August 12 | Como, Bellagio
Arrivederci Italia!
All good things must come to an end, and Maryland basketball had a fitting ending to its Italian Tour Sunday enjoying the stunning views of Lake Como together. Players, staff and supporters gathered for a scenic boat ride across Lake Como, taking in gorgeous views of the mountains and quaint villas scattered along the water.
Maryland's tour guides pointed out the villas belonging to actor George Clooney and billionaire Richard Bronson on the lake, prompting freshman Aaron Wiggins to joke, "Not big enough for me!"
The party then made its way to Bellagio, a triangular land mass at the base of the inverted Y of Lake Como. The group made its ways along the province's shops and gardens for the afternoon, before departing back towards the hotel in Como for dinner.
Maryland's travel contingent enjoyed one last meal together in Como, as Mark Turgeon and players presented autographed 100 Seasons Commemorative pennants to the group's three tour guides: Paolo, Fortuna and Steve.
Mark Turgeon, Andrew Terrell, Travis Valmon and Anthony Cowan Jr. with the team's three tour guides
"I feel like we've really improved during this tour and come together as a team," said Turgeon. "This was such a great experience for our guys. It takes a lot to put together such a great trip, so I want to thank our three hosts Steve, Paolo and Fortuna for the fantastic job they've done guiding us through this beautiful country."
Junior Anthony Cowan Jr. added, "Thank you all for supporting us out here. You all made this such a special trip that we'll remember for the rest of our lives."
After wrapping up another fantastic meal, the group laid to rest ahead of a busy travel day back to the College Park.
August 11 | Game Three, Como
The Terps swapped boat rides for bus rides Saturday as the team said goodbye to historic Venice and embarked on their journey north to Vicenza to face the the Netherlands "B" National team. The Terps impressed in their final game of their Italian tour, securing 75-66 victory to finish 3-0 on the week.
Maryland started rolling late in the first quarter, as Mark Turgeon elected to run a smaller guard-heavy lineup to out-pace the Dutch side. The Terps went ahead 20-13 at the end of the first thanks to some hot shooting from Darryl Morsell and Serrel Smith Jr.
Morsell would knock down four three-pointers in total on the day – including a triple as time expired in the first half – provoking a mob from his teammates heading into the locker room. The Terps would finish the second quarter on a 15-2 run, leading the Netherlands 42-29 at the break.
Maryland basketball with the Netherlands "B" team
Maryland continued to push in transition in the second half, while Smith Jr. kept his shooting stroke going with back-to-back makes from three in the third quarter. Up 61-51 to start the fourth, Jalen Smith and Bruno Fernando started to wear down their frontcourt counterparts, throwing down big dunks while finishing easy put back buckets.
The Dutch would get as close as six, but some clutch buckets from Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins and a steal-and-score from Anthony Cowan Jr. helped shut the door.
Jalen Smith was named MVP after finishing with 12 points and dominating the boards, while Morsell and Smith Jr. both finished with 15 points apiece.
After the game Mark Turgeon was surprised by a Maryland adjunct professor Ricky Lucas, who is currently teaching in Aviano Air Base in Aviano, Italy. He drove over an hour to watch the Terps play with his son, and jumped in for picture with coach on the court. After players signed autographs with curious Italian fans, Maryland's travel party made way for their final stop of the trip – Lake Como.
Mark Turgeon met Maryland adjunct professor Ricky Lucas, who drove over an hour to watch the Terps play, post game
The Terps rode into Como late Saturday evening, and will have one final day of leisure in Italy before returning home.
August 10 | Venice
Maryland's travel party enjoyed a laid-back day Friday, with a portion of the group taking a short boat ride to visit the Murano Glass Factory in the morning. The group assembled for a glass blowing demonstration by a Venetian glass master, who effortlessly created a vase and horse statue while one of the factory's staff members provided details on the glass-blowing process.
Afterwards, the group browsed rooms of majestic glass artwork – which did include several turtle sculptures for the Terp faithful to admire.
"It was amazing to watch someone work with glass like that in person," said sophomore Darryl Morsell. "It was something I had never seen before; that's a skill that definitely takes a long time to learn. The pieces they had on display were phenomenal, I was impressed."
It looks like they've been waiting for Bruno Fernando to make it to Venice!
Afterwards the full travel contingent converged on San Marco Island for a brief walking tour to take in many of Venice's most famous sights including the Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Basilica and the Rialto Bridge. The Terps spent the afternoon wandering the narrow streets and alleys of San Marco, while getting in some shopping and a scenic gondola ride around Venice's famous canals.
Team, staff and friends retreated to the hotel in the late afternoon to rest up for dinner and the team's final game of their Italian tour tomorrow in Vicenza.
