Gonzaga alums Kyle Wiltjer, Admon Gilder among former area players in TBT

Five former college players with connections to the Inland Northwest, including a pair of Gonzaga standouts, are set to play in The Basketball Tournament (TBT).

Former GU forward Kyle Wiltjer, a 2015 AP third-team All-American, and guard Admon Gilder, a double-figures scorer on the Zags’ 31-2 squad in 2020, are on different teams chasing the $1 million awarded to the champions of the 64-team, single-elimination tournament that begins Saturday.

Gonzaga all-time assists leader Josh Perkins was listed on Friday Beers’ roster initially, but he’s not playing in the tournament, TBT officials confirmed.

Gilder will play for Omaha Blue Crew for the second straight year. The team, which features numerous Creighton alums, should enjoy a homecourt advantage with opening-round games at D.J. Sokol Arena on Creighton’s campus. Third-seeded Omaha Blue Crew takes on No. 6 Team Overtime at 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2 in the Omaha Regional.

Gilder played primarily for Spojnia Stargard in Poland, but also had stints with Lahti in Finland and Macabbi Haifa in Israel during the 2021-22 season. He shot 60.4% from the field while averaging 18.6 points and 5.4 rebounds for Spojnia. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds for Lahti and 13 points and 2.8 assists with Macabbi Haifi.

Wiltjer joined defending TBT champion Boeheim’s Army, which features seven former Syracuse players. The top seed in the Syracuse Regional faces No. 8 India Rising at 4 p.m. on July 22 on ESPN.

Wiltjer was a major contributor as Tenerife (Spain) captured the Basketball Champions League title last season. He averaged 11 points, 2.8 rebounds and 21.2 minutes. The 6-10 forward made a career-high 47.8% on 3-pointers and was second on the team with 70 made 3s. He participated in a Dallas Mavericks minicamp last month.

Wiltjer averaged 21.8 points and hit 17 3-pointers for Team Canada in four FIBA World Cup qualifying games in November and February. He played for The Money Team in the 2020 TBT.

Perkins suited up for three pro teams in the last calendar year. The 6-3 point guard averaged 10.9 points, 7.6 assists and 2.0 assists for Petkim Spor in Turkey and 10.3 points and 5.7 assists for Happy Casa Brindisi in Italy. He was with Guayama in Puerto Rico in May and June and contributed 15.7 points and 5.9 assists in 15 games.

The Team Challenge ALS roster includes former Idaho shooting guard Jeff Ledbetter, who has several years of experience with the NBA G League Austin Spurs and with San Antonio in summer league. Second-seeded Team Challenge ALS faces No. 7 Once A Bronco (numerous ex-Boise State players) in the New Mexico Regional at 2 p.m. Monday on ESPN3.

Ledbetter connected on 97 3-pointers and averaged 17 points in 23 games last season with Mazatlan in Mexico.

Mikey Dixon – who finished his well-traveled collegiate career at Idaho after stints at Quinnipiac, St. John’s and Grand Canyon – and fourth-seeded Air Raiders (Texas Tech alumni) faces No. 5 Stillwater Stars at 1 p.m. on July 22 on ESPN3 in the Wichita Regional.

Dixon averaged 16.6 points for the Vandals last season.

Former North Idaho College standout Jalil Abdul-Bassit, who finished his college career at Oregon, is playing for the Ducks’ alumni team Always Us.

No. 4 Always Us meets No. 5 Jackson Underdawgs at 3 p.m. Saturday on ESPN3. The winner tangles with the Omaha Blue Crew/Team Overtime winner in the second round.