Red Scare hungry and humble after first-round TBT exit in 2023

The Red Scare has a nine-man roster that includes six former Flyers: Jordan Sibert; Scoochie Smith; Darrell Davis; Josh Cunningham; Ryan Mikesell; and Trey Landers.

The team reached the semifinals in 2022 but lost in the first round a year ago. They are 9-5 since making their debut in 2019.

“I think the most exciting part is we have the starting five coming back from that team that made the run two years ago,” Gruden said. “Josh playing again is huge. We’ve got Trey back for some toughness, which we missed last year. We’ve got Scooch, Darrell, Sibert, Mikesell, who have been consistent every single tournament, and then just added some new faces that I think will be huge.”

One of the new additions, 6-foot guard Wes Clark, averaged 15.5 points for Blue Collar U in 2022 and helped lead the Buffalo Bulls alumni team to the championship at UD Arena. He scored 22 in a 74-69 victory against the Red Scare in the semifinals and made the game-clinching Elam Ending shot.

Clark joined the Red Scare because Blue Collar U did not have a team this year. Gruden said Davis, who like Clark is from Detroit, helped recruit him.

Santos-Silva, a 6-7, 245-pound forward, played seven games against Dayton in three seasons (2017-20) at Virginia Commonwealth. He had 11 points and 10 rebounds for VCU’s alumni team, Ram Nation, in a first-round TBT loss in 2023.

“He played really well last year in TBT,” Gruden said, “and we were just looking for a big, strong body like him. He was a good fit, and there’s A-10 familiarity and all that. I like to try to bring in guys people will know.”

Another non-Flyer on the roster, former Wright State forward Grant Basile, also falls into that category.

“He was right down the road,” Gruden said, “so that was an easy one. We had watched him play for a while, and he’s just another guy who I thought would fit us.”

The latest addition, 6-8 forward Cleveland Melvin, scored 1,792 points at DePaul from 2010-14.

The top seed in the Dayton Region is Team Heartfire, the 2023 TBT champion. Three double-digit scorers return: Eric Griffin; Tevin Mack; and Marcus Hall.

The Red Scare wouldn’t run into Heartfire until the third round if both teams make it that far. The Red Scare would play No. 3 seed Carmen’s Crew or No. 6 seed Purple Hearts in the second round at 8 p.m. July 22.

The Red Scare know advancing is not guaranteed, even on their old home court, after their experience last year. It was the No. 1 seed in the Dayton Region and lost 77-67 to India Rising, a team made up of players from the “Indian subcontinent and its diaspora,” in the first round. The official TBT account on X (Twitter) called it the “biggest upset in TBT history.”

After that game, Gruden said, “Right now, at this moment, I thought they’d be devastated and not want to do it ever again, but they’re hungry to come back and get another run. They don’t want to go out like that.”

That remained the attitude over the last year as Gruden worked to build the roster.

“Losing in the first round, it didn’t feel right,” he said. “We had to bring it back and try one more time and give ourselves a fighting chance. I know TBT calls it the revenge tour, which is kind of true. We were definitely upset about it. I think we’ll put on a better showing this summer.”

The Red Scare roster has undergone changes in the days before the tournament each year. Cunningham and Landers were on the roster last year but were unable to play. This year, as of Monday, Gruden said everyone is committed to playing.

As a host of the region, the Red Scare didn’t have to pay the $10,000 entry fee other teams faced. The team also has the support of UD, which will let it use the Cronin Center practice gym for the first time. The last two years, it practiced at the UD RecPlex.

“That will help us with game-court spacing,” Gruden said. “The RecPlex is like a high school court.”

The Red Scare’s first opponent is made up of players from the St. Louis area. The roster includes Courtney Stockard, a double-digit scorer in two seasons (2017-19) at St. Bonaventure. DaGuys STL will make its third TBT appearance. It has lost in the first round the last two years.

“I’m excited about our guys,” Gruden said. “Everyone seems a little more hungry this summer. Guys are texting me, ‘I’m in the gym. I’m in the weight room.’ It’s just a little different. Last year we expected to repeat that final four run. It was humbling. I think it’ll make our guys hungry.”

Here’s the full TBT schedule of games at UD Arena:

ROUND 1

Saturday, July 20

Games 1 & 2

12 p.m. — (4) We Are D3 vs (5) Sweet Home Alabama

2 p.m. — (1) Heartfire vs (8) Rise and Grind

Games 3 & 4

5 p.m. — Red Scare (Dayton) vs (7) DaGuys STL

7 p.m. — (3) Carmen’s Crew (Ohio State) vs (6) Purple Hearts

ROUND 2

Monday, July 22

Games 5 & 6

6 p.m. – Team TBD vs. Team TBD

8 p.m. – Team TBD vs. Team TBD

ROUND 3

Dayton Regional Final

Wednesday, July 24

7 p.m. — Team TBD vs. Team TBD