The Big Apple

It seems like a long time ago, that me and my tour group were busriding down a long and lonesome road. All of a sudden, there shined a shiny city... in the middle... of the road.

Only a handful of #BoysOnTour had ever been to New York City and after checking in to our hotel we made a beeline for one of the most famous landmarks in the world. The photos and videos we sometimes see of Times Square really don't do the place justice. For some, the hustle and bustle can be overwhelming. If you don't do well with bright lights and neon signs, then it probably isn't for you. Nonetheless, it was truly rewarding to see faces light up.

Friday was our first taste of what it truly means to be cold. The morning kicked off on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour downtown towards the financial district. The upper deck provided the best views of the city, but meant that we were exposed to all of the elements. Rain, wind, and what felt like below freezing temperatures made it difficult to make the most of the tour guides' rapturous narration of the city around us. By the time we got off the bus at Wall Street the boys had all tucked their necks in to beat the cold, so that their coats had swallowed their heads like a turtle.

The Financial District gave us a glimpse of City Hall, the Supreme Court, the New York Stock Exchange and the Wall Street Bull. A tour of the One World Observatory served two purposes - it allowed us to reflect on the site of the original World Trade Center, at the same time providing an uninhibited view of the five boroughs of New York.

The return leg of the bus took us through Chinatown, under the Brooklyn Bridge, past the United Nations and towards the Plaza Hotel, the Upper East Side and Central Park. From there, the group embarked on a river cruise down the Hudson, into New York Bay and then up the East River towards Queens. The views of Manhattan and Brooklyn gave a surreal perspective of one of the most visited cities in the world. The boat circled round Lady Liberty and sailed past Ellis Island, the site that all migrants to New York were processed through until 1954. The rest of the evening was spent exploring other famous NYC destinations, highlighted by the Rockefeller Center and Grand Central Terminal.

We played our final games on Saturday, capped off by the most thrilling game of the tour - a one possession loss by the JV boys. All three teams displayed signs of strong improvement from some of the tougher games on tour, rising to meet what was once again a strong local program. Our final scheduled activity in the USA would prove to be the highlight for many. The Bulls were playing the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, one of the most famous arenas in the world (self proclaimed). Fans were split within the group, and whilst the Bulls did get rolled by @carmeloanthony and @scorezingis, Old Boy Cameron Bairstow saw court action in the fourth quarter. The whole stadium could reportedly hear our chants demanding Cam in a late timeout, and though we were rewarded with his presence, we did not ease up until he had scored.

Sunday morning saw some of our group part ways, off on more adventures with their families. The rest of the group hit the NBA store on 5th Avenue for some final gifts (#TreatYoSelf) before we packed the bus for JFK International Airport and the most anticipated 22 hours of travel any of us had ever seen.

The 2015 USA Tour has shown us all the opportunities available around the world if you work hard, hone your craft, and commit to being a well rounded student. Watch this space for a final tour review by 2016 Basketball Captain Oliver Anderson, and some more post-tour insights!

Wicked Smaht

Boston was a whirlwind experience. Despite parting ways before truly getting to know one another, our brief relationship with the city was nevertheless meaningful and full of memories to hold on to.

The first thing we did after arriving at Logan International was head straight to Harvard University, one of the finest educational institutions in the world. We were dressed to the nines, and were shown around Harvard Yard and the most significant buildings on campus by a senior who also happened to be a Varsity Football player. Jordan the Tight End seemed particular impressed by one of our tour member’s knowledge of the statue of three lies, made famous in ‘The Social Network’. The tour afforded the boys a chance to learn about the history of the college, and the idea of following in the footsteps of other old boys before them was enticing to some. For others, the main attraction was the campus bookstore, with The Coop affording boys the chance to tell other people through the medium of fashion that they in fact went to visit Harvard once.

Whilst in Boston, the boys were able to visit Boston Common and toss the pigskin, dine at one of Faneuil Hall’s finest establishments and wander the streets of the Freedom Trail. We shopped and dined in Back Bay, one of the city’s oldest yet trendiest neighbourhoods. The sporting experiences continued with a number of boys taking an insider tour of Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox and arguably the mecca of America’s favourite pastime.

The likely highlight for many on the tour came on Tuesday night, when we boarded the T and rode to TD Garden. We were there to watch Lebron James and his merry band of Cavaliers take on the second coming of Isaiah and the Celtics. Being home town bandwagoners, most of us donned some new Celtics merchandise and were disappointed to see the Wine & Gold roll home in the second half. It was however, a once in a lifetime spectacle to see one of the greatest athletes and basketball players of our generation play at another level.

