====== The Commonwealth TBT team ======
===== 2024 =====
The team had announced that they would return in the 2024 TBT event,((https://twitter.com/CommonwealthTBT/status/1737217544098828608)) however they've since put the brakes on that plan.((https://twitter.com/CommonwealthTBT/status/1783266552302674319))

===== 2023 =====
"The Commonwealth" was the name of the UMass alumni team in [[wp>The Basketball Tournament]] 2023.  Former Minutemen have played in the TBT before, but never before united as an entire team of alumni.

The team was backed by [[https://www.themasscollective.com/|The Mass. Collective]], UMass basketball's NIL organization.

The team started practices / training camp on July 20, at [[https://umassathletics.com/facilities/john-francis-kennedy-champions-center/17|the Champions Center]] at UMass.

{{ ::the_commonwealth_tbt_2023_logo.jpg?direct&200|The Commonwealth 2023 logo}}
In the tournament, they received the 5 seed in the Syracuse regional, and faced Virginia Dream, for their game at 9:00 PM on July 24.

UMass looked sharp to start, and built a 24-5 lead, but the Dream found their form and ultimately won, 79-73, and eliminated The Commonwealth.
  * [[https://hosted.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/TBTA/en/match/2284264/summary|Summary / Box Score from the TBT]]
  * UM highlight: [[https://twitter.com/thetournament/status/1683649131141636096|Chaz to Maxie to CJ]]
  * [[https://twitter.com/DeanWende1/status/1683693809857691648|Postgame comments from Coach Mannix]]

==== Roster ====
<sortable 1>
^Player^Pos^Height^UM years((Playing years, excluding redshirt years))^
|[[Williams, Chaz]]|PG|5-9|2011-14|
|[[Esho, Maxie]]|F|6-8|2011-15|
|[[Gresham, Brison]]|F/C|6-9|2016-17|
|[[Pipkins, Luwane]]|G|5-11|2016-19|
|[[Hinds, Jabarie]]*|G|5-11|2014-16|
|[[Lalanne, Cady]]*|F/C|6-9|2011-15|
|[[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/anthony-lee-1.html|Lee, Anthony]]|F|6-9|Temple / Ohio State 2011-15|
|[[Anderson, CJ]]|G|6-6|2014-18|
|[[Pierre, Carl]]|G|6-4|2017-21|
|[[Clark, Donte]]*|G|6-4|2014-17|
|[[Riley, Freddie]]|G|6-5|2009-13|
|[[Vinson, Terrell]]|F|6-7|2009-13|
|[[https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/ethan-wright-1.html|Wright, Ethan]]|G|6-3|Princeton / Colorado 2019-23|
</sortable>

Most players are former Minutemen.  The exceptions:
  * Ethan Wright.  Wright is a native of Newton MA, and went to Newton North HS.  [[https://cubuffs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ethan-wright/15936|Wright's CU roster page]].
  * Anthony Lee.  Lee played at [[opponent_temple|Temple]] for his first three college years, where we faced him 4 times during Temple's last years within the [[atlantic_10|A-10]].  He played at [[opponent_ohio_state|Ohio State]] for his last season. <!-- Lee's roster page on OSU's site has gone dead. -->

*** Inactives**\\
Jabarie Hinds and Cady Lalanne were both originally planning to play with us, but injuries will prevent them from doing so.((https://twitter.com/CommonwealthTBT/status/1680655127844204544))\\
Donte Clark had a family issue come up and prevented him from joining the team.((Just Being Frank, Episode 7, 7/21/2023))

Article: [[https://www.a10talk.com/meet-the-commonwealth-tbt-team/|Meet the TBT team]]

**Staff**
  * Patrick MacWilliams, General Manager, Director of [[https://www.themasscollective.com/|The Mass. Collective]]
  * [[https://twitter.com/Coach_Mannix|Mike Mannix]], Team Coach, and Assistant A.D. & Head Basketball Coach at [[wp>Wilbraham & Monson Academy|Wilbraham & Monson]]
  * [[farrell_javorn|Javorn Farrell]], Player Personnel

==== Photos ====
[{{::20230724_tbt_team_photo.jpg?direct&400|The Commonwealth 2023 team photo}}]
[{{::20230724_tbt_huddle.jpg?direct&400|Coach Mannix calls up the next play}}]
[{{::20230724_tbt_timeout.jpg?direct&400|}}]

==== Other Minutemen in TBT ====
[[putney_raphiael|Raphiael Putney]] (UMass class of 2014) is also playing in the TBT, but for [[https://thetournament.com/tbt/teams/team-heartfire/|Team Heartfire]] (Wichita Region).  Putney played with them in 2022,((https://hosted.dcd.shared.geniussports.com/TBTA/en/competition/all/person/1568672)) before most of the other UMass alumni played in the TBT, and committed before UM's 2023 team was official.((https://twitter.com/Jay3Farre11/status/1682116314704297984))  Heartfire won the 2023 tournament and Putney took home a share of $70k.  [[https://thetournament.com/tbt/players/raphiael-putney/|Putney's player page]].

===== More info =====
  * [[https://www.thecommonwealthtbt.com/|Official team site - TheCommonwealthTBT.com]]
  * [[https://twitter.com/commonwealthtbt|Team on Twitter]]
  * [[https://thetournament.com/teams/the-commonwealth-umass-alumni|Team page on the TBT site]]
  * [[https://thetournament.com/tbt/|Official tournament site]]
  * [[wp>The Basketball Tournament|Wikipedia - TBT]]
  * Article: [[https://www.a10talk.com/commonwealth-tbt-practices-recap/|https://www.a10talk.com/commonwealth-tbt-practices-recap/]] (7/24/23)
  * Article: [[https://www.articles.gazettenet.com/UMass-alumni-team-the-Commonwealth-gathers-ahead-of-TBT-51708087|Former UMass stars ‘The Commonwealth’ readying for TBT debut next week]] (with photos, 7/20/23)