SPRINGFIELD, Ohio—Wittenberg men's hoops will get a jump start on their preparations for the 2017-2018 basketball season with a four-day trip to Montreal, Canada on October 14-17, in which the Tigers will play three games.

Wittenberg will depart on Friday, October 13 and return on Tuesday, October 17, touring Montreal in between competing against some of the country's top college-aged talent. NCAA Division III allows teams to take international trips every three calendar years.

"We are excited to travel to Montreal as a team, to experience all of the French-Canadian culture and bond with each other. Our guys don't get to study abroad during the year since basketball season overlaps both semesters. This is a great opportunity to spend fall break in a world-class city," said head coach Matt Croci.

"Once we are there, basketball is a small part of the trip. This is more of a chance for our guys to experience a new language, currency, food and culture. The tour company has organized a nice balance of sightseeing day trips, with free time for the guys to do a little exploring."

In Croci's second season at the helm for the Tigers, the 1994 graduate and his coaching staff put together an impressive nine-man recruiting class that features Wooster transfer Mitch Balser, and Wright State transfer Rashaad Ali-Shakir. All nine members of the 2017 recruiting class hail from Ohio.

As for the high school recruits joining the Tigers, seven played in district final games, nine in regionals, and two in their respective classe's state championship games.

Along with nine new-faces, the Tigers return experience in the frontcourt with seniors Chad Roy and Chris Sloneker, along with sophomore Connor Seipel. The trio of sophomores Michael Morgan Jr., Jacob Bertemes and Jordan Pumroy return to the Tiger's backcourt as key players from the 2016-17 squad that finished 11-7 in NCAC play a year ago.

This page will be updated throughout the Tiger's trip abroad with information, pictures, and journal entries from players updating Tiger fans on the trip as a whole. 

The Tigers will break off in to two ten-man teams against some of Montreal's top competiton, which is highlighted below.

Champlain College Saint-Lambert -- Cavaliers Head coach Dan Martin (5th year) 1-12 record in 2016-17 season 11-3 record in 2015-16 season, T-1 in RSEQ with Montmorency Lost to Montmorency 2015-16 in Division I Provincial Collegiate Championship Finals Member of the RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) conference Player Kévin Bouchard, received CCAA Prize for Academic Excellence for the 2016-17 season

Montmorency College Laval -- Nomades Head coach Marc-Oliver Beauchamp 13-1 record in 2016-17 season Won the Division I Provincial Collegiate Champion for the second year in a row (went 11-3 last season on route to winning), Member of the RSEQ School will host the 2018 CCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Only institution in Canada to win both the Men's and Women's National Championships in the same year (2006)

Edouard Montpetit College -- Lynx Head coach Pascal Jobin 6-8 record in 2016-17 season, Lost in the Bronze match of the Division I Provincial Collegiate Championship 7-7 record in 2015-16, lost in quarterfinals of Division I Provincial Collegiate Championship Member of the RSEQ conference Lynx Welcome Tigers

Click here to see Photos from the trip!