Big 12 school TCU to play BA, Surrey in two-game series

NCAA Division 1 programme Texas Christian University are coming to the UK to take on Barking Abbey and Surrey Scorchers Select in two exhibitions in August.

The powerhouse Big 12 programme that has produced a number of NBA players – most notably Memphis Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane, is coming off back-to-back second round NCAA tournament appearances and will take on the British sides on Thursday August 10 and 11.

First they will visit East London to face Barking Abbey at 6pm on Thursday 10th August (limited tickets available for £3), before heading West to Surrey on Friday 11th at 7:30pm at Surrey Sports Park (tickets from £6.13).

The Barking Abbey squad will field a team of current players and alumni.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming TCU,” James Vear, Director of Barking Abbey commented.

“They’re a programme with great tradition and it’s a great opportunity for our players to see and play against that level in person.”

The Surrey team will be made up of a mixture of last season’s team, guest players and academy players.

“We’re honoured to host program like them,” Surrey Head Coach Lloyd Gardner said. “It’s great to have a different team in Surrey, we’re looking for to giving them a warm welcome, while also giving Surrey fans an opportunity to see high level US college basketball.”

Amongst the names on the TCU roster is big man Ernest Udeh Jr who transferred this summer after a year at Kansas. The former McDonald’s All-American was named to the USA U19 training camp roster this off-season. Additionally, 6’3″ Avery Anderson III joins after a 1000+ point career at Oklahoma State – TCU’s other spring signees, Essam Mostafa, Jameer Nelson Jr. and Trevian Tennyson also have scored 1,000 points in their careers.

Those five join incoming freshmen Isaiah Manning and Jace Posey.

It marks the second NCAA Division 1 programme in as many summers to be involved with Barking Abbey and Surrey – last summer, Wake Forest visited Surrey Sports Park to take on BA.

Tickets are available now; vs BA here, vs Surrey Select here.

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