NASSAU, Bahamas – Fans of both Valparaiso and South Carolina men’s basketball can get an early, up-close look at their teams when both play a pair of exhibition games against international competition as part of the 2026 Baha Mar Hoops Summer League this August at the amazing Baha Mar resort. Veteran event promoter bdG Sports made the announcement Wednesday.
Valpo will spend six days in the capital city of the Bahamas (Aug. 1-6), playing contests on Monday, Aug. 3 and Tuesday, Aug. 4. South Carolina will visit Baha Mar for five days (Aug. 7-11), with matchups on Saturday, Aug. 8 and Monday, Aug. 10.
All games will take place at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts and Entertainment Center on-site at the resort. Opponents, including international teams and Canadian universities, as well as game times will be announced later.
The announcement of additional U.S. college teams scheduled to participate in the 2026 Baha Mar Hoops Summer League will come soon.
PREVIEWING VALPARAISO
“Our trip to Baha Mar will provide our team with the opportunity to gain valuable experience as we prepare for the upcoming season,” Valpo head coach Roger Powell Jr. said. “We look forward to getting on the court in game situations as we blend an exciting group of newcomers with our strong returning core. Our team will grow together on and off the court through this experience. We’re thankful to everyone who helped make this trip possible.”
Plans are also in the works for the Beacons to give back to the Nassau community with a free kids’ basketball camp during their visit.
The new Valpo roster is headlined by returning sophomore forward JT Pettigrew, who claimed all-league honors and finished runner up in voting for Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year after averaging 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds last season.
The Beacons continued their upward trajectory under Powell a year ago, finishing 18-15 overall and 11-9 in the league. It marked Valpo’s highest overall win total since 2019-20 and its highest league win percentage since joining The Valley (2017-18).
PREVIEWING SOUTH CAROLINA
“We feel very fortunate and are immensely grateful for the opportunity our administration has given us to finish the summer off with a tour to play games in the Bahamas,” South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris said. “Roster turnover in men’s basketball has become increasingly prevalent and I believe the opportunity to have 10 full practices leading into playing in actual games against good competition goes a long way in accelerating the process of a group of new faces transitioning into a true ‘team.’ Baha Mar is an excellent venue. This event will undoubtedly provide a good basketball experience for our players, but most importantly, it will provide valuable time with one another during travel, down time, meals and extracurricular activities. We couldn’t be more excited!”
Paris’ revamped roster currently features an experienced six-man transfer class of forward Aleksas Bieliauskas (Wisconsin), guard Shane Blakeney (Drexel), guard Davion Hannah (Alabama), forward Camden Heide (Texas), guard Kory Mincy (George Mason) and forward Jakub Nečas (Duquesne). Carolina recently added international big man Juan Fernández. The skilled, 6-11 forward from Santa Fe, Argentina, brings a wealth of international experience competing at the highest level. Talented consensus four-star guard Marcus Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio) is an incoming freshman who will bolster the backcourt depth on the 2026-27 Gamecock squad as well.
There will be a trio of new faces on the bench as well for Carolina with the arrival of veteran assistant coaches Bob Donewald Jr. and Steve Smith. Former Wisconsin star Sam Dekker was also named assistant coach over the summer after retiring from an 11-year playing career in the NBA and overseas. Paris was an assistant coach for the Badgers when Dekker helped spearhead back-to-back Final Four trips for the program in 2014 and 2015.
New NCAA rules allow college teams to take a foreign tour annually after the previous rule allowed such a trip only once every four academic years.
The fifth-annual event is managed by bdG Sports, a Kentucky-based sports and entertainment management firm which annually operates two dozen collegiate men’s and women’s basketball games at Baha Mar each November.
“Summer tours have become vitally important to teams in today’s college basketball environment,” President and CEO of bdG Sports Brooks Downing said. “We are seeing incredible interest from throughout the sport given the number of benefits, such as the 10 extra practices, the multiple games, and the opportunity for team bonding in one of the world’s most incredible destinations. The $4 billion resort at beautiful Cable Beach boasts entertainment options for everyone, including incredible dining options, a casino, a $250 million water park, and a new jazz club. Baha Mar is excited to welcome both teams to The Bahamas!”
TICKETS, ROOMS & FAN PACKAGES
Valpo and South Carolina fans interested in attending the 2026 Baha Mar Hoops Summer League can visit www.bahamarhoops.com/summer for upcoming information on tickets, rooms and VIP packages. A valid passport is required to enter the Bahamas.
WONDER AWAITS AT THE BEAUTIFUL BAHA MAR RESORT
The remarkable Baha Mar resort serves as the backdrop to this basketball showcase. Anchored by Grand Hyatt and featuring SLS Baha Mar and Rosewood Baha Mar, the resort is situated on 1,000 acres overlooking Nassau’s famous turquoise ocean waters. The destination resort boasts more than 2,300 rooms, the largest casino in the Caribbean, a $200 million luxury water park, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, the Caribbean’s first and only flagship ESPA Spa, a new jazz club, and a collection of more than 45 restaurants and lounges.
ABOUT BAHA MAR HOOPS
Each November around the Thanksgiving holiday, Baha Mar plays host to Baha Mar Hoops, one of the largest regular-season events in the sport of college basketball. Twenty NCAA Division I men’s and women’s teams visit the stunning resort each year to compete in one of three basketball tournaments. In total, 20 games will be played over an 11-day span.
Each August, the resort also holds the Baha Mar Hoops Summer League, offering NCAA teams exhibition games against international competition as part of a foreign tour. The resort has welcomed men’s basketball teams from Kentucky, Louisville, Nevada, Penn State, Rhode Island and Xavier for summer exhibition tours in recent years.
BAHA MAR HOOPS SOCIAL TAGS
Keep up to date with the latest information regarding Bah Mar Hoops via social media at @BahaMarHoops on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
