David Shriver suits up for Ram Nation during TBT

“When we found out that we were playing in West Virginia, I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s tough,’” Shriver said.

It’s a little bit of déjà vu. During Shriver’s time with Alderson Broaddus, he found himself in Wesbanco Arena for the MEC tournament.

“Getting the chance to play at home again, it’s something familiar,” Shriver said. “I used to play Division 2 ball here, so I had experience in the arena. To come back and play at a higher level is great to bring it back home.”

Shriver, a native of Philippi, took to the floor for VCU’s alumni team just a few short weeks after he finished his Summer League season with the New York Knicks in which he appeared in two games.

“It was great. Coming from a small town, especially Philippi, a lot of kids are overlooked,” Shriver said of his Summer League experience. “It’s rare for guys to get anywhere past high school, and they work their butts off to get to college in general. It means a lot to be able to put Philippi on the map.”

But Shriver never lost his hometown footing.

“I have every single person from Barbour County behind my back. I have such a great support system in Barbour County from family to everyone else,” Shriver said. “It’s just fantastic how much they support me.”

While Shriver didn’t get much action in the Summer League, it was the beginning of what he hopes can be a long professional career. His lone points, a 3 on a transition steal, were a highlight that mirrored one that he had at VCU.

“Getting my foot in the door and making connections,” Shriver said. “It’s something I’ll never forget, and I’m still grateful for it.”

Ram Nation is comprised of VCU alumni. The team was seeded seventh in their matchup with two-seed Sideline Cancer.

Shriver joined the team after his final collegiate season with the Rams in which he shot over 40 percent from 3. VCU went on to win its conference championship and make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

“Going out there to play with the fans they had, getting acclimated with the alums,” Shriver said. “They’re all pros. VCU does a great job with letting alumni come back and work during the summer, so we spend a lot of time in Richmond. Meeting these guys again and getting a chance to share the court with pros, it’s an experience that I’m grateful for and will cherish for the rest of my life.”

Shriver began the game against Sideline Cancer on the bench while his team got out to a 4-0 run. The size of VCU’s roster showed early as the team forced multiple early stops to set up passes in transition.

Shriver entered the game at the 5:24 mark during the first quarter, rocking bright red and white Puma shoes, the trademarked mustache and his long hairstyle pulled back to a ponytail.

Ram Nation took an early lead and held it thanks to multiple rocketing blocks. The team had four blocks in a single quarter as a team. Ultimately, Sideline Cancer found a commanding lead in the third quarter with a 23-11 split to take the overall contest 83-72.

A young VCU fan sat in the VIP seats, clamoring for Shriver to get the ball as he sat in the corner during his early minutes.

“It means a lot,” Shriver said. “Outside of this, going to school there, playing with the group I played with and winning a championship, it was probably one of the best decisions of my life to go to VCU.”

Shriver did not get to attempt a shot until the third quarter; his first bucket came at the end of the third as he scored on a floater.

The Elam Ending target score was set at 82 for Ram Nation as it trailed 74-50, meaning that whoever reach that score first would win.

The format is meant to eliminate late free throws and clock chewing. Eight points are added to the leading team’s total once the final media timeout is called to set the finish line. It almost worked in Ram Nation’s favor.

Shriver remained on the floor throughout the duration of the Elam Ending, hitting a pair of 3s to extend his point total to 11. While Ram Nation came within 10 points despite being back 32, the final bucket was scored by Sideline Cancer to halt an 11-2 run and win the matchup.

Until a potential return to the TBT in future seasons, Shriver finished one of his final games as a representative of the Rams.

It was a bit of a journey to get to where he is today as he transferred twice before finding a home in Richmond.

“Starting at AB, it’s a small school in Division 2, it’s not much on the map,” Shriver said. “Going there and doing well, I enjoyed it. I go from there and jump to Hartford, and the atmosphere is bigger. It’s still a mid-major, but I had a great year there. The coaches brought me to be a better player and a better man.”

Shriver’s final year was one of his most successful as he garnered a large following in Richmond. Fans regularly wore mustaches in the student section as he was referred to as ‘Three-Bird’.

“But then you jump to VCU, and it’s a whole different world,” Shriver said. “It’s the basketball heart of Richmond. When you think of Richmond, you think of VCU basketball. The fans there are the greatest in the country. The atmosphere that they bring to every single game, it’s something you can’t fathom until you experience it for yourself. The atmosphere from AB to Hartford to VCU is a drastic change.”

As his eventful summer ends, Shriver will look to build on the foundations that he has set.

“Playing professionally is the goal I’m shooting for,” Shriver said. “Not sure where I’ll end up just yet, but the goal is always professional ball, that’s for sure.”