MOBILE, Ala - The University of South Alabama men's basketball program travels to the Bahamas on Saturday to play three games over four days as they continue preparation for the 2022-23 season.
The Jaguars will face Nassau Elite on July 31, Nassau Pirates on August 2, and finish against the Nassau Rockets on August 3.
"It will be a good trip for the guys", said head coach Richie Riley. "We will get a chance to see where we are at in a competitive setting against another team in a real game environment. We have been able to take advantage of the time this summer getting ready for this trip. This trip will help us build chemistry for the upcoming season and will give us a chance to compete in three different games."
The trip gives Riley and the Jags a chance to see the eight newcomers in action, including incoming transfers Judah Brown, Elijah Ormiston, Owen White, Kevin Samuel, and Isaiah Moore. The trip will be a proving ground for Jamar Franklin and Julian Margrave, two true freshmen. Senior guard Tyrell Jones is set to lead the squad as the only returning starter from last year's campaign.
"Offensively on the trip I want to see us move the ball with tempo and pace, and value the basketball," Riley said. "We have been working on not turning the ball over during practice. Defensively, we are going to be tough and play with grit. I want to see us showcase what we have been working on and improve. I can't wait to see them on the floor for the first time."
The trip is not the first for Riley to the Bahamas as he took his previous team, Nicholls, on a similar trip.
"Being able to play this summer on a foreign tour is big for our program," he said. "I did a study on teams playing on foreign tours and most teams that played in them had a high percentage of success the following season. You only get to do these trips once in four years and the last one I took a team on we ended up winning the regular season title at Nicholls. This trip will help us get better for the upcoming season.
"Going out of the country is big for a couple of reasons, it helps us with team building because we will have a lot of time to be around each other to build chemistry and obviously you want to win. We will have three opportunities on this summer tour to compete and I am excited."
South Alabama ended last season with a 21-12 record, their second time winning 20+ games in four seasons under Riley, and advanced to the semifinal round of The Basketball Classic. The run in the postseason was the first since 2013.
