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FAIRBANKS — Since finishing up stellar basketball careers for the Alaska Nanooks, Justin Bourne has played in Israel, Andrew Smith has competed in Portugal and Travis Knutson has laced it up in South Africa.

Now the trio has been reunited with former Nanooks coach Al Sokaitis for their first endeavor into domestic professional hoops as members of the Anchorage-based Alaska Dream of the American Basketball Association.

Bourne, a Lathrop High School graduate who starred for the Nanooks from 2002-06, sees the Dream as a potential steppingstone.

“It’s a point in my career where it’s either going to go someplace bigger, or else I’m going to have to get on with my life in other areas,” Bourne, a 6-foot-8 wing, said Thursday. “So I’m just seeing where this takes me. It depends on how this season goes.”

Smith, a 6-8 power forward/center from Anchorage, now is married and has a child on the way.

“I’m just working in town and do this in my spare time,” Smith said.

Knutson, after wrapping up his Nanooks’ career in 2005, returned to the Kenai Peninsula, where he’s been coaching hoops at Cook Inlet Academy and substitute teaching while looking for a permanent teaching job.

“I don’t have a teaching job ... so I might as well try (playing professionally) while I still can,” the 5-11 shooting guard said. “It’s fun playing for coach Sokaitis again and playing around Justin and Andrew.”

The Dream make their debut tonight at 6 against the San Francisco Rumble in the opener of the Dare to Dream Tournament at the Carlson Center. Tonight’s nightcap features the Las Vegas Aces against the Maywood Buzz at 8:30. The exhibition round-robin tournament, brought to Fairbanks to help replace the canceled BP Top of the World Classic, continues Saturday night and concludes Sunday.

“We need some fan support,” Bourne said during a kick-off event Thursday night geared toward middle schoolers, who will participate in a 23-team tournament of their own. “So we’re looking for a good tournament and then hopefully that will transfer down to Anchorage and our home games. ... Winning will bring fans so we hope to play well this weekend.”

For Smith and Bourne, stepping onto the Carlson Center floor brings back memories of winning the 2002 Top of the World Classic and thus becoming the first Division II team to take a D-I men’s tourney.

“It’s nice to see your (UAF) name up there on the banner,” Smith said. “The whole town was excited about it and hopefully they can get excited about this.”

The ABA, with more than 30 teams, is a low-level professional league and a contrast to the original ABA that from 1967-76 spawned future National Basketball Association stars such as Julius “Dr. J” Erving, George Gervin and Moses Malone. One carryover, however, is that the trademark red, white and blue basketballs are still being used.

Tickets for each two-game session cost $15-50 plus outlet fees, while students of college-age and younger receive half-price admission.

The Dream, which includes many former standouts from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, are an athletic squad that plans to run the floor.

“There will be a lot of scoring, a lot of shots going up,” Knutson said. “I think it will be pretty entertaining for people to watch.”