August 9 | Ferrari Museum, Venice
''Only those who dare, truly live.'' – Ferrari
The Terps were on the move again on Thursday, gearing up for the second part of their trip north to the floating city of Venice in the northwestern Veneto Region. But, before the travel party arrived Thursday evening, players and staff tested their driving skills and teamwork at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello.
Players took turns competing in the Formulal 1 simulator, jockeying for position against each other driving virtual tracks that F1 drivers experience during grand prix.
It was then time for the pit stop challenge, where two teams of Maryland players and a six-piece of coaches, managers and head coach Mark Turgeon's son Leo went head to head in a timed tire change. In the end, the staff team took home the victory, and the squad posed for a winner's circle photo after finishing the tire switch in a little over seven seconds.
Bino Ranson, Chris Robinson, Mark Bialkoski, Leo Turgeon, Alex D'Alessio & Kyle Tarp in the Winner's Circle at the Ferrari Museum
"I thought that we had great team chemistry coming into this whole thing," said assistant coach Bino Ranson. "Our game plan was just to have great speed and communication in what we were doing. We had a nice mix of young guys and old guys, and of course we had Leo [Turgeon] on our team – who spearheaded the whole thing. I think he's one of the best pit-drill operators in the country."
After grabbing a quick lunch the team made the bus journey to Venice, hopping on a ferry to their hotel where the squad enjoyed a meal together at a local restaurant.
Another day of leisure awaits the squad tomorrow, with a visit to the Murano Glass Factory and guided afternoon tours on deck.
August 8 | Florence, Pisa, Game Two
The Terps started their day bright and early in the "City of Lilies" Wednesday morning, traversing the picturesque Tuscan city off the Arno River by foot with a leisurely walking tour. Players, staff and supporters took in the famous sights including Brunelleschi's Duomo, Giotto's Bell Tower, Palazzo Vecchio and a copy of Michelangelo's statue of David.
The Terps took photos with a family from Baltimore vacationing in Florence, sharing that they had been hoping to run into the Maryland hoopsters before their trip was over. The group spent the afternoon browsing Florence's famous shopping districts, admiring the city's infamous leather and gold jewelry shops during the afternoon.
Sophomore Darryl Morsell and junior Travis Valmon outside of Brunelleschi's Duomo in Florence
Later in the afternoon the team enjoyed pregame meal together in Pisa, before posing for photos outside the Leaning Tower. Maryland's full travel contingent squeezed in together for a group shot with the Maryland flag, before heading south of Pisa to Palazzetto Dello Sport to tipoff vs. the Pisa All-Stars.
Maryland's travel contingent in front of the Tower of Pisa
Pisa came out firing in the opening quarter, and kept the barrage of outside shooting going throughout the game. The Italian side's hot shooting would eventually cool off, as Maryland picked up the pace in the second quarter thanks to its quick play in transition.
Sophomores Darryl Morsell and Reese Mona helped put Maryland back in control early in the second quarter, finding lanes to basket and finishing lay ups. Freshman Jalen Smith and Bruno Fernando both slammed home emphatic dunks down the stretch of the first half to give rise to the Maryland fans cheering the team on in the stands. The front court duo led the Terps in scoring with 18 and 17 points (respectively).
The Terps would lead 38-31 at the break, before pulling away in the second half outscoring the Pisa team 50-33. Maryland continued to punish Pisa in transition, grabbing defensive boards and finding the open man on the break for an easy two at the other side.
The Terrapin defense also pushed on the other end, closing down on shooters to create blocked shots. Maryland would eventually close out an 88-64 win to move to 2-0 on the tour. Freshman Aaron Wiggins also finished in double digits with 10.
"I thought we played pretty well tonight," said head coach Mark Turgeon. "We adjusted well and played a much better and complete game compared to Monday. Our trip to Italy is already halfway over; it's gone by quick, so we want to continue getting better and finish this tour 3-0."
Maryland Basketball with the Pisa All-Stars
Tomorrow the Terps will make way for the Ferrari Museum in Modena and Venice.
Be sure to follow along with Maryland social media channels via @TerrapinHoops on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to take in the sights and sounds of the team's Italian experience.
August 7 | Vatican City, Florence
Via Media – Middle of the Road
It was another early morning for the Maryland faithful in Rome. The travel party checked out of its Roman accommodations and made the short trip west to visit Vatican City.
The team again broke off into tour groups, as Maryland players listened to their tour guide, Stewart, detail the intricacies and history of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
Stewart elaborated on the magnificent Renaissance-era tapestries, statues and maps of the Pope's art collection down the long corridor of the Vatican Museum – which sees over six million visitors per year.
The team eventually filed in through the massive crowds to observe Michelangelo's brilliant works of art covering the Sistine Chapel ceilings and walls. The squad stopped in to tour St. Peter's Basilica, where the team caught a glimpse of Pope Innocent the XI's embalmed body.
