The LSU men’s basketball team is in Italy for an 11-day trip that began when they left New Orleans Tuesday afternoon. Here is a recap from the road of the trip so far, including a recap of LSU’s first game, a 107-60 win over Virtus Frusino late Thursday night.
Day 1: Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The LSU Men’s Basketball Team arrived safely in Rome, Italy after a 9.5 hour flight from Atlanta. It was a relatively tight squeeze for those taller than 6’8″ on the sold out flight, yet they were able to enjoy the in-flight movies, the chicken and sweet potato dinner with a brownie dessert, and, of course, the sleep. Upon arrival, they navigated their way to the baggage claim where they located all of their luggage. Then, they connected with their host, Klaus Pini, who would assist with the language barrier as well as lead the team to their destinations and games throughout the trip. The first destination would be the city center of Rome.
As the team reached the heart of the city, many of the players and staff were amazed at the architecture, the size of the cars (much smaller than what we are used to in Louisiana), and how the Italians are able to drive in so much traffic on narrower roads. After passing and taking pictures of the great Colosseum, the team was taken on a 2 hour guided walking tour. This tour featured a walk down the Spanish Steps and a chance to throw a few coins in the magnificent Trevi Fountain. Not only did the players have a chance to stand in the center of the Pantheon, but they also drew a lot attention as the Purple and Gold of LSU resonated with other tourists from the USA. Both Coach Johnson and the players were stopped multiple times for photos by others in SEC country and a couple of the Tiger Faithful!
Following the tour, the team checked into the Massimo D’Azeglio hotel. The service was fantastic and the players had a chance to get settled into their rooms in order to begin the adjustment process. This included (1) a realization that all television shows are in Italian, except CNN which is in English, (2) the hotel room key must be left in an outlet above the entry light switch for the lights/electricity to remain on, and (3) Euros look a lot different than dollars and the exchange rate is a lot different too. It’s a good thing Coach Johnson prepared them for all of these adjustments, but it took getting here for many to realize the difference.
“We arrived safely and we’re able to get a tour in,” Coach Johnson commented, “Now, we can get prepared to get back on the court tomorrow (Thursday) for a game. We practiced five times in three days against one another early this week, so I think the players are looking forward to competing against another team. I know our staff is ready.”
Day 2: Thursday, May 19, 2011
The team bus departed for the city of Frosinone at 5:45 p,m. After breakfast at the hotel earlier that morning, some rest to try to adjust to the 7 hour time change, and a pre-game meal at 4:30pm, Coach Johnson was anxious to see how his team would perform versus their first opponent – Virtus Frusino.
After warming up and the playing of both the USA and Italian national anthems, the players shook hands and tip-off was at 8:30pm. The international rule differences include (1) a wider lane, (2) a longer three-point line, (3) a 24 second shot clock, (4) and four quarters.
The first quarter ended with a LSU lead of 24-21 as both teams played with good energy.
“Despite the time adjustment and the long travel day, our intensity and energy was good to start the game and we were able to sustain it,” said Coach Trent Johnson.
In the second quarter, the defensive effort increased as the Tigers held Virtus Frusino to 15 points and the presence in the paint on the offensive end helped LSU to a 55-36 halftime lead.
“We played defense in spurts – especially in the second and third quarters,” said Coach Johnson, “but we capitalized by shooting the ball well.”
In the third quarter, four different Tigers made two 3-pointers as they extended their lead going into the fourth quarter. After a 16-10 run by Virtus Frusino, LSU responded and came away with a 106-70 victory. All eleven Tigers saw action as they look forward to game number two tomorrow night. Virtus Frusino was led by a former UC Davis (2005-09) standout, Kyle Brucculeri.
Scoring
21 – Ralston Turner
14 – Matt Derenbecker
13 – Andre Stringer
12 – Storm Warren, Justin Hamilton, Eddie Ludwig
9 – Garrett Green
7 – Malcolm White
3 – Chris Bass, Jalen Courtney
Rebounds
9 – Ralston Turner
7 – Garrett Green, Malcolm White, Matt Derenbecker
5 – Jalen Courtney
4 – Storm Warren, Justin Hamilton
3 – Chris Bass, Eddie Ludwig, Andre Stringer
1 – Andrew Del Piero
Assists
9 – Chris Bass
8 – Andre Stringer
6 – Ralston Turner
2 – Matt Derenbecker, Storm Warren
1 – Eddie Ludwig, Malcolm White