Inside The Panthers

Final Zoo Crew Roster Set for TBT

The group of Pitt Panthers alumni competing for $1 million has been finalized.

Stephen Thompson

Final Zoo Crew Roster Set for TBT
Final Zoo Crew Roster Set for TBT /
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PITTSBURGH -- Just two days ahead of their opening game in The Basketball Tournament - a 64-team, single-elimination basketball tournament with $1 million going to the winner - a group of former Pitt Panthers known as the Zoo Crew has finalized their roster. 

Led by head coach DeJuan Blair, former Panthers Nelly Cummings, Greg Elliot, Nike Sibande, Gary McGhee, Ryan Luther, Jamel Artis, Levance Fields, Talib Zanna, Josh Newkirk and Sam Young make up the roster. Gilbert Brown was left off the roster announced by TBT, but George Michalowski of Pittsburgh Sports Now reported that he will, in fact, play as well. 

Mouhamadou Gueye, who spent one year with the Panthers from 2021-22, was originally listed on the Zoo Crew roster but has pulled out. After a successful Summer League stint with the Toronto Raptors this past month, Gueye is expected to sign with the NBA club soon. 

Luther, who is currently wrapping up a mid-summer vacation, is expected to miss the first game of the tournament. He'd join the Zoo Crew should they advance to round two, where the winner of Best Virginia and DuBois Dream awaits. 

Jaron Brown will serve as an assistant coach. Gilbert Brown is also listed as a coach on the TBT website. 

The Zoo Crew will open their tournament run on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. in Wheeling, West Virginia against Herd That, a group of Marshall alumni. ESPN+ will broadcast the game. 

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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