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Herd That made it all the way to the City of Brotherly Love last season before its run ended with a loss to Team HeartFire. That run ultimately played into the decision to bring Herd That back into the field for 2024.

òòò½ÊÓƵœIt was a big question,òòò½ÊÓƵ� said Elmore, who has helped manage the team since hanging up his playing shoes. òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™re getting older and a lot of us donòòò½ÊÓƵ™t play anymore like me, Stevie (Browning), Rondale (Watson) and Ryan (Taylor), of course Jon (Elmore) still plays but itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s a lot of time, money and effort to put together a team capable of making it to the Final Four of TBT so it was in question but we decided we wanted to do it and I think weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve put a pretty good team together.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Herd That continues to be labeled as a Marshall menòòò½ÊÓƵ™s basketball alumni team, despite adding several players from outside the Thundering Herdòòò½ÊÓƵ™s tree. Ot Elmore said itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s how theyòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve continued to compete in the tournament year after year. The team has an 8-4 overall record in TBT.

òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s been a ton fun. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s always good to get the band back together,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Elmore said. òòò½ÊÓƵœAll the guys that played at Marshall sort of formed the core of this with Jon, Stevie Browning, Jarrod West, Rondale Watson and Ryan Taylor.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

òòò½ÊÓƵœThose are our guys and weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve been through a lot of wars together and itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s fun to come back represent Marshall,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Elmore continued. òòò½ÊÓƵœWeòòò½ÊÓƵ™re lucky to bring in the outsiders that we do in order to help us best represent them.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Some of those newcomers arenòòò½ÊÓƵ™t new to The Basketball Tournament at all. Guys like Tyrus McGee, DeAndre Kane, Xavier Munford and Nick McGlynn have all played with other teams in TBT. Even further, some have played against Herd That, like McGlynn who was with Sideline Cancer in the Wheeling Regional last summer.

òòò½ÊÓƵœJust to be recognized by a team thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s as storied as Herd That gives me a lot of confidence,òòò½ÊÓƵ� McGlynn said. Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m really humbled that they reached out to me for it.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Chris Cokely, who has played multiple summers with Herd That, is back with the team after playing with the Georgia Kingz in 2023. He said heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s thrilled to rejoin the team which is pushing harder than ever to get over the hump and win the million-dollar prize.

òòò½ÊÓƵœI love the atmosphere, I love the culture and this team is like a family. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s great to be here,òòò½ÊÓƵ� Cokely said. òòò½ÊÓƵœI wish I was a part of it last year because watching those guys on TV was firing me up and I couldnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t be a part of it. I think weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ll get back there again this year and I feel like with the team weòòò½ÊÓƵ™ve got now, we can win it all.òòò½ÊÓƵ�

Herd That opens play against the Jackson, Tennessee Boom at 3 p.m. Friday at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. The winner of that game is scheduled to face the victor between War Ready (Auburn Alumni team) and the D2 Waymakers Sunday.