Jae'Sean Tate Tests Positive for COVID-19, TBT Status in Doubt
Big X has unfortunately endured another blow to its 2020 TBT roster, with recent Ohio State forward Jae’Sean Tate testing positive for COVID-19.
Members of the team, comprised of mostly of former players across the Big Ten, arrived in Columbus throughout Monday (along with other squads) to begin The Basketball Tournament’s mandated quarantine process inside a hotel bubble downtown.
Big X is scheduled to compete in the very first game of the entire bracket on Saturday, July 4 inside Nationwide Arena to commence the $1 million, winner-take-all showdown. Tate will miss at least the first game of the tournament and potentially the entire thing.
Tate was training earlier this month in Houston when he began to notice symptoms, and decided to get tested a few days later on June 13. He tested positive, took another test a week after that and tested positive again. His required TBT test (beyond that initial two-week period) also came back positive, so Tate did not join his teammates at the tournament bubble in Columbus.
Tate, who apparently feels fine, is looking to get tested again soon with the hopes of playing in Big X’s second-round game should the team advance. Everyone in Tate’s inner circle (family, close friends, etc.) has reportedly tested negative.
The 6-4, 230-pound lefty was a late addition to Big X, which announced him joining the roster just last week. Tate started 110 games during a four-year stretch at Ohio State (2014-18), finishing with 1,512 career points and becoming a 3x All-Big Ten selection. He last season professionally with the National Basketball League (Sydney Kings) in Australia/New Zealand.
All TBT participants checking into the hotel this week are undergoing tests in order to take part. Everyone needed to pass twice prior to arrival and was then immediately tested again upon entering the premises.
Check back soon for expanded team previews on Big X and Carmen’s Crew later this week and, as always, stay tuned to BuckeyesNow and all of our social media outlets (@BuckeyesNowSI) on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for continued coverage.
