Hobart Hoops heads to Europe

The Hobart College basketball team is making final preparations for an 11-day tour of Europe that will take the Statesmen to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, and Germany. In addition to visiting historic sites and experiencing the local culture, the team will also play three games against local clubs. "We have so many people to thank for making this trip possible," Head Coach Tim Sweeney said. "It's a true testament to our incredibly supportive alumni, friends, families and HWS that we can embark on this exciting journey." The team will make the hop across the pond on Saturday and spend its first three days in the Italian cities of Venice and Padua. The Statesmen will visit Scrovegni Chapel, Basilica de San Antonio, Prato della Valle, Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Basillica and take a gondola ride on the famed Grand Canal of Venice. On Wednesday, Hobart will head to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. The following day will include a visit to the medieval Ljubljana Castle in the morning and a game against Triglav Kranj in the evening. On Aug. 17, the team will head to Lake Bled in the Julian Alps of Northwestern Slovenia for an afternoon of boating and swimming. The day will end in Salzburg, Austria. On Aug. 18, the team will tour Salzburg and then travel to Munich for the rest of its tour. In the capital city of Bavaria, the Statesmen will play exhibitions against Baskets Tropics and Baskets Vilsbiburg. The team will also visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site and Neuschwanstein Castle, the 19th century mountaintop retreat of King Ludwig II. "Our team will be challenged by three great opponents on the basketball court, but more significantly we will see sights, create memories, and forge stronger bonds that will last us all a lifetime," Sweeney said.