OVERLAND PARK — Sporting a new look and new faces, the Kansas State men’s basketball alumni team believes this could be their year to mount The Basketball Tournament’s summit.
The TBT is an open-invitation, single-elimination tournament composed of 64 alumni-based teams. The Purple Reign — formerly Purple & Black — own a record of 5-7 in the tournament but the tides appear to be turning.
Purple Reign head coach and general manager Jordan Henriquez-Roberts says with “1,000%” certainty that his squad can go the distance this year.
What changed? Depth.
“We’ve always been talented but the roster depth has always come and bit us a little bit,” Henriquez-Roberts said. “Now we have the bodies — and guys are good, guys are professional athletes.”
The Purple Reign debuted its facelift on Wednesday, competing against Kansas’ Mass Street in a Wheat State Summer Showdown scrimmage — and the results spoke for themselves, outscoring Kansas’ alumni by 20 points.
The Purple Reign brought out a starting lineup with familiar faces in Jacob Pullen, Kamau Stokes, and Baybe Iyiola — but the depth proved to be the difference after falling behind early.
Key difference makers in the Reign’s rotations were a combination of athletes from other programs. Texas Tech’s Tariq Owens, Portland State’s Khalid Thomas and Tennesse’s Devon Baulkman all made significant contributions.
Thomas, an overseas power forward, most recently played in Hungary and will be making his third appearance on Henriquez-Roberts’ squad. Thomas won the TBT’s dunk contest last year, taking home a $20,000 prize.
Baulkman, a shooting guard who most recently competed professionally in Canada, had arguably the best performance during the rivalry scrimmage with lights-out shooting, including hitting the game-winning free throws.
According to Henriquez-Roberts, Owens is the guy to keep an eye on for an all-time tournament performance. A 6-foot-10 center, Owens earned All-Big 12 Defensive Team honors in Lubbock.
“(Owens) is one of the best imported American bigs to play in Europe right now,” Henriquez-Roberts said. “Having him on our roster is gonna turn us around, 360 (degrees).”
Off the bench, the Purple Reign turned to K-State alumni Cartier Diarra and DJ Johnson in the scrimmage. Tennessee State’s Delano Spencer saw action as well.
Henriquez-Roberts emphasized how they were short two players as well during the scrimmage. Former Depaul center Yor Anei and former Wildcat guard DaJuan Gordon couldn’t make the event.
Former Wildcat Xavier Sneed, listed on the Reign’s roster, is doubtful to join the team as he is currently competing with the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Summer League. Former Wildcat big man Stephen Hurt is also listed on the roster but his status is unknown.
Pullen, a member of K-State’s 2024 Hall of Fame class, is still the team’s headliner but he admits he’s taken on a emphasized role as a leader with younger guys around him.
“I hate to say but I’m the old guy now,” Pullen said. “I’m the guy that’s got to stretch first and get in an ice tub. It’s not even something that I want to do but it’s just a natural habitat now playing basketball 14-to-15 years professionally.”
“...It’s natural to coach these guys up and give them advice and try to help them out,” Pullen continued. “A lot of them look at me like an older brother anyway because they went to Kansas State after me.”
The Purple Reign tip-off tournament play at 2 p.m. Saturday against Colorado’s alumni team, televised on Fox Sports 2. The winner of the matchup will face either the Aftershocks or Midtown Prestige — each being a Wichita-based team.
The Aftershocks, Wichita State’s alumni team, have dominated its home region with an 11-4 tournament record. The mindset of the Purple Reign is taking it “one day at a time” and not looking ahead of Colorado.
“It’s just about the rhythm you get into the style of play, you play in the matchup you get,” Pullen said. “We get favorable matchups, we go walk to the championship. We play teams unfavorable for us, we could be out the first night.”
Last year, the squad saw a second-round exit against Arkansas following Pullen’s game-winning heroics in the opening round. On paper, the Reign are set up for a deep run this go-around.
“We got a lot of good guys, pros playing professional basketball all over the world, Pullen said. “If we can get everybody on the same page, I think we can really do some damage.”
