South Carolina did an offseason tour in Costa Rica this past summer. Next season, they’re going back to another tropical paradise.
CBS Sports’ John Rothstein reported on his Twitter account on Tuesday that the Gamecocks will travel to play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in 2017. The dates have not been released for the 2017 tournament, but this year’s slate of games is scheduled to begin on November 16.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 4, 2016
This year’s tournament, which Clemson is playing in, was moved to Orlando due to concerns over the Zika virus. The tournament is typically held at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The hope is to return to Puerto Rico next year.
“We enjoy the beauty and accommodations that are afforded in Puerto Rico and wanted to make every effort in playing the event in San Juan, but the concern for student-athlete and spectator welfare became the primary driver in the decision,” Pete Derzis, senior vice president, ESPN Events said when announcing the move to Orlando. “We intend to return to Puerto Rico in the future.”
South Carolina played in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam last season. This year, head coach Frank Martin is leading his team in the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational, which includes a game against Syracuse in the Barclays Center.