"I thought it was a awesome experience," said sophomore Reese Mona. "I don't think any of our teammates have ever been there, so it was great for us to get out and do it together. I actually took Latin in high school, and my teachers would always tell us about the culture. I took AP history as well, and we had a whole section about [the Sistine Chapel] and all the statues so it was cool to see it all in person."
Reese Mona in front of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
The travel group broke for lunch and shopping amongst the shops and restaurants near downtown Vatican City, before catching the train through the Italian countryside to their next stop – Florence.
Be sure to follow along with Maryland social media channels via @TerrapinHoops on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to take in the sights and sounds of the team's Italian experience.
August 6 | Rome, Game One
Veni, vidi, vici. - I came, I saw, I won.
Are you not entertained?!? The Terps took a page out of Russell Crowe's book on Monday, touring the home of the gladiators at the Coliseum and the historic architecture of the ancient Roman Forum.
The group loaded up the buses in the morning and made their way over to the ancient as the team's English tour guide Stewart led them through a walking tour of the forum. Stewart provided an extended history of Roman life and culture, pointing out the ancient Roman brick masonry while showing examples of what the structures looked like in their heyday thousands of years prior.
The team would eventually make their way in the infamous Roman Coliseum, climbing to the top of the arena to take in its breathtaking views and pose for photos.
Travis Valmon takes in the Roman Coliseum Monday morning
"My favorite part of the tour was definitely the Coliseum," said freshman Eric Ayala. "I'm really into fighting and battles, so seeing the battlegrounds of all the great warriors of ancient times was cool. It brought back some flashbacks to high school history classes, but it was more interesting to actually be there. Walking around the ruins was a lot more interesting than just reading it in a book, it definitely brought a different perspective."
After wrapping up the tour, the team enjoyed lunch together before making it back to the hotel to prep for their first game of the tour.
Upon arriving to the gym Pala Fonte Roma Eur, about 45 minutes south of downtown Rome, head coach Mark Turgeon was greeted with an unexpected trio of Italian Tugeonites. One of the fans explained his cousin regularly attends Maryland games to sit in the Turgeonite section behind Maryland's bench, and heard that Maryland would be near his hometown for the game.
The Terps wasted no time getting on the board in the contest, which included an Anthony Cowan Jr.-to-Jalen Smith alley-oop just minutes into the opening quarter. Ayala would keep the Terps ahead as the first quarter wound down, nailing a three and driving for a layup to give his side a 22-18 edge at the end of the 1st.
Freshman Aaron Wiggins would score eight of his game-high 17 points in the second quarter as Maryland maintained its lead, eventually taking a 46-30 advantage into the break.
The Terps got hot from the three-point line in the third quarter, as Aaron Wiggins, Anthony Cowan Jr. and Serrel Smith Jr. all knocked down triples. Maryland's defense went to work on the other end, limiting the Rome-All Stars to just 10 points for a 73-40 edge at the end of the third. It was much of the same in the fourth as Maryland's travel contingent cheered from the stands the squad settled on an 89-53 victory.
Maryland Basketball with the Roman All-Stars
Wiggins (17) Darryl Morsell (14) and Anthony Cowan Jr. (12) led the way on offense for the Terps, and the teams exchanged handshakes and a group photo before heading home.
Be sure to follow along with Maryland social media channels via @TerrapinHoops on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to take in the sights and sounds of the team's Italian experience.
August 5 | Rome
And we're off!
The Maryland basketball team began its 10-day training trip to Italy on Saturday afternoon, departing from BWI to Atlanta where players, staff, family and supporters boarded their flight for Bel Paese (the Beautiful Country).
The team flew through the night before touching down in Rome late Sunday morning. After meeting the team tour guides and loading up the buses, the group wasted no time getting some sightseeing in at Rome's famous fountains and piazzas.
Sophomore Darryl Morsell poses for a photo outside of Trevi Fountain in Rome
The Terps had a chance to toss a coin in the famous Trevi Fountain – where an estimated 3,000 euros are thrown into each day. The travel party then made its way down to the Pantheon, touring the gorgeous 2,000-year-old church.
"This is amazing," said redshirt sophomore Joshua Tomaic while taking in the ancient Roman monument. "Thinking about how people built this place centuries ago is crazy."
The team continued its tour through Rome's plazas, stopping for the occasional photo-op with curious locals and American fans touring the city, before making their way to the hotel for some much needed rest and recovery.
The team enjoyed local Italian cuisine together with supporters at Girarrosto Toscano to cap off a successful first day.
Be sure to follow along with Maryland social media channels via @TerrapinHoops on
Facebook,
Twitter and
Instagram to take in the sights and sounds of the team's Italian experience.
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