Eastern Washington alumni team to apply for TBT 2021
By: Kathryn Maloney
Eagles legend Jacob Wiley made the announcement on Thursday
The best players in Eastern Washington history are aiming to wear the red and white one more time this summer.
On Thursday, Jacob Wiley announced that an Eagles alumni team will apply for TBT 2021. The team will be named Let It Fly, an ode to their beloved mascot.
BREAKING: Jacob Wiley has told us that @EWUMBB will form an alumni team for @thetournament 2021.
— Inside TBT (@InsideTbt) February 4, 2021
Do @Jwiley_24 & @TeamLetItFly_ have what it takes to shock the world💰⁉️ pic.twitter.com/oj15JHgqSi
The Eagles basketball team is a member of the Big Sky Conference and has appeared in two NCAA Tournaments in 2004 and 2015. This season, they have the 8th toughest strength of schedule, according to the NCAA NET Rankings.
Throughout their history, three players that have been selected in the NBA draft: Ron Cox, Tyler Harvey, and Rodney Stuckey. They also have a plethora of players overseas, some of whom are on the Let It Fly roster.
Jacob Wiley was the 2017 Big Sky Player of the Year. As a springy, high-energy forward, he currently plays for CB Gran Canaria in Spain’s scenic Canary Islands. He had a brief regular-season stint with the Brooklyn Nets two years ago and has since played overseas. Last summer, Wiley was a member of The Money Team, who was knocked out in the first round by Herd That.
🚨BREAKING🚨: Jacob Wiley tells @InsideTbt that an Eastern Washington alumni team WILL apply for TBT 2021!
— TBT (@thetournament) February 4, 2021
First look at the @TeamLetItFly_ roster ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/3AW7hJ1Ner
Shooting guard Bogdan Bliznyuk is a fellow Big Sky Player of the Year, receiving the honor in 2018. He is Eastern Washington’s all-time scoring leader with 2,169 points. Currently, he plays for Kyiv-Basket in the Ukranian SuperLeague.
We could not be more excited to compete in this years tournament! #LetItFly https://t.co/Fvvg7ZsEZ9
— TeamLetItFly (@TeamLetItFly_) February 4, 2021
Other members of Let It Fly include Venky Jois, Adris De Leon and Drew Brandon. All three have professional experience.
Watch Wiley make the big announcement here:
