The men’s basketball team hit the European roads this past summer to play a series of games and get a glimpse of life abroad.
The players, like those on many athletic teams, generally can't go abroad during the school year due to games and practice schedules. The trip gave them a taste of life in Europe while still playing basketball.
The team left with lasting memories both on and off the court, Coach Chris Kraus said. He
talked about some of the highlights.
“I would say the trips to the Colosseum, seeing Rome, the city, the Spanish Steps, touring just the city of Rome was amazing. Florence was beautiful. Lake Como might be one of the most beautiful places in the entire world. All the sightseeing and the primary touristy spots, it was amazing,” Kraus said.
The team played three exhibition games against semiprofessional Italian teams like Rome, Florence, and Milan.
Seeing Europe was an eye-opening experience, one player said.
“My favorite part about this trip would be going to the Vatican and seeing all that old cool artwork. It was incredible to see the detail that went into fourteen-hundred-year-old sculptures and paintings,” said Neal Marquart ‘25.
While the team enjoyed sightseeing in Italy, they also had fun on the court, learning new skills and adapting to different rules. Since they were playing against international teams, the style of play was a bit different.
“There were different rules, so we were not used to that. It is different basketball. You want to be able to play your own way, how we are going to play throughout the year, but we had to adapt, which made it a little more difficult,” said Nate McGill ‘25.
Despite the challenges, the Stonehill men’s basketball team won all three of their games against the European teams.
Coach Kraus emphasized how valuable it was to play games during the summer before the season started.
“It is great practice where we are now getting ready for our full practices. We already have a feel for these guys in a game situation because they played against great teams and even some professional players,” Kraus said.
The trip also helped the players bond as a team, which showed when it came time for their first game together.
“The first game we got there, everyone came out with this unmatched intensity. It was cool to see this passion for the game,” Marquardt said.
Team members said the trip made them stronger on the court and tightened their bonds as they traveled.
“We are closer. It was good team bonding. We had meals together, walked around together, saw different places together, and played together. Everything we were doing was together, which you do not usually get at school because of different schedules. Everything we did was together no matter what, which was fun,” McGill said.
Both the players and coach Kraus think that this trip helped a lot for their upcoming season
“The team bonding, playing other teams this early and just getting to know each other while having those experiences are pretty rare and give us an advantage for sure,” McGill said.
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