SBU hoops looking forward to European trip

The Stony Brook University men's basketball team begins its trip to Europe this week and they'll be blogging and shooting video for this blog on Newsday.com

But before they leave, we asked the team what they are most looking forward to on the trip. These are their responses.

Ron Bracey – Junior Forward

I am looking forward to building chemistry with my new teammates so when the season comes, we are ready to play together. I’m also excited to have fun and learn about the European lifestyle.

Tommy Brenton – Junior Forward

I am looking forward to interacting with other cultures and learning European traditions and customs. This will be a great opportunity to test our team against professional club teams.

Danny Carter – Senior Forward

I am really excited about this trip because I get to go home and play for my school in front of the people who helped me get to Stony Brook. This is a great opportunity for our team to see new parts of the world, which can give us a great start to our season.

Dave Coley – Sophomore Guard

I look forward to learning a culture that is a lot different than mine and get to experience how Europeans interact with one another. I hope this trip becomes the greatest experience of my life.

Bryan Dougher – Senior Guard (pictured above)

I am most looking forward to playing against professional club teams from other countries and seeing how our team stacks up, especially since the styles of play are different than what we are used to.

Leonard Hayes – Junior Guard

I am excited to travel outside the U.S. for the first time and learn about the historic cultures and customs of Dublin, London and Paris. I can’t wait to visit historic landmarks and play against five professional club teams.

Anthony Jackson – Sophomore Guard

I look forward to exploring the world overseas. I have set a goal to play basketball overseas, and this trip will allow me to gain exposure to basketball clubs there.

Dallis Joyner – Senior Forward

I am looking forward to our team building chemistry outside of campus life. We will be together for 10 days, and this should help build a bond that we will remember forever. I have never left the country, so I will be taking this opportunity to see new and different things outside of America.

Scott King – Freshman Forward

Going on this trip as a freshman, I look forward to getting a head start on playing collegiate basketball. I also look forward to matching up with professional club teams, trying to win them and seeing historical sites along the way.

Anthony Mayo – Sophomore Forward

I am looking forward to playing some good competition, which will help us prepare for our upcoming season. I’m also looking forward to seeing places I’ve never seen before.

Eric McAlister – Sophomore Forward

I am excited to experience different cultures and different styles of basketball. I look forward to playing new and strong competition, which is going to help us prepare for our upcoming season.

Al Rapier – Senior Forward

I look forward to being able to build team chemistry and competing against professional players because I get to test my skills and see what strengths and weaknesses I have to improve on to play at the next level.

Ben Resner - Junior Guard

I'm looking forward to getting away and bonding with the team while experiencing some different styles of basketball.

Marcus Rouse – Junior Guard

I hope to have an unforgettable experience in Europe. I hope we grow as a team and I look forward to taking full advantage of being able to leave the U.S. and visit Europe. I know a lot of people do not get this opportunity that my teammates and me are receiving.