When Thursday morning arrived, we left our hotel in Fenway and departed towards New York. Not to be outdone by its Ivy League brother, Yale demanded a stop on the way south and we were lucky enough to be shown around the athletic facilities and campus by coaching staff. By chance, our group bumped in to Old Boy and current Yale Crew athlete Rob Hurn. Our driver dropped us into Manhattan that evening, thanking us for the trip though leaving us with a memorable signoff; “you know what the best part of my day is? For about ten seconds, from when I pull up to the curb and when I get to your door, 'cause I think, maybe I'll get up there and I'll knock on the door and you won't be there. No goodbye. No see you later. No nothing. You just left. I don't know much, but I know that.”

The Back Nine

Our next activity in the great lake state of Illinois was an expedition to Geneva High School about 90 minutes west of Chicago. Geneva, a public school located in a small town of only 20,000 is consistently one of the highest performing teams in the state and a perennial feature in the national rankings.

The trip out there however was marred by a few setbacks. Firstly, in a moment of Christopher Columbian brilliance, our driver took us the wrong direction out of Chicago. He was taking us to a different Geneva. Upon realising his mistake (since this Geneva was about 5 hours away), we turned back West and started towards the appropriate school. At that time, we were set upon by what has been recognised by a number of agencies around the country as the worst traffic bottleneck in America. This 12 mile stretch of expressways and interchanges is known affectionately by locals as the Hillside Strangler.

The Strangler meant that we were a little later to Geneva than anticipated, but our gracious hosts were happy to delay the start of our games being totally understanding of our plight.

Unfortunately, all three of our teams went down to another strong program of athletic kids who can shoot the lights out. The games did give us a chance to experience a quintessential American high school sporting fixture – cheerleaders, a brass band in the stands, local families, young kids screaming and older graduates screaming.

The boys once again were able to be billeted out and experienced the typical weekend for a Varsity athlete, many of whom gathered at one player’s house for a Saturday night cookie bake. We picked the boys up on Sunday morning and headed to St Patrick’s High School, the oldest all boy’s high school in the nation. Despite losing our games to #ShamrockNation, our Churchie teams remained competitive and were able to show the (fairly decent considering the Bears game was on) crowd the up-tempo style of basketball we play. That night after another session of post-game host pizza, we went back to our hotel before our 4am wake up to fly out to Bean Town.

Yoga in the Home of the Bears

On Friday morning all of our force was awoken. The entire tour group as well as a couple of Chicago's finest citizens participated in a yoga class at a studio across the road from our hotel. Besides being a fun and unique experience, the session afforded the boys a chance to stretch, relax and prepare mentally and physically for the basketball and touring that was yet to come. Most of the boys really took the lessons to heart and after a phase of triangle work, ended up focusing on grounding a lot of their energy into the floor. 

We thanked each other for sharing our chakras and then went back across to the hotel to shower after what was for most, a tough workout. I say most, because a couple of our more robust coaches and Josh Wiltshire were able to breeze through many of the tougher positions and systems, most notably the crow.

The afternoon and evening were spent visiting some iconic Chicago landmarks; Wrigley Tower, the Bean and the Michael Jordan store. Boys got to spend time talking shop with Old Boy and current NBA player Cameron Bairstow before heading to bed relatively early as we were off to Geneva in the morning.

Our First Full Day in Chicago

The morning was a great wake up to the smell of waffles and muffins. The small, yet needed sleep in ensured that we would have enough energy for the long day ahead.

The day started almost instantly, with the first item being a trip to the 360 Tower Chicago. I think it's safe to say that all the boys enjoyed the incredible view from the 49th floor of the tower. From there we were able to view the entire city, as well as out into Lake Michigan (one of the five Great Lakes of America).

From there, we travelled to Soldier Field. Although the home of the Chicago Bears NFL team was not as gargantuan as the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, the history of the place was incredible to hear!

Last but certainly not least, we travelled to what most would say was the highlight of Chicago. With our Chicago gear on, we entered the United Centre to watch the Chicago Bulls play the Los Angeles Clippers. The game went back and forth, and was exciting from start to finish. Some boys chose to support the Clippers, however most were barracking for the Bulls (I still don't know if we were cheering more for the Bulls or for Cameron Bairstow). In the end it was the home team, the Chicago Bulls, that pulled through with the win. The almost surreal experience was the best way to end an eventful day!

Mitaru McGaughey

Dallas in a Nutshell

In Dallas, the teams generally toured before their games, and then went back to Lake Worth High to spectate or play. The games were very competitive, as both teams really desired the win in every game. The varsity games were well worth the watch, with some teams even getting the better of our own Churchie First V squad. It was interesting to observe the nature of US high school basketball at the highest level, particularly the different chants and atmosphere provided by our opponents. It was also visibly entertaining for the Lake Worth students to see how we deal with sports at Churchie. Several ‘Churchie Roar’s rung out through Lake Worth, in a Sparta vs Persia manner with a 20 strong blue and grey crowd in the stands against several hundred American spectators.

The tournament was reasonably successful from a statistical standpoint, with the Varsity team winning the bronze division, and the sophomore and fresh sophomore teams both getting a win from three games. However, I thought that the main significance of these games for the sophomore team was in improving our team chemistry in all aspects. 

After a few days at the beloved La Quinta Inn, we headed for St Mark’s School of Texas, and the boys billeted for two nights with host families. St Mark’s was in many ways similar to Churchie: an all-boys school with an impressive campus and impressive sports teams to match. Although St Mark’s also has a Hogwarts-style dining hall and a senior’s lounge, with a selection of branded apparel that burnt further into the boy’s pockets. On that note, it was at this point that many of us had to phone home to have, or at least request that some more money be wired through to our bank accounts. Personally, I have now spent upward of $350 on T-shirts, socks, and other not-all-that-useful, but really cool stuff. 

Homestay was awesome. Mitchell Goldburg and I were fortunate enough to stay with a loving, and classically Texan family for the two days. Whilst our billet, Jackson, studied for exams, Mitch and I were able to chill, and play Xbox or watch Netflix. On the last night our Billet’s dad, Jeff, was delighted to show us his impressive civil war musket and sword collection. This was all topped off with a ‘Tex-mex’ dinner at a local restaurant, with all Churchie tourers in attendance.

Gus van der Nagel

Caged Animals and College Beasts

On Monday morning, the boys packed their gear ready to leave the La Quinta Inn and head to St Mark's. On the way, we stopped off at the Dallas Aquarium, where we saw a range of animals, from panthers to sharks. Gus Van Der Nagel dropped his new impressions mixtape, featuring a Jon Snow monologue to inspire some penguins that was straight fire. Next we went to the 6th floor museum, where the boys took an enthralling audio tour of the book depository which President JFK was allegedly assassinated from. We got to stand metres away from the window that the shots were allegedly fired from, and see a range of historical information. 

After this, we headed to Southern Methodist University, ranked number 19 in the country for basketball, to see their facilities and watch them practice. They boys were in awe of the school, which was great from the classrooms to the offices, and, of course, the recently built basketball stadium. Everyone saw the level of hard work and dedication that it takes to play college basketball, in particular from current red-shirt Semi Ojeleye. The team was put through a gruelling half-hour warmup which included a range of stretching, ball-handling and shooting drills. Unfortunately, we had to leave after only 30 minutes, so we headed to St Mark's to watch the team train and meet the boys that we would be living with for the next two days. 

When we saw the St Mark's Varsity team train, we were once again amazed by the execution and professionalism that these boys showed. After training, we met our billets and headed to their houses for what was an enjoyable night for all the boys, mixing with people from a variety of different backgrounds and making new friends.

Lachlan Marchant

Sophomore's Win!

After the team warmup and exchange of gifts, the team was yet again in full competitive mode, looking for our first win of the tournament at Lake Worth High School in Arlington, Dallas. Our opponents proved extremely tough throughout the entire game, demanding much from each member of the Junior Varsity team. Several lead changes ultimately left both teams locked in at 42 points apiece coming into the fourth quarter. But helped by intense effort and effective communication, the boys of Churchie came out on top this time. The final period of the game had us complete an amazing 15 to 2 run against our opponents. This fourth quarter explosion was made possible by strong leadership by Alex Gianarakis and Mitch Goldburg in the backcourt, a clutch block by Jack ‘Boris’ Edmondson (which was accompanied by an equally vigorous ‘defibrillator’ celebration by Gus van der Nagel, Lachlan Fleming and Matt Kaluschke) and a strong scoring output between Sam Kneipp, Tyson Finnis and Gus van der Nagel.

After this win, the team was incredibly pleased and headed off for a well-deserved ‘Maccas run’, requesting a preposterous 12 Bic Mac meal order. This invoked a sarcastic reaction from McDonalds, and a “We don’t have any fries left” reaction by KFC who were initially consulted for the team lunch. We then headed to the ‘Six Flags Over Texas’ theme park which was awesome to say the least. Definite highlights were the nearly vertical drops of two of the roller coasters, and coach Matthew ‘Chewy’ Bemi-Morrison’s successful run in the theme park’s three point shot contest.

Gus van der Nagel

Day 4 - Grapevine Mills and Baylor Basketball

Sunday morning was a chance to get some much needed rest for the boys - a late start followed by a strong dose of retail therapy. The boys had heard legends of the deals to be had at the Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall and couldn't wait to spend grab some new kicks and Christmas presents for loved ones back home. A quick drive north from the hotel and we were able to spend hours browsing shelves and racks of discounted Nike, Adidas and Texan team gear.

The evening saw us embark on a somewhat longer ride. Baylor was playing Vanderbilt at home in Waco and the tour group wasn't going to miss out on a chance to catch two Top 25 ranked basketball teams go head to head. We hopped in the vans and travelled from Grapevine, through Dallas, down the highway south to Waco - arriving almost two hours later just in time to grab some fan gear and catch the tip off. The trip was well worth it, as both teams shared the lead throughout the game and a few key NBA prospects went on strong scoring runs. The boys were pumped for a Baylor win, being the local team, and we all got out of our seats as Ishmail Wainright threw down a reverse dunk off a baseline drive late in the game. Vandy bounced back and it was a one possession lead before Baylor PG Lester Medford hit a go ahead three despite being fouled.

Emotions ran high on the ride home, with Baylor holding on to that small lead and getting it done. Keep an eye out next year at Barclays come draft time for Baylor's Taurean Prince, who dropped 30 points on Vanderbilt including a run of 11 straight points and a deeeep three to beat the shot clock.

Alex Webb

Freshman/Sophomore Game 2

After a long day watching other teams play and sightseeing in Arlington it was our turn to get the van back to the court. The first quarter saw us get a small lead of 8, though smart fast play and finishing most attempts. However in the second quarter we started to struggle with the change of rules, this resulted in us conceding several fouls. The small change in the rules made it hard for us to get to that basket and get points. This allowed the opposition to claw back the lead and at the end of the quarter we ended equal. In the third the struggle in the second quarter came back to haunt us, as we were fouled multiple times. This meant the opposition began to take the lead. In the fourth although everyone was tired and sore we began to stage a come back. However this effort was simply too late and we just missed out on the win, 45-38

Ned Cook

Junior Varsity vs Lake Worth

Friday morning saw the Varsity boys face their toughest contest yet, coming up against tournament host the Lake Worth Bullfrogs. In a stadium packed with Lake Worth students, the atmosphere was unlike anything most of the boys had faced before. The Churchie boys got off to a slow start, and, feeding off the momentum of the crowd, our opposition was able to hold a comfortable advantage at the end of the first quarter. However, we kept fighting, and by halftime the lead had been trimmed to only 4 through strong offensive play from Mitaru and Tom and great defensive effort from Ben and Ollie. The boys came out of halftime ready to take the lead but were stifled by great pressure defense by the Bullfrogs and collapsed, surrendering a double digit advantage heading into the 4th. Despite a late barrage of threes from Dylan and Sean and a great effort on the boards from Aidan and Hamish the Bullfrogs were able to come out on top by 16 points. Unfortunately, despite having the same win-loss record as both the other teams on our pool, this scoreline meant we finished a mere 4 points out of first place on points differential. Our disappointment had to be short lived, however, as we had to prepare for our next game in just two hours.

Lachlan Marchant

Dallas Cowboys Stadium

It was a fairly cold morning on the Churchie USA basketball tour as we pulled up into the car park of the famous AT&T Stadium. We were all amazed by the enormous dome-like structure that stood before us at 320 feet tall. We walked through the doors and were warmly greeted by Barbara who provided us with a tour of the 1.2 billion dollar stadium. Barbara intrigued us with countless information regarding the construction and current status of ‘Jerry’s World’. The construction of this successful stadium was mainly due to Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who envisioned this world record-breaking stadium.

 Just to name a few mind-blowing facts, if the two arches supporting the stadium were straightened and placed directly upwards they would be 10 metres taller than the Empire State Building. Personally, I was amazed by the fact that the television hanging from the roof of the stadium was approximately 40 metres long and 17 metres wide, costing 40 million dollars to be built by Mistubishi on the premises.

Barbara began by leading us through the multi-purpose function/bar rooms located on opposite sides of the stadium. These rooms are not only used for the Dallas Cowboy’s home games but also several other events. We then experienced amazing views of the field from different seating sections of the stadium including the private suites, the media room, and the standing area on the top level. The ‘Dr Pepper’ standing area boasts ticket prices at the lowest price where tickets are only $30. We were also guided into the ground-level locker room of the Cowboys Cheerleaders (and also the Cowboys team). Located nearby was the post-game press conference room where Barbara informed us about various famous moments