SEATTLE (Aug. 19) - Seattle Pacific University is sending its men's basketball team to Australia for a series of five exhibition games versus professional clubs next month.

Coach Jeff Hironaka will take nine returning players when the Falcons depart Sept. 6 for the 12-day trip. They will face the Sydney Kings, reigning National Basketball League champions, in the first game, Sept. 9. Sydney defeated Iowa, 100-99, earlier this month.

All five games occur during a span of eight days. SPU meets the Newcastle Hunters Sept. 10, the Grafton Vikings Sept. 12, the Southwest Pirates Sept. 15 and the Brisbane Bullets of the NBL Sept. 16. The NBL is Australia's first division. All other opponents play at the second division level.

Hironaka will run his team through 10 practices, beginning Monday (Aug. 25). All games will feature international rules, including the wider lane and 20-foot-9 3-point line which will be implemented in NCAA rules, beginning in 2004-05.

This marks the Falcons' second overseas tour. They played in northern Europe in 1999, prior to their Final Four season.

Seattle Pacific was 16-11 last season, missing the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since 1997. Center Jason Chivers (Jr., 6-8, Palmdale, Ca.) is the lone returning starter. He averaged 10.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in his first full season of competitive basketball.

Other key returnees include Jeff Knudson (So., 6-7, Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak), the top 3-point shooter in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference; fourth-year junior Jordan Lee (Jr., 6-2, University Place, Wa./Life Christian); Chris Cohen (Sr., 6-8, Saint Helens, Or.), the squad's sole senior; and Tony Binetti (So., 6-1, Enumclaw, Wa.), who averaged over 14 minutes at point guard.

Also making the trip are Michael Bushmaker (So., 6-8, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower), Jordan Beede (Fr., 6-1, Bellingham, Wa./Squalicum), Dustin Bremerman (Fr., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) and Tim Gabelein (6-6, Fr., Langley, Wa./South Whidbey). Beede, Bremerman and Gabelein were redshirts last season. Hironaka's staff will include assistant coach Ben Scheffler and graduate assistant Dan Barfoot.