USA Select to tour UK
Thirty-five players will travel with Team USA Select as they return to the UK for another pre-season tour in September.
The side is made up of former NCAA players looking to get a job in Europe, and the squad managed by Sean Kilmartin will play an exhausting schedule of games,.
They last on Thursday September 3 and start playing the following day with the Red team at BBL high-flyers Leicester Riders and a combined Blue/White squad facing NBL champions Essex Leopards at the Brentwood Centre.
The Red squad have a pair of games at Riders the following day, facing their first team and B side while the Blues/Whites play Dagenham Dragons.
Sunday September 6 sees the Reds at Manchester Giants while the Blues/Whites are at Westminster Warriors for a double header. The Reds have their most exhausting day the following Monday as they face a noon game at Glasgow Rocks’ training venue before moving on for an evening game at Manchester Magic. The Blue/White team travel to Cardiff for school PR visits. The Reds stay in the north-west to face Division One newcomers Lancashire Spinners on Tuesday September 8 while the Blues/Whites face Swansea.
Next day sees the Reds on the south coast to visit Worthing Thunder, Blue travel to Ireland for a three day tournament while the Whites play at Mansfield Giant.
Thursday September 10 sees the Reds at Bristol Arrows who have sold out the annual game for the last ten years while the Whites are at Kings Lynn. A double header for the Reds and Whites at Plymouth Raiders follows before both teams compete in the Bexhill World Club Invitational on the weekend of September 12/13.
Monday September 14 sees the Reds at Newcastle Eagles while the Blues return from Ireland and the Whites are looking for a game. The following day sees the Reds in action at Leopards’ training venue while the Blues and Whites are at Reading Rockets.
The Reds stay in London on Wednesday September 16 to face Westminster Warriors with the Whites at Sussex Bears and the Blues playing Mansfield Giants.
After a day’s sightseeing in London and a private tour of the Houses of Parliament for all three teams, the Reds leave the UK on Friday September 18 to fly to Norway while the Blues go to Kings Lynn and the Whites play at Derbyshire Arrows
The final weekend of the tour sees both the Blues and Whites play an all-day event at Plantanos College (London) before wrapping things up on Sunday September 20 with a double header at Leicester Riders.