The team posed in St. Mark's Square, Venice. (Photo from Bryant Barr, via Twitpic)
As summer winds to a close, the Davidson College men’s basketball team is in Europe on a tour that is part work – six games against local opponents – and part play – sightseeing (and eating well, if Bryant Barr’s Tweets are any indication).
As of Tuesday, the Wildcats had played five games in six days in Italy and Slovenia, and were 3-2. Their final game is Friday.
In their most recent matchup Monday, the Wildcats defeated Polish League champions Prokom Sopot, 105-79, in Treviso, Italy. Dan Nelms had 26 points and 10 rebounds. Will Archambault scored 20, Aaron Bond had 17 and Bryant Barr had 16 points and 6 rebounds. Everyone got in on the scoring, as Brendan McKillop had 15 points and 11 assists and Steve Rossiter added 10 points and 14 rebounds.
It was the Cats’ second victory in two days over the Polish champs. On Sunday, they won 113-76 as Mr. Achambault scored 25, Mr. McKillop had 23, and Bryant Barr had 21.
Davidson and other U.S. college teams are permitted to take summer overseas playing tours every four years, Davidson sports information chief Marc Gignac said Tuesday. Thanks to Coach Bob McKillop’s European connections, they usually find plenty of opponents.
And they have a chance to travel, something not always possible for Division I college athletes, Mr. Gignac said. “It’s a great opportunity for student athletes, who don’t get a chance to study abroad like other students,” he said.
When not competing, the players and coaches have been doing a bit of sightseeing and dining, visiting a castle in Slovenia, touring cities.
We’ve been following Bryant Barr’s posts on Twitter, which have a distinctly culinary flair. This afternoon he reported from Italy: “Five-course meal was awesome, finished it off with the best tiramisu I’ve ever had.” And on Aug. 15, he said: “big breakfast … the food in Slovenia is simply amazing.”
Previous games included a 93-63 victory on Aug. 12 against KK Alpos in Slovenia, a 73-57 loss Aug. 13 to a team of Slovenian free agents, and a 75-69 loss Aug. 14 at Helios Domzale.
The Wildcats open their 2009-10 season on Nov. 14 against Butler in Indianapolis, in a rematch of a big TV game last February in which Butler defeated the Cats, 75-63.
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Report from Davidson Wildcat sports about the final game of the tour:
Bryant Barr scored 22 points as the ‘Cats defeated Italian professional team UCC Casalpusterlengo 77-69 to end their European trip with a 4-2 record. Aaron Bond posted 16 points and 5 rebounds, and Ben Allison had 13 points and 7 boards. Will Archambault scored nine points, and Steve Rossiter added eight. Brendan McKillop had 7 assists and 6 points.