College Park, Md., -- The individual and team workouts over the past six weeks for former Maryland standout James Gist and his "City of Gods" teammates have had more of a purpose than past summers.

Gist and his current summer teammates - a collection of five former NBA players along with a talented group of overseas players - are playing for the ultimate prize. The team has advanced to The Basketball Tournament (TBT) semifinals – a 64-team winner-take-all event which will award the final club standing $2 million dollars.   

Gist and The Northeast Champion "City of Gods" (1 seed) will face the South Champion "Overseas Elite" (2 seed) on Saturday, July 30 at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The game will be played in Fordham University's Rose Hill Gymnasium in Bronx, New York. The championship game is slated for Tuesday, August 2 at 7 p.m.

A four-year letterman who averaged 10.9 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Terps from 2004-08, Gist is enjoying his experience participating in this highly-competitive tournament.

“Our team has really bonded together and we have great chemistry,” said Gist who also finished his Terps' career among the top 10 all-time in blocks (fourth with 231) and rebounds (10th with 783). "This team features players who have played professionally at the highest level.”

Gist has had the opportunity to reconnect with former friends and teammates from the DMV area. His teammates include DerMarr Johnson, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, Michael Sweetney, Xavier Silas and Omar Strong.  Additionally, Gist is excited about being associated with a well-run tournament that features talented players and good competition.

“The level of play is very strong,” Gist said “The games are nationally-televised and this should open the door for everyone to showcase their skills.”

This fall, Gist will return to Panathinaikos Athens basketball team in Greece for his fifth season. Last year, the 6-9 power forward averaged a career best in points (10.9) and rebounds (4.6) rebound per game in the Greek League.  In 2013, Gist played an integral role in leading the team to both the Greek Cup and Greek League Championship.

Despite the distance, Gist, a native of Germantown, Md., keeps an extremely close eye on his Terps.

“I am always getting Terps news and alerts on my apps,” said Gist, who after his four seasons with Maryland was selected in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs. “When I'm able to, I watch the games and I'm a proud alum. Coach Turgeon has done a great job...The level of the competition in the Big Ten is exceptional and I am happy Maryland has been at the top of the conference.”

For now, Gist has spent his summer working out twice a day, which includes early morning or late night practices with his “new” team, led by City of God head coach Joe Connelly.

“We've been holding daily two-hour practices – and we are really working hard,” Gist shared. "We have competitive practices … and guys are really pushing each other. We are supporting each other and everyone is doing what is best for the team.”

And this commitment could ultimately result in Gist's team sharing in a $2 million dollar winner's check come next Tuesday.

“We all know there is a lot at stake, so everyone is bringing their A-game.”