May 20, 2010
By Dick Dornan
Special to PepperdineSports.com
MALIBU, Calif. -- What a trip it was for the Men's Basketball team in Italy! For 10 days, the Pepperdine coaching staff and players had the opportunity of a lifetime. From five-hour bus rides of laughter and team camaraderie, to enjoying the sights and sounds of famous landmarks and cities, to cherishing the amazing taste of Italian dining and to playing four games against European competition, the Waves got to experience a culture and a country that they will appreciate for a lifetime.
"It was great -- a wonderful experience," Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. "It was good from a basketball standpoint and even better from a cultural standpoint. Just a great experience for the guys."
The tour consisted of visits to Ancient Rome (Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain) and the Rome City Center (Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel), Florence (Accademia Gallery- Michelangelo's David, Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio), Venice (St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola rides) and Lake Como (Bellagio).
"The highlight for me was the bus rides, and the conversations with the guys and staff," associate head coach Marty Wilson said. "The camaraderie that was built was great. If the guys are better off the court, we will be a whole lot better on the court.
"I thought the trip was great. Our guys learned more than they probably ever expected to. All of our guys were really appreciative. They were just blown away by the experience."
The players had the chance to spend time with each other and take in a special and unique opportunity to visit one of the world's crown jewels in Europe.
"The trip was an awesome experience for our team," said junior center Corbin Moore (Cypress, Calif./Los Alamitos HS). "It was really exciting to explore another country. I think as a team we really bonded with each other and got to see so many cool things that you only learn about in history class or see in textbooks. We spent a lot of time together and the experience was something that I will never forget."
It was successful as well for the growth and development of the team as they prepare for the 2010-11 season. The Waves went 3-1 against some good Italian professional competition.
"The last game was a good one for us," assistant coach Damin Lopez said. "The crowd was loud. It was like a true road game. The players were bigger and more physical. Every call went against us. But we kept fighting back and found a way to win. It was good from the mental standpoint."
Asbury allowed his top two assistants in Wilson and Lopez to each coach one game at the helm. The games were competitive and the teams earned greater respect of each other.
"All the teams were well-coached and the players were good sportsmen," Asbury said.
Playing in an unfamiliar environment was never an issue. The Italian crowd was very receptive of the Pepperdine team and how they played.
"They were very appreciative of the good play," Asbury said. "Many times they were cheering for us more than their own."
Pepperdine lost its first game to Romana Basket Anagni, 90-83, but rebounded to win three straight contests over CUS Siena, 92-53, Texa Roncado, 87-71 and Sangiorgese Basket, 82-76.
The final contest vs. Sangiorgese Basket was a hard-fought game that brought out the best in the Waves. After sightseeing and traveling for eight days, Pepperdine overcame tired legs and sluggish play to prevail in an exciting victory.
"We played well enough to win," Asbury said.
Junior guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) led the Waves with 23.3 points and 56% shooting from the field over the four games. Senior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) chipped in 15.5 points per game as the Waves averaged 86 points a game.
(The rest of the team's scoring averages were as follows: Lorne Jackson 9.5, Jonathan Dupre' 7.5, Taylor Darby 5.8, Joshua Lowery 5.5, Corbin Moore 5.3, Denis Agre 4.8, Tanner Kerry 4.8, Gus Clardy 4.0, Caleb Willis 4.0, Richard Branning 1.3)
Aside from visiting the historical venues and taking in the majestic beauty around the country, one of the highlights for everyone was connecting with fellow Pepperdine students who are spending time at the Florence campus. The Waves got to tour the small villa there where the students live and study abroad.
Liz Whatley, Director of Pepperdine's Florence, Italy Study-Abroad Program, invited the basketball team, coaches and students to dinner at her house outside Florence for an evening of social interaction and good times. She served lasagna, pasta, steak and chicken as part of a feast that everyone had the pleasure to enjoy.
"Meeting up with the abroad program was fun because it was cool to see people I knew from school," said junior forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS).
Whether it was the boat ride on gorgeous Lake Como, the breath-taking viewing of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel or the awe inspiring architecture of the Colosseum and Michelangelo's David, the trip to Italy left a lasting impression upon the Pepperdine players and coaches.
"Going to the Colosseum was crazy too because you've seen it on television and movies all the time," Darby said. "Lake Como was awesome. Probably one of the prettiest lakes I've ever seen. It was an all-around great trip."
"It was priceless," Assistant Coach Will Kimble said. "I was definitely blessed to have seen it all."
"We saw some unbelievable sites and saw some great history," Wilson added.
Said Thompson: "It was a great experience, a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing. Not many people get to take free trips to Europe. It was real cool going on the tours and seeing all of the religious and historical places there. The way they play basketball there is pretty different than here, but it was pretty fun and a great experience. It was all in all, an experience of a lifetime."
As for the food, exotic types of spaghetti, different dishes of pasta and delicious flavors of gelato were the favorites among the coaches. For Wilson, it was the salmon pasta. Lopez craved the Stracciatella gelato (chocolate chip-type ice cream). Asbury, along with Scott Coopman, Director of Basketball Operations, agreed that the food never gets old, just better.
"Every type of food was good," Asbury stated. "You never get tired of it."
"I didn't have a bad meal. No such thing there," Coopman added.
The Waves will forever remember this special trip.
"Each person had a different recollection," Asbury said. "They were fascinated with it all. We have great kids who are good students and value an education. But it's the bonding and togetherness that you get a lot out of. We thoroughly enjoyed it."
