Team USA are back
By: DAVE RYAN
Aug 29, 2019
Tram USA Select are back in England.
The travelling band of American players looking for a job, or just a bit of an experience, are back in the UK.
After a series of trials the serious stuff started on Monday with the first of back-to-back days where they practice three times. They were up at 3am on Wednesday, and arrived in London at 8.55pm.
The madness starts at London Knights on Thursday were both their sides will get their first taste of British refereeing before one team visits Wodson Park, Ware for a a three-day tournament in memory of former ref Mick Howell. The tournament should have been at Oaklands, but some tool burned it down. Meanwhile their Blue team travel to Reading on Friday and Solent on Saturday before the highlight of their tour comes at the Brentwood Centre where thy face Leopards.
The madness wraps up with games in Scotland before they hammer down to London to play Greenhouse on September 11. The following day sees a tour of the Houses of Parliament where they could easily end up forming the next Government before they jump on a plane of Friday 13th (what could possibly go wrong?) for a three day tournament in Norwa
Obviously it you’re only going to do one pre-season game, it really should be at the Brentwood Centre to see the new-look Leopards. But for balance, and because this blog’s only reader lives in Newcastle, here’s their full schedule should fancy a bit of hoops.
Thursday August 29: All players London Knights
Friday August 30: Red to Howell Shield Tournament (games 12 and 2 pm) then to Reading , Blue Reading Rockets NBL Division 1
Saturday August 31: Red Howell Shield Tournament games 12 and then TBD Blue Southampton Solent NBL 1
Sunday September 1: Red Howell Shield Tournament 2 games TBD Blue Leopards
Monday September 2: Red / Blue Wales National Team .
Tuesday September 3: Red Blue Newcastle Eagles Arena Opening Ceremony games. Eagles (BBL) Northumbria (NBL)
Wednesday September 4: Red to Plymouth Raiders (BBL) Blue Mansfield Giants (NBL)
Thursday September 5: Red to Manchester Giants (BBL) Blue Liverpool
Friday September 6: Red Loughborough Blue Sheffield Arrows (NBL)
Saturday September 7: Red Leicester Riders Blue Hemel Storm (NBL)
Sunday September 8: Red Glasgow Rocks (Scotland) Clinic then game Blue Off Travel to Glasgow with Red host pre-match clinic
Monday September 9: Red Off rest Blue Falkirk Fury (Scotland)
Tuesday September 10: Red Edinburgh double header Blue Edinburgh Scotland Kings
Wednesday September 11: Red Greenhouse Pioneers (NBL D2) Blue TBD
Thursday September 12: Tour day, all teams off Sight see in London,
Friday September 13: Red / Blue to Oslo Norway for 3 day Tournament