A special bond that unites the past and present of the Valparaiso University men’s basketball program was as clear as ever this past weekend.

A Valpo alumni team, known as The Cru, competed in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), a summer event that is in its 11^th season and attracts some of the best players in the world. The team was led and organized by Jason Karys, a 2017 Valpo graduate who served as a student manager, walk-on player, graduate assistant and eventually Director of Basketball Operations during his time with the Valpo men’s basketball program. He is currently an assistant coach at Stonehill College in his home state of Massachusetts. The team was coached by Valpo alumni Darryl Jackson, Darien Walker, Kendall O’Banner and Mike Brooks.

Prior to facing Assembly Ball, an Indiana University alumni team, on Friday, July 19 at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Cru practiced on Valpo’s campus and crossed paths with members of the 2024-25 Beacons.

“It was really meaningful to get our alumni bonded with the current team,” Karys said. “Meeting people that came before me is something I got a lot out of during my time at Valpo. We made connections with one another because we’ve all been through similar things in college basketball, and those are things we can bond over. The teams shared a joint dinner and had the opportunity to bond off the court. Some of the alumni told old stories and gave life advice to the current players.”

Assembly Ball prevailed 89-79 in the TBT game, thanks in part to 27 points from former Hoosier standout Yogi Ferrell. The game used an “Elam Ending,” which means the teams race to a target score at the end of the game instead of using a clock. With the target score set at 88, the Cru got to within 83-79. The Cru were led by 18 points from Mileek McMillan, a 2021 Valpo graduate.

“This was my first year playing in the TBT and it was an unbelievable experience,” McMillan said. “Being there with the guys and being coached by Jason, who was a graduate assistant when I was at Valpo, was fun and it was cool to see his maturation as a coach. After playing overseas this past year, it was fulfilling to have some of that carry over and have some success in the TBT. Being back at Valpo was just like being there as a recruit or player. It was great to see some familiar faces who I hadn’t seen since I graduated. Coach Roger Powell is bringing a winning culture back to Valpo and his staff was welcoming.”

Other former Valpo players who saw action in the game include Jay Harris, Joe Burton, Bakari Evelyn, Jubril Adekoya, Cory Johnson and Max Joseph.

“It was nice to reconnect with some of the guys who I played with and guys who are also alums who I didn’t have a chance to play with,” Adekoya said. “I wish we could have won, but it was a good experience. The week was about the past, present and future of Valpo, which was cool to be a part of. I don’t think anyone was just happy to be there, we would have liked to win, but it was cool to get to play in a competitive environment with your university on your chest. It’s cool to see where Valpo basketball has been and where it can go in the future.”

Johnson, who played at Valpo from 2009-2011, embraced his role as an elder statesman on The Cru at age 36.

“Our locker room was underneath, the level below the arena, and coming up the tunnel, I was by myself just trying to take it in and appreciate how special of an experience it was” Johnson said. “I’ve been retired from playing for over a year, and the last few years of my career included a lot of injuries. Getting back into the arena like that in front of a big crowd was really special. On top of that, playing with all of those alumni – both faces I recognized and new faces – was incredible.”

Johnson drove 16 hours from Colorado, arrived at Valpo at 3 a.m. and was at practice at 10:30 a.m.

“When you’re around that youthfulness in the sport, it keeps you young on the inside,” Johnson said. “In the basketball world, 36 is up there. I took a break from my 35-and-up league in Denver and got up and down with some of the young guys.”

Assembly Ball featured former NBA players Yogi Ferrell, Juwan Morgan and Tyrell Terry among other high-level pros.

“Our team fought really hard,” Karys said. “The IU Alumni having the size they did was a tough matchup for us, and I was really impressed with the way we played. There were a lot of times where we were mismatched down near the basket and caused some turnovers and a little bit of havoc. If a few more shots went down, we may very well still be playing. There were some times where our guys played great defense and Yogi still made incredible, fadeaway, deep shots. Sometimes, you have to tip your hat.”

The game was televised nationally on Big Ten Network with Valparaiso native Robbie Hummel serving as the color commentator.

“One of the big motivations for us to compete in the tournament is getting on the national stage,” Karys said. “Hinkle was very full. To play in front of that many eyes means a lot. For some of the guys to have huge games like they did means a lot for their pro careers and this exposure will help them get additional opportunities.”  

Click here for the full box score of The Cru vs. Assembly Ball.