The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AS a part of the Bahamas Basketball Federation’s Summer of Thunder series, the winningest basketball programme in NCAA men’s basketball is set to face international teams across the globe.

The University of Kentucky Wildcats are expected to highlight the Summer of Thunder over the next week (August 10-17) as they face teams from the Dominican Republic, France and Puerto Rico in the Big Blue Bahamas Tour.

The Wildcats are slated to play the Dominican Republic national team, the Puerto Rico national team reserves and French first-division club team Champagne Chalons-Reims Basket, twice each over an eight-day span at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gym.

Admission to see the eight time national champions and 2014 runners-up will be just $5.

Complete Sports Management, Lea Miller, said the series will not only benefit the teams, but the Bahamian basketball community as well and will be under the spotlight of the international media.

ESPNU and SEC Network will televise each of the games led by the broadcast team of ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, Kevin Conners and Dave Deal.

“Coach Calipari really wanted to take a foreign tour of the Bahamas and wanted to play teams from all over the world and he knew from the Battle 4 Atlantis that our company and the Bahamas is more than capable of pulling off a first-class event,” Miller said.

“It is showcasing the Bahamas across the world as more and more of the top basketball teams come to the country. Once the teams got in place ESPN contacted us and said they would love to get involved and with the launch of the SEC network, the stars aligned perfectly. It is always a pleasure working with the Bahamas Basketball Federation, and we are very appreciative of their support in getting everyone together. It is sure to be a great event not just for the teams but for the locals as well because we want as many Bahamians as possible to be a part of this.

The Wildcats are scheduled to open the tour 1pm Sunday, August 10 against Puerto Rico. The next day, UK is set to face Champagne Chalons-Reims Basket at 1pm and on Tuesday, August 12, Kentucky are slated to play the Puerto Rico reserves for the second time.

After a day off on Wednesday, August 13, Kentucky is up to face the Dominican Republic.

The second game against Champagne Chalons-Reims Basket is set to be played August 15 and Kentucky is lined up to finish the tour on Sunday, August 17, against the Dominican Republic.