This summer John Carroll’s Men’s Basketball team headed over to Europe for team bonding and service opportunities in Portugal. Head Coach, Pete Moran, shared his insights from the trip and the impact it had on the team.
International trips are a foundation for the Men’s Basketball program at JCU. In 2019, the team hosted a basketball camp in Ireland. These trips provide the players with countless opportunities to learn more about the sport globally while traveling overseas. For some it may be the only opportunity they’ll get to travel out of the country.
Diving into the reasoning for the trip, Moran said, among other activities, the team got to eat “really good seafood!” He also shared the main activities that solidified the trip’s purpose.
They played in two international games as well as facilitated a basketball clinic, which is their service project. Moran also went into detail on some of the more fun activities they did in Portugal to encourage team and staff bonding. Some of the highlights he gave were touring Sesimbra and Lisbon, taking a boat cruise and surfing. He expresses how important the trip was in bringing the team together and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
“Our players will remember this experience more than they will remember any score of any game we played in,” said Moran. The experience was unforgettable and not only brought the team closer, but also enabled the staff to learn more about each player as individuals.
Having won the OAC championship last season in a 88-86 thriller versus Mount Union, they finished with a record of 26 wins and three losses. They have several of their top scorers returning like Luke Frazier and Luke Chicone.
Frazier finished last season leading the team averaging 18.9 points per game. He scored at least 25 points in six games. Chicone was second on the team in points per game averaging 18.7. He scored at least 25 points in three games. He had two games where he scored at least 30.
They have also gained what seems to be a talented group of freshmen, the future looks bright for these Blue Streaks.
It is safe to say that this experience strengthened the program and laid the foundation for a bright future. Now it’s time for the team to get back to work as they fight to defend their OAC Championship title this season.