KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The run Kansas basketball’s alumni team went on in The Basketball Tournament this summer ended Wednesday, with a loss in the third round.
JHX Hoops had advanced through the first two rounds with wins against OffDaHook and Purple Reign. Defeating Purple Reign, Kansas State’s alumni team, had propelled JHX Hoops to the Kansas City regional final against Heartfire. But Heartfire outlasted JHX Hoops and sent the Jayhawks home with a 71-68 defeat.
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RELATED: JHX Hoops vs Heartfire final score: Kansas basketball alumni team exits TBT with a loss
Here are some takeaways from JHX Hoops’ TBT stay this year:
How JHX Hoops coach Sherron Collins will remember this team
JHX Hoops coach Sherron Collins felt like his team let the game slip through its hands, and that it had chances to put Heartfire away. There were just too many little mistakes, he explained. His TBT experience this year, though, overall was still something he enjoyed.
While it hurt to see the run end, Collins appreciated being around guys he wished he could have played with and just the team in general. He liked being able to be in the Kansas City and Lawrence area. Collins, who won a national championship playing in college for KU in 2008, felt there were lessons he could take from coaching high-level players.
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Zeke Mayo discusses whether he’d return to TBT next year
While JHX Hoops’ Zeke Mayo harbored his own frustrations about how the loss against Heartfire unfolded, it was a physical game, and one he didn’t want to blame on the officials. There were 50-50 balls that were in his team’s hands, he added, that didn’t do enough to collect. That disappointment, though, doesn’t sound like something that would keep him from being a part of the team next year.
Mayo, noting it depends on what his schedule looks like, would look forward to playing again if he had the chance. Mayo, who wrapped up his college career this past season playing at KU, watched Collins play for Kansas growing up and enjoyed playing for him. Mayo scored in double figures each of JHX Hoops’ three games, including a team-high 14 points in the win against Purple Reign.
What lessons Sherron Collins will take from TBT this year
Simply, Collins said, no lead is safe. That was clear during JHX Hoops’ comeback victory against Purple Reign. It became clear when JHX Hoops eventually lost to Heartfire.
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There was the moment JHX Hoops left the third quarter with a 55-51 lead and momentum. There was the moment JHX Hoops took a 68-66 lead during the Elam Ending, on a 3-pointer from Mayo, with the game’s target score set at 71. Following that bucket from Mayo, Heartfire went on a run to clinch the win.
Zeke Mayo drives with the ball as he looks to make a play for JHX Hoops during a TBT game on July 21, 2025 against Purple Reign in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Reflecting on Kansas basketball alumni team JHX Hoops’ play in TBT
