The Ville Features Former Louisville Stars Peyton Siva & Kyle Kuric
Historic Freedom Hall will Hold TBT’s Louisville Regional and Quarterfinals Games in Late July
LOUISVILLE, Feb. 8, 2023 – The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event, today announced that the city of Louisville and Freedom Hall will serve as a host site for one of TBT’s regional events, as well as a TBT Quarterfinals game. The Ville, a Louisville alumni team, will be the host team in the eight-team regional event. TBT’s Louisville Regional and Quarterfinals game are set to take place in late July, and tickets for the event will be on sale April 1.
This summer will mark TBT’s first time in Louisville in the ten-year history of the tournament, and the first time a Louisville alumni team has competed in the event.
<div style="padding:75% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/796771675?h=5b94c4c5ab&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="TBT is coming to Louisville!"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>“We are excited to bring TBT to Freedom Hall this summer,” said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “The Ville is shaping up to be an excellent team and we look forward to introducing Louisville fans to our brand of basketball in person. We have heard the fanbase there is one of the most passionate in the country.”
“It doesn’t get better than this for basketball fans in Louisville, Kentucky. An alumni team, representing some of the best eras in college basketball, back in the iconic Freedom Hall this summer. To say we’re excited to host one of TBT’s regional and quarterfinal games is an understatement,” said David S. Beck, President & CEO of Kentucky Venues.
The Ville, will feature former Louisville basketball stars still playing professionally. The Ville has been put together by the Louisville based company Wasteology. Wasteology is a WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise) waste and recycling service provider serving customers across the United States. The Ville staff will feature Louisville men’s basketball coaches Mark Lieberman and Jordan Sucher, former Louisville basketball player Luke Hancock, and renowned trainer Ronnie Taylor. Commitments for the roster include Peyton Siva, Kyle Kuric, Steven Enoch, Rakeem Buckles, and Dillon Avare.
Additional roster announcements will be made in the coming months through the team’s Twitter page, @TBT_Louisville.
“I’m so excited to be returning to Louisville this summer to play in front of our incredible fan base again,” said Peyton Siva. “To be able to reunite with some of my former teammates and play in Freedom Hall one more time will be an unforgettable experience.”
“I cherished my time at Louisville, and the opportunity to be a part of this inaugural team is very special to me,” said Luke Hancock.
Louisville will be one of TBT’s eight regional locations this summer. Eight teams will compete in the Louisville Regional over the course of five days in July in the single-elimination event, with the Louisville Regional champion advancing to the quarterfinals. One of TBT’s Quarterfinals games will also take place at Freedom Hall, with the winner of the Louisville Regionals taking on the champion of one of TBT’s other regional events.
Since TBT began in 2014, it has awarded more than $12M in prize money, and has been viewed in more than 180 countries around the world. Alumni teams have won TBT’s championship the past four summers, with teams representing Ohio State, Marquette, Syracuse, and the University of Buffalo taking home the $1M prize between 2019-2022. TBT is also the home of the Elam Ending, the alternate ending to games where teams play to a target score. The Elam Ending was adopted by the NBA for its All-Star Game beginning in 2022, and is now being used in G League games as part of their overtime format.
For more information on TBT, the Louisville Regional, and The Ville visit TheTournament.com.