Coach Cliff Ellis ran his Coastal Carolina men’s basketball team through one more summer practice Wednesday with the Chanticleers set to start their journey to Cuba on Thursday, but in speaking of the upcoming exhibition tour to the isolated Caribbean nation, he reiterated it’s not just about what happens on the court.

The Chants have trumpeted this voyage as historic, on their way to becoming the first NCAA Division I college basketball team to play in Cuba, as far as anyone can tell.

“Excitement, adrenaline rush, trying to get last-minute things done, pack, get the team ready to go. It’s an exciting time,” Ellis said of his final preparations. “I’m really looking forward to this trip. It’s a wonderful thing for our basketball players and the team, but it’s great for the university. We just feel proud to represent our country going over there, and that’s going to be what we do going to compete against the Cuban national team.”