Lettere d'Italia: Day 8
8/24/2004 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 24, 2004
Day Eight Photo Gallery VENICE, Italy - Italian Fact of the Day: Venice's basketball arena, the Arsenale, is bordered on one side by a tributary of the Grand Canal and is open on both ends of the floor. Nets are in place to try to keep basketballs (and players) from falling out the sliding doors and into the canal, but an attentive gondolier often floats outside in case of emergencies. The Terrapins had a relaxing day in the majestic city, taking it easy in the morning before taking it to Kiev (Ukraine), 104-66 at night. Many of the Terps took advantage of free time early in the day, hitting the shopping districts in Venice or taking a walking tour of the city. Those that went sightseeing knocked out the ultimate hit-list of popular attractions: the Basilica of St. Mark, the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, Piombi Prison and the Rialto Bridge. Those that hit the town's shopping districts enjoyed some great prices on original artwork, as many artists line the streets selling their oil, chalk and watercolor scenes of the beautiful city. OK Terrapin hoop fans, no more waiting - here's what you want. After an excellent pregame meal at a local ristorante, the Terps packed all of their gear and hopped aboard water taxis to take them to Venice's Arsenale. The Arsenale is an older building that looks to have been converted into an arena, located on a side canal close to the Grand Canal. Like the other Italian arenas the Terps have played in, there is no air conditioning, and with Venice's humidity, it could become sweltering hot. To allow cooler air flow, sliding doors are opened directly behind the basket, bringing about the potential for some interesting situations. It might be the only arena on earth where if a loose ball or an errant pass gets away from the players, it could achieve splashdown in a canal! The Terrapins raced out to an early lead and, with a 16-2 run midway through the second quarter that made it 51-30, were working with a 20-point advantage for much of the game. The Terps played determined defense throughout the contest, amassing 10 steals and delighting the crowd with spectacular transition dunks and alley-oops. Another crowd-pleasing moment occurred during the first quarter, when a small puppy raced onto the floor during a substitution. And you thought the "open arena" thing was an exaggeration! Junior floor general John Gilchrist led four double-figure Terps with a game-high 27 points, to go along with five assists, five rebounds and two steals. D.J. Strawberry added eight of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Nik Caner-Medley finished with 11 as well. Travis Garrison chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds as the Terps cracked the century mark in scoring for the second exhibition game in a row. Gilchrist made some excellent decisions and outstanding passes to compliment his scoring outburst. He fed Chris McCray for an alley-oop dunk in transition midway through the third quarter, before tossing a lob for a thunderous Caner-Medley dunk on the next play. The fourth period, however, belonged to the Terps' California connection. Strawberry scored his eight points in nearly every way imaginable - a dunk on a fast break, a jumper, a floater and a layup (he had hit a 3-pointer in the third quarter for a second half royal flush). Meanwhile, classmate Ekene Ibekwe played tough with four fouls in the fourth, scoring seven points and rejecting two shots. The Terps would like to wish the Kiev team good luck as the players and staff prepare for their season, and would also like to thank the squad for visiting us in Venice. Ah, Venice. On Wednesday the Terps hit the road again, traveling north to Cernobbio in the Lake Como area, which will be our home for three days. The Terps also play Italian Divison I-A squad Biella in the evening. Be sure to log on to umterps.com and get all the latest news from Italia! A domani! Ciao!
