PROVO -- Getting an early jump on the upcoming season, the BYU men's basketball team departs Saturday for a 12-day, five-game tour of Australia. The Cougars will face professional teams in Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns during the Aug. 9-21 trip.
"Four years ago when we went to Europe it helped us get a head start on the season," BYU Coach Steve Cleveland said. "This is a nice opportunity to implement our system and give the players some good experience. Everyone will get a chance to play significant minutes."
BYU earned the first of four consecutive postseason tournament berths under Cleveland in 2000 after its summer 1999 trip to England, Croatia and Italy. The NCAA allows a foreign tour once every four years. The team is also allowed 10 additional practice days. The Cougars complete their practice sessions this week.
All of last year's returning players are allowed to make the trip, including freshman guard Austin Ainge and freshman forward Garner Meads, who both completed redshirt years last season. Newcomers Mike Hall and Michael Rose, along with returning missionary Derek Dawes, are not eligible for the trip. This year's Cougar team returns 10 lettermen and four starters from last year's conference championship team.
The Cougars will play five games in the 10 days they are in Australia. The Cougars play in Sydney on Wednesday and Thursday and in Brisbane on Friday and Saturday before a final game in Cairns on Aug. 19.
While on the trip, Cleveland and the players will participate in several fireside activities hosted by local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tour also includes visits to the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Manly Beach and the Great Barrier Reef.
BYU Basketball Australian Tour Roster
Num. Name Ht. Wt. Pos. Class Hometown
3 Mark Bigelow 6-7 195 F/G Sr. Olympia, WA
4 Luiz Lemes 6-3 180 G Sr. Sao Paulo, Brazil
5 Jake Shoff 6-9 265 F/C Sr. Alpine, UT
10 Terry Nashif 5-10 165 G Jr. Vancouver, WA
12 Marc Roberts 6-3 205 G Jr. Provo, UT
13 Austin Ainge 6-1 175 G Fr. Gilbert, AZ
14 Ricky Bower 6-4 185 G Sr. Meridian, ID
24 Kevin Woodberry 6-0 170 G Sr. Phoenix, AZ
40 Dan Howard 7-0 225 C Sr. Kaysville, UT
41 Garner Meads 6-8 215 F Fr. Salt Lake City, UT
52 Jared Jensen 6-9 245 F/C Jr. West Haven, UT
55 Rafael Araujo 6-11 265 C Sr. Sao Paulo, Brazil