The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team announced yesterday that they will be taking a 10-day-long pre-season trip to Spain in early August.
During the trip, the team will play three games against Madrid All Stars, Valencia and Catalonia All Stars between August 4 and 14.
Head coach Brad Underwood told WCIA that the trip is not only intended as a pre-season warm up, but a team bonding experience for team members with each other and their families.
“There’s nowhere to go, we’re all there together,” Underwood said. “Families will be there, and coaches, and the interactions that happen when you’re on the road are very meaningful. I’m excited about that.”
The last time the Fighting Illini took a trip like this was four years ago in Italy, WCIA reported.
There, they played four games, against three Italian teams as well as the Dutch national B team. The Illini won all three Italian games but lost by 10 points to the Dutch side.
Similar to the Italy trip, the tour of Spain will likely include plenty of sightseeing and quality time for the team in between games.
A link to livestream the games will likely be provided in the near future.
