Troy University Athletics
Men’s Basketball Prepares for Foreign Tour to Costa Rica; Wraps Strong Summer
7/20/2022 2:00:00 PM | Basketball (M)
TROY, Ala. – Coming off one of its most successful seasons in the past decade, the Troy men's basketball team travels to Costa Rica in two weeks for its quadrennial foreign tour designed to provide the Trojan student-athletes with a trip to both enrich them culturally and athletically.
The Trojans arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica, on July 30 where they will stay for five days before spending the last two nights of their trip in Los Sueños before returning to Troy on August 6.
Troy joins four other teams traveling to Costa Rica this summer in Colorado State, Pepperdine, Charlotte and Tulane. However, due to NCAA regulations, Troy is not allowed to face those teams before the beginning of the 2022-23 season.
"We are extremely excited about this amazing opportunity to travel and compete in Costa Rica," head coach Scott Cross said. "Being in a foreign country together for 24 hours a day, eating every meal together, doing community service together, and doing team bonding events together will all help our team chemistry and will help us be a better basketball team."
In preparation for its three games in Costa Rica, the NCAA has permitted Troy to conduct 10 full-length practices throughout the summer. The team's final practice takes place on July 29 before boarding their flight the next day.
"The NCAA allows teams to have 10 full practices leading up to the foreign tour, which is a huge benefit for our basketball team," Cross said. "We will be much further along this year as we head into the season because of the extra practices and the games we will play in Costa Rica."
While in San Jose, the Trojans compete against the El Salvador National Team twice and the Costa Rica All-Stars. The games against the El Salvador National Team occur on July 31 and August 1, while Troy's final game will be played on August 3 against the Costa Rica All-Stars.
Outside of basketball, the team will emphasize team chemistry and bonding through various activities and events during their eight-day stay. These activities include hosting a kids basketball clinic, zip line tours, whitewater rafting and an ATV outing along the beach and forest of Costa Rica.
"I am very thankful and appreciative of the support given from Chancellor (Jack) Hawkins, (Athletic Director) Brent Jones, our Trojan donors and the entire Troy administration for making this tour a reality," Cross said. "Our guys have worked extremely hard, and I cannot wait to compete and play in Costa Rica."
The Trojans have revamped this offseason, adding four freshmen to the unit in Jackson Fields, Randi Ovalle, Andre Young and Remy Graham. In addition, Troy boosted its roster through the transfer portal, bringing in Nelson Phillips, Aamer Muhammad and Darius McNeill. These seven newcomers join nine returners, including seniors Zay Williams, Lydell Geffrard and Kieffer Punter.
With the release of the 2022-23 Sun Belt Conference schedule, Troy prepares for an exciting season in hopes of building off the team's first 20-win season since 2016-17. This summer, the team has conducted drills and practices per NCAA regulations and has continued to emphasize relationship building and team bonding with the acquisition of seven new players.
Fans can keep up with all the action in Costa Rica by following Troy men's basketball on Twitter at @troymenshoops and on Instagram at @TroyTrojansMBB.
