University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Photo by: Ryan Pfeifer
Men's Basketball heads to Puerto Rico for International Trip
7/30/2021 10:16:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UNC men's basketball gets a jump start on the 2021-22 season with a trip to Puerto Rico
GREELEY, Colo. – Second-year head coach Steve Smiley doesn't have to wait until November to see what the Bears will look like on the court for the 2021-22 season. He and the staff get a sneak peek at the team with a trip to Puerto Rico August 6-11.
"This is a huge deal for our program, and it really is happening at the perfect time in terms of developing our current roster for this season and the future," head coach Steve Smiley said. "We have a veteran roster back, but we also believe we have some key pieces that will be added to our rotation, so having this trip and the practice time leading up to the trip is really allowing us to develop and evaluate our entire roster."
Northern Colorado will play in three games while in Puerto Rico against two All-Star teams and Toa Baja. The trip also serves as a way to build team chemistry off the court.
"I think building chemistry through this extra time starts before we even get on the plane for the trip. The additional practices that we're allowed, which leads to the additional time that our team gets to spend with each other on and off the court, is invaluable to building chemistry when you have ten returners and six incoming new players," Smiley added. "During the trip, the games are great but more importantly, all of the downtime that we all get to spend with each other is huge for bonding together as a united squad."
UNC men's basketball last international trip came before the 2017-18 season traveling to the Virgin Islands. The Bears went on to win a program-best 26 games that year and the CIT Championship.
"The NCAA only allows for these foreign trips every four years, and the last time we were able to do this type of trip we took that group to the Virgin Islands and it was a huge springboard to an extremely successful season," said Smiley. "That team also had key pieces back from the previous year (example Jordan Davis, Jonah Radebaugh and Kai Edwards) but was adding in talented players like Andre Spight, Tanner Morgan, and Anthony Johnson. Being able to go on these trips is also huge for the big picture of our program in terms of recruiting and retaining our current players. It's such a great tool to let all of our players know that they will experience a trip like this during their career with the Bears!"
The 2021-22 team returns four of its five starters in Bodie Hume, Kur Jongkuch, Daylen Kountz and Matt Johnson II. They add in some strong newcomers as well including JUCO All-American Dalton Knecht and one of the most prolific shooters in the nation in Dru Kuxhausen.
To stay up to date on all things UNC Men's Basketball, visit UNCBears.com, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the new UNC Athletics app by clicking here.
"This is a huge deal for our program, and it really is happening at the perfect time in terms of developing our current roster for this season and the future," head coach Steve Smiley said. "We have a veteran roster back, but we also believe we have some key pieces that will be added to our rotation, so having this trip and the practice time leading up to the trip is really allowing us to develop and evaluate our entire roster."
Northern Colorado will play in three games while in Puerto Rico against two All-Star teams and Toa Baja. The trip also serves as a way to build team chemistry off the court.
"I think building chemistry through this extra time starts before we even get on the plane for the trip. The additional practices that we're allowed, which leads to the additional time that our team gets to spend with each other on and off the court, is invaluable to building chemistry when you have ten returners and six incoming new players," Smiley added. "During the trip, the games are great but more importantly, all of the downtime that we all get to spend with each other is huge for bonding together as a united squad."
UNC men's basketball last international trip came before the 2017-18 season traveling to the Virgin Islands. The Bears went on to win a program-best 26 games that year and the CIT Championship.
"The NCAA only allows for these foreign trips every four years, and the last time we were able to do this type of trip we took that group to the Virgin Islands and it was a huge springboard to an extremely successful season," said Smiley. "That team also had key pieces back from the previous year (example Jordan Davis, Jonah Radebaugh and Kai Edwards) but was adding in talented players like Andre Spight, Tanner Morgan, and Anthony Johnson. Being able to go on these trips is also huge for the big picture of our program in terms of recruiting and retaining our current players. It's such a great tool to let all of our players know that they will experience a trip like this during their career with the Bears!"
The 2021-22 team returns four of its five starters in Bodie Hume, Kur Jongkuch, Daylen Kountz and Matt Johnson II. They add in some strong newcomers as well including JUCO All-American Dalton Knecht and one of the most prolific shooters in the nation in Dru Kuxhausen.
To stay up to date on all things UNC Men's Basketball, visit UNCBears.com, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the new UNC Athletics app by clicking here.
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