Italy Trip

**bosco** · 03-28-2011, 04:59 PM

Hoiberg Hopes Italian Trip Will Be Beneficial - Iowa State University Athletics Official Web Site - www.CYCLONES.com - The home of Iowa State Cyclone Sports

Sounds like a great opportunity for the team. However does this prevent the players from playing in the Cap City League? I think the CCL starts in June and although they don't leave for Italy until August there are 10 practices the team is allowed before they go.

**83Clone** · 03-28-2011, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by bosco

Hoiberg Hopes Italian Trip Will Be Beneficial - Iowa State University Athletics Official Web Site - www.CYCLONES.com - The home of Iowa State Cyclone Sports

Sounds like a great opportunity for the team. However does this prevent the players from playing in the Cap City League? I think the CCL starts in June and although they don't leave for Italy until August there are 10 practices the team is allowed before they go.

If it does.....BFD

**bosco** · 03-28-2011, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by 83Clone

If it does.....BFD

It isn't a big deal but selfishly I would like to see White, Babb, Allen, and Booker play.

**gocubs2118** · 03-28-2011, 05:15 PM

I'm very much looking forward to this trip. I wonder what kind of competition they'll be facing there? Like, are we supposed to win these games? Not that it matters. I'm more interested to see how much playing time Hoiberg gives and who is in his starting lineup.

**RustShack** · 03-28-2011, 05:25 PM

Who are the freshman that redshirted this year again?

**Mr Janny** · 03-28-2011, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by gocubs2118

I'm very much looking forward to this trip. I wonder what kind of competition they'll be facing there? Like, are we supposed to win these games? Not that it matters. I'm more interested to see how much playing time Hoiberg gives and who is in his starting lineup.

Those things will be interesting, but regardless of who starts or who we play against, the best part of a trip like this, is the bonding opportunity. Good team chemistry can make a huge difference on the court. For proof, look at a team who doesn't have any chemistry, like Baylor. They have the talent to win the Big 12, but crumble down the stretch because they play more like a group of individuals than as a team.

Now, one trip to Italy isn't going instantly ensure that we'll have fantastic team chemistry, but it will be a great chance to improve on the chemistry they've already established during this season, and incorporate the new guys into the mix. Get the new point guards some familiarity.

The coaching staff seems to be doing all the right things. I couldn't be happier.

**Tillweezy** · 03-28-2011, 05:55 PM

Coach Hoiberg said that Lucious will be making the trip. I wonder if that means he gets to play...If so, this team is scary good for those 10 days in Italy.

**cy4prez7** · 03-28-2011, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by RustShack

Who are the freshman that redshirted this year again?

He's talking about the transfers...most of them used this year as their redshirt year.

**gocubs2118** · 03-28-2011, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by Tillweezy

Coach Hoiberg said that Lucious will be making the trip. I wonder if that means he gets to play...If so, this team is scary good for those 10 days in Italy.

I think it's great that he gets to go but I'm not really sure how I feel about him actually playing. We already have like 9 guys who are transfers or freshman that haven't played together before. We need to make sure the players who are eligible to play next year, are comfortable with each other on the court. I don't know how much sense it makes to play someone who can't even play next year.

**brokenloginagain** · 03-28-2011, 08:06 PM

10 days of extra practice > team bonding > cultural sights > level of competition > CCL > Korie lucious PT.

what great timing for a trip like this - glad the economy tanked so McD didn't waste it :)

**RustShack** · 03-28-2011, 08:14 PM

Hopefully they don't play Lucious much.. if at all. I'm all for him going along for the ride and bonding with the team obviously... but I'd like to see the players who are on the floor this year getting all the time together on the court they can. Would be kind of cool to see him out there with players who will also be around the next year too a little bit though.

**Aclone** · 03-28-2011, 08:14 PM

I'm really glad the newcomers will get to play. It used to be that only the returnees would be eligible for the trip, and while beneficial, a team couldn't develop chemistry with new players. Apparently Summer enrollment solves that problem.

**bosco** · 03-28-2011, 08:16 PM

The Cyclones will spend 11 days (Aug. 9-19) on their Italian excursion, playing 4-5 games vs. local professional club teams.

Any chance this will be televised? Competition is against "local professional clubs". That sounds impressive but really what talent level are they up against?

**jsb** · 03-28-2011, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by bosco

Any chance this will be televised? Competition is against "local professional clubs". That sounds impressive but really what talent level are they up against?

The talent level really doesn't matter. This trip is about building chemistry and establishing roles.

**jsb** · 03-28-2011, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Mr Janny

Those things will be interesting, but regardless of who starts or who we play against, the best part of a trip like this, is the bonding opportunity. Good team chemistry can make a huge difference on the court. For proof, look at a team who doesn't have any chemistry, like Baylor. They have the talent to win the Big 12, but crumble down the stretch because they play more like a group of individuals than as a team.

Now, one trip to Italy isn't going instantly ensure that we'll have fantastic team chemistry, but it will be a great chance to improve on the chemistry they've already established during this season, and incorporate the new guys into the mix. Get the new point guards some familiarity.

The coaching staff seems to be doing all the right things. I couldn't be happier.

For all of last season, it was almost like we had two teams....the starters and the scout team. By necessity they practiced against each other so they haven't spent time in a structured setting working together. I was thrilled when Chris Babb mentioned in an interview after or near the end of the season that one of the things that they were trying to do was to build one team vs. two separate teams. Just the fact that he said that means that the coaches have put that idea in their heads which is huge. It would be easy for the scout team to think (having listened to the hype) that they are going to come in and take over the team and it would be easy for the rest of the team to be a bit bitter about the attention that the scout team got this year. So bringing those two teams together would be a huge thing before the season begins.