Kennesaw State's men's basketball team will be getting a jump start on its preparations for the 2010-11 season when it makes a week-long trip to Canada for a series of games against top Canadian club teams.

All five games will take place in Ontario, with the first game played Aug. 6 and the tour finale scheduled for Aug. 11.

It will be the second time coach Tony Ingle has led the Owls on a tour abroad after the team made a trip to the Bahamas for a series of games in 2005.

For Ingle, the trip to Canada will give his team some valuable game experience and practice time, not to mention an opportunity to bond.

"The important thing is that it gives us 10 days of practice," Ingle said. "It gives us a chance to get some games under our belts and work on some things. The NCAA allows teams to go on these foreign tours once every four years, and it's been five years since our last one. The most important thing is that it will give us a chance to bond together as a team and create some team chemistry."

The games in Canada will be the first step for a Kennesaw State team looking to take a step forward after going 13-20 and losing in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.

Ingle will get a chance to see how is returning standouts are faring, including his leading scorers, sophomore forward Markeith Cummings (17.5 points per game) and junior guard Kurtis Woods (12.5 ppg). Also returning are former Kennesaw Mountain standout Spencer Dixon (8.6 ppg), a junior guard, and ex-Whitefield Academy star Kelvin McConnell (5.6 ppg), a senior guard.

More importantly for Ingle is the opportunity to see his newcomers, including freshman forwards Brandon Dawson and Andrew Osemhen.

A new NCAA rule allowing incoming freshmen to participate in foreign trips that was a major factor for Ingle to schedule the trip to Canada.

"When I saw the NCAA legislation that allows new players to go on foreign trips, I jumped on it," Ingle said. "Playing on the college level is a major adjustment for young players. There is so many things to teach them and this gives us 10 days to work with our new players and give them a chance to adjust to college basketball before the start of the season."

Ingle was impressed with the high level of basketball played in Canada and the tougher challenge it would provide for his team.

"They play more of a tough style of basketball in Canada," Ingle said. "Their players are more physical and they play with more intensity. In the Bahamas, they were more laid back. It will be a good test for our players."

Kennesaw State will have a game nearly every day during its tour, beginning Aug. 6 with the Niagara All-Stars. The Owls will then play Guelph Phoenix on Aug. 7, LTD Toronto on Aug. 9 and LTD Mississaugua on Aug. 10 before finishing the tour with another game against Guelph Phoenix on Aug. 11.

"We have a game about every day, so its going to be an intense schedule," Ingle said. "We're going to be playing different teams with different styles and it will be good to experience that."

For Ingle, the tour will primarily serve as an opportunity to build team chemistry before the regular season begins Nov. 12 with Georgia Southwestern at the KSU Convocation Center.

"There are three things we want to do," Ingle said. "No. 1: Establish a good work ethic with the kids and the older guys and sustain our work capacity. No. 2: Work on communication. I want our team to learn how to communicate with each other. And No. 3: (Develop) trust. I want to build team unity and develop a strong team chemistry. I also want to give our younger guys a chance to adjust to college basketball. This is a good opportunity to do all of that. We're very excited about the trip and we're looking forward to it."