The Happy Valley Hoopers made their debut in 2023 and played in one of the ugliest games in TBT history, losing 49-54. Last year, they returned and fared much better. As the five seed, they beat the four seed and the one seed by double digits, then beat the two seed to win the region. The road ended in the quarterfinal, but it’s definitely a huge step in the right direction.
A school that’s normally labeled as a football school, Happy Valley Hoopers, look to show that Penn State is a basketball school as well. Not having Sam Sessoms back is tough, but they have enough talent to make up for that loss.
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- Ross Condon (Head Coach)
- Daniel Spangler (Assistant Coach)
First Matchup: vs. Raleigh 919 Legends (July 18th at 3:00 p.m EST)
Lee was one of the best shooters in the entire tournament last year and a big reason for their success. He shot 60.4% from the field and 65.2% from three. Yes, you read that right, 65.2% from three. He wasn’t putting up those percentages on one or two 3-point attempts a game either; he shot 23 total in the four games. Against the one seed Stars of Storrs, he scored 22 points, and more importantly, shot 7-10 from three.
With Sessoms not on the roster, Happy Valley Hoopers need a new leader. Greg Lee can fit that mold, especially if he shoots at this level. At 6’9, he can rebounds and also defend, making him such an important piece for his team. When the Elam Ending starts, look to him to make some big shots and send them deep into the tournament.
Speaking of three-point specialists, Funk joins the team this year to fit that role. In his final season at Bucknell and only season at Penn State, he averaged over seven three point attempts a game, and at Penn State made them at a 41.2% clip. Every Penn State fan remembers his first-round performance in the NCAA Tournament, where he shot 8-10 from deep and gave Penn State its first tournament win in over a decade.
As I just mentioned, one reason Happy Valley Hoopers were so successful last season was Lee’s ability to take and make threes at a high rate. If they have two guys on the team who can do that, it’ll be impossible to stay in a game with this team. Don’t be surprised if people are calling Lee and Funk the Splash Brothers of TBT this year.
Team Outlook
The road to the championship starts in James Madison for the Happy Valley Hoopers, where they’ll face the eighth seed, Raleigh 919 Legends, in the first round. They get a potentially tricky game in the second round, taking on the home team, Founding Fathers, who are the James Madison alumni team.
Last year, Happy Valley Hoopers played in Pittsburgh, so many fans made the relatively short trip to support their team. This year, it’s a little farther, so hopefully the fans still make the commitment and don’t let that game turn into a road game. The toughest matchup will potentially be in the final against Shell Shock, the Maryland alumni team. Happy Valley Hoopers would love nothing more than to beat their Big Ten counterparts.
In addition to Lee, Happy Valley Hoopers also return Curtis Jones, Myreon Jones, and John Harrar from last year’s team. Each of them averaged over 10 points per game last year. This team has what it takes to win the championship, but anything can happen in a single-elimination tournament. We’ll see soon if Happy Valley Hoopers can get Penn State its first basketball championship.
