UPDATE: Puerto Rico Classic Foreign Trip
8/3/2026 5:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Day 5 – August 3
It was another beautiful day in Puerto Rico. A bit of a later start today as we were the second game of a doubleheader. Oklahoma took on the PR All Star team that we played yesterday. So, after that game ended, we took the court.
It was a largely different team but the point guard and center from yesterday’s team joined today’s team. After shooting the ball so well yesterday, it was a slower start in the first half today. We led 47-40 at the break. But we shot it better in the second half and our pace wore the team of veterans down. That allowed us to pull away for a 111-73 victory.
Couple of things that stood out today. Justin Pippen was great. He ran the offense, distributed the ball, got into the lane and then knocked down threes. He finished with 14 points and five assists. John Mobley Jr.’s leadership stood out. He didn’t force anything. Took control when play got a big chaotic. And still finished as our leading scorer with 17 points on three three-pointers. Amare Bynum had 16 points and five more assists, giving him 12 for the two games. He wanted to be called Magic Johnson after the game. He’s not quite at that level yet, but if you’ve ever seen Amare, he’s got a smile that certainly rivals Magic’s smile.
The team returned to the hotel, got a quick bite to eat and then headed to the pool. A light dinner is scheduled for tonight and then we’ll get ready for a Catamaran Tour in the morning.
Day 4 – August 2
Gameday!! We treated this like a normal gameday with a pregame meal and walkthrough at the hotel. Then headed to the arena.
The Reuben Rodriguez Coliseo had just hosted a Puerto Rican League playoff game last night in front of a sellout crowd. While it wasn’t quite the same atmosphere, there was a nice contingent of Ohio State fans. In total, there were a few hundred people in the gym.
The team came out hot and built a 17-3 lead at the first media timeout. They continued to shoot well the rest of the way and won 117-75. The biggest takeaways were that we shot it well, 21-of-43 from long range (48 percent) and shared it well, 33 assists on 41 made field goals. Everyone played and most everyone was on the floor between 15 and 20 minutes.
Jimmie Williams had the hot hand from long range, making six three-pointers en route to a team-high 21 points. Anthony Thompson had the first two points of the game, a right-handed slam in the lane, as he would finish with 14 points and seven rebounds. Amare Bynum had seven assists and three steals while Ivan Njegovan finished with a game-high 10 rebounds.
Recovery was on the docket upon arrival back at the hotel before dinner this evening. The focus is on one more game. We played well today but can we go back to the gym and give the same effort tomorrow, similar to a Big Ten Tournament. That was the message to the group. We’ll see tomorrow!
Day 3 – August 1
It was busy day for the team. After breakfast, we headed to practice at the JUMP Sports Development Center. When we arrived, the power was out in the building, making for an interesting warmup. The lights came on and went off multiple times throughout the practice, ultimately staying off. We opened the doors and had enough light to finish practice.
After lunch, everyone either hung out at the beach or the pool before heading to La Perla for a youth clinic. A number of local youth came and shot around with the team at Mi Gente court, a court that was refurbished by Carmelo Anthony. It was a very unique setting at an outdoor court right on the water. Made for someone interesting shooting.
We then went on a walking and food of Old San Juan. The group split into two different groups and went on separate tours. Each group made three stops, getting a taste of local Puerto Rican cuisine. It was a tremendous evening.
We then capped the night by going over personnel for Equipo 1, tomorrow’s opponent. Gameday is near!
Day 2 – July 31
Travel day. The team got up and headed to the airport to catch a flight to Puerto Rico. It was a smooth 3-hour flight from Miami to San Juan and the team got into the hotel about 3:30 p.m.
The players got a workout in at the hotel once they got settled in and then everyone is heading to dinner and then get some rest. Saturday is going to be a full day. Shoutout to the managers for getting the ballroom set for walk-thru.
Day 1 – July 30
It was a beautiful day in Miami. The team practiced in the morning at Hebrew Academy High School for a couple of hours. They then went to the Design District for lunch and a little shopping before spending the rest of the afternoon on the beach. The day was capped with a tremendous dinner at Prime 112 on South Beach.
It was a great day of bonding and getting better on the court before getting ready to head to Puerto Rico on Friday.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team will participate in the Arroyo Puerto Rico Classic next week in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The team will play a pair of games on August 2 and 3 against two Puerto Rican Select Teams. Click here to view the Puerto Rican rosters.
While also on the trip, the Buckeyes will participate in a youth clinic in La Perla and then take part in a food and culture tour of Old San Juan. The trip will be capped with a catamaran tour of Icacos Island.
The team will have a practice day in Miami, Fla., before flying to San Juan on July 31.
Check back to OhioStateBuckeyes.com for daily updates throughout the trip
The Arroyo Puerto Rico Classic is the culmination of 10 weeks of summer workouts for the program as it prepares for the 2026-27 season.
