(Courtesy Reading Eagle)

Eric Brennan doesn’t know Finnish. He doesn’t own a Finnish-to-English dictionary, either. Sunday, Brennan’s making a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to begin his professional career … in Finland.

Brennan, a Chester native who played at West Catholic High, signed a one-year contract with a team in Finland’s first division – Tapiolan Honka, located in the nation’s second-largest city, Espoo.

“I might need a little help with some of the signs in the windows and things like that,” said Brennan, a 6-7 forward. “But I hear everyone over there speaks English – or at least broken English. I hope I can get by.”

Brennan finished his college career with per-game averages of 14 points and 9.3 rebounds last spring at Kutztown University, where he played the last two seasons. He played two years at Lock Haven University before transferring. Brennan, who grew up on East 18th Street in Chester, said playing three hours away from home while at Lock Haven constitutes “my longest roadtrip.”

“I’ve never been further away from home for as long as I was than when I was at Lock Haven,” Brennan said, “so being an ocean away, I expect culture shock and homesickness to settle in. But I think I’ll get through it. Basketball is going to be my life.”

Brennan will join Tapiolan Honka, of Finland’s first-division Korisliiga. He signed a one-year deal to play in the league, which features a 25-game regular season that concludes April 30 with postseason pairings to follow.

He said it’s always been a dream to play basketball professionally and now he’ll get his chance.

“This is my career. This is what I’ve always wanted,” Brennan said.