stops for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and lastly with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2019-2020 season. Currently, he plays overseas in Japan for San-en NeoPhoenix and is averaging 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

DANA TATE JR.

HBCUnited

POSITION

Power Forward

LAST TEAM

Norfolk State

COLLEGE

Norfolk State

AGE

23

HEIGHT

6’7

ABOUT

Dana Tate Jr joins HBCUnited after spending this past season playing collegiately for Norfolk State. Tate played two seasons for the Spartans, where he averaged 9.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He is reuniting with his college coach, Robert Jones, as they look to make a run towards the $1 million.

DERRICK GRIFFIN

HBCUnited The Basketball Tournament

POSITION

Power Forward

LAST TEAM

Texas Legends

COLLEGE

Texas Southern University

AGE

29

HEIGHT

6’8

ABOUT

Derrick Griffin will bring athleticism and size to HBCUnited in this year’s tournament.  Griffin is a two-sport athlete from Houston, Texas, and was the third-ranked wide receiver in the 2013 football recruiting class.  Playing both sports at Texas Southern, he led the SWAC in touchdown catches as a redshirt freshman and was named to the 2015 All-SWAC Football Team.  On the court, he averaged a double-double along with over 2 blocks per game.  In the 2015-16 season, he set the conference single-season record for consecutive double-doubles with 12 and was named SWAC Player of the Year.  Griffin has spent his professional career with four different NBA G-League teams, most recently with the Texas Legends.

ROGER RAY JR.

HBCUnited

POSITION

Point Guard

LAST TEAM

Black Star Mersch (Luxembourg)

COLLEGE

Livingstone

AGE

26

HEIGHT

5’10

ABOUT

The North Carolina native is looking to set his The Basketball Tournament debut this summer season with the HBCUnited. Roger Ray Jr. played all four years at Livingstone College, averaging 23 points, 5 assists per game, and 37% beyond the arc. During his time there he earned many honors such as being the Livingstone College All-Time Leading Scorer, Assist Leader, Steals Leader, MVP, 4 Time All-Conference, and 4 time All-American among others. The dynamic scoring guard has played professionally overseas since graduating college. He has most recently played for Black Star Mersch in Luxembourg.

SAIQUAN JAMISON

HBCUnited

POSITION

Power Forward

LAST TEAM

Vitória SC (Portugal)

COLLEGE

Bowie State

AGE

25

HEIGHT

6’7

ABOUT

Saiquan Jamison is set to make his TBT debut with HBCUnited this summer. Jamison played collegiately at Bowie State before taking his talents overseas to continue his basketball career. Since becoming pro, he has played in the United Kingdom, Finland, and most recently Portugal for Vitória SC. This past season in Portugal he averaged 7.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest.

STANLEY DAVIS JR.

HBCUnited The Basketball Tournament

POSITION

Shooting Guard

LAST TEAM

Lidors (Lebanon)

COLLEGE

Morgan State

AGE

24

HEIGHT

6’5

ABOUT

Stanley Davis Jr will play for HBCUnited in this summer’s TBT. The Chester, Pennsylvania native played college ball at Morgan State from 2016-20. He averaged 13.7 PPG 6.0 RPG 2.5 APG and was named All-MEAC Third Team his senior season. He played in Lebanon for the Liders this past season and averaged 20.3 PPG 5.0 RPG 4.0 APG.

TAJH GREEN

BENEDICT COLLEGE BASKETBALL TAJH GREEN

POSITION

Power Forward

LAST TEAM

Manchester Giants (England)

COLLEGE

Benedict College

AGE

25

HEIGHT

6’8

ABOUT

Tajh Green will be joining HBCUnited at The Basketball Tournament in 2023 after his first season of professional basketball with the Manchester Giants.  Green previously spent his last three seasons of college ball at Benedict College in his hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.

THOMAS “SNACKS” LEE

JACKSON STATE BASKETBALL THOMAS SNACKS LEE TBT

POSITION

Shooting Guard

COLLEGE

Jackson State

AGE

26

HEIGHT

6’0

ABOUT

Thomas “Snacks” Lee will suit up for HBCUnited in TBT 2023. Snacks was a manager for the Jackson State basketball team during his college career. He is most known for the viral moment on Jackson State’s Senior Night when Snacks was subbed into the game with just over two minutes left and then proceeded to drain a deep three-pointer. The Jackson State alum was awarded an ESPY in 2020.

WALTER WILLIAMS III

VIRGINIA STATE BASKETBALL TBT The Basketball Tournament

POSITION

Guard

LAST TEAM

Black Frogs (Luxembourg)

COLLEGE

Virginia State

AGE

26

HEIGHT

6’5

ABOUT

Walter Williams will be back in TBT, but this time with HBCUnited for the 2023 tournament. Williams played his entire collegiate career at Virginia State. Averaging 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game in his senior season. He has most recently been playing professionally in Luxembourg with the Black Frogs. Last summer in his first TBT appearance, Williams dropped 16 points and 6 boards in Fully Loaded’s lone game.

ROBERT JONES

NORFOLK STATE ROBERT JONES TBT

ABOUT

Robert Jones will be the Head Coach of HBCUnited for The Basketball Tournament in 2023. Jones has been the Head Basketball coach of Norfolk State University for the past ten seasons.

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