Considerable clouds this morning. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds light and variable..
Best Virginia's Tre Mitchell (27) makes a move during a The Basketball Tournament regional semifinal against Herd That at the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Coliseum & Convention Center on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
Herd That's JP Tokoto (1) dunks during a The Basketball Tournament regional semifinal against Best Virginia at the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Coliseum & Convention Center on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
Best Virginia's Tre Mitchell (27) makes a move during a The Basketball Tournament regional semifinal against Herd That at the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Coliseum & Convention Center on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
Herd That's Jacorey Williams shoots a free throw against Best Virginia in The Basketball Tournament on Sunday, July 20, 2025, in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
TIM STEPHENS | The Herald-Dispatch
Herd That's JP Tokoto (1) dunks during a The Basketball Tournament regional semifinal against Best Virginia at the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Coliseum & Convention Center on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
That the first team to 82 won Sunday was appropriate in The Basketball Tournament.
Best Virginia defeated Herd That 82-75 in the second round at the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Coliseum & Convention Center. The difference in great part was free-throw shooting. Best Virginia made 14 of 17 -- 82.4% -- to Herd That's 10-for-20 (50%) effort.
"We knew we had to match their intensity and match their physicality," Best Virginia coach Jarrod West Sr. said.
With playing physical basketball comes fouls. The team that makes the most increases its chance of winning. West said he didn't need to remind his squad of that.
"You know what, we didn't," West said of whether Best Virginia discussed free throw shooting. "These guys know the importance of knocking down free throws. The other night [in a 72-69 victory over DuBois Dream] we missed a few."
A critical make from the foul line was J.D. Weatherspoon's shot that was off the mark but fell through the net on a bounce off the rim to give Best Virginia a 77-66 lead.
"When J.D.'s shot bounced off the back of the rim and went in, that felt kind of good," West said, with a laugh. "God was with us tonight."
Herd That coach Ot Elmore was somber after the contest. He said he was pleased with his team's effort but not with its performance at the charity stripe.
"We didn't shoot well," Elmore said of Herd That's foul shooting. "You have to make free throws in any game if you expect to win."
Jacorey Williams, who led Herd That with 24 points, made just 4 of 9 foul shots. Xavier Munford, who went 4 for 6 from the line, was the only Herd That player to make more than 50%.
Herd That's lack of scoring at the line wasted a 45-37 rebounding edge. Neither team was particularly proficient from the field. Best Virginia made 29 of 66 shots (43.9%). Herd That was 30 for 71 (42.3%).
Best Virginia led by 16 points with 6:01 left in the third quarter. Herd That pulled within 80-75 after a dunk by Derek Cooke Jr.
Tre Mitchell's turnaround jumper, though, ended the game and sent Best Virginia into the third round at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Elite Nation, an 88-85 winner over the Court Street Kings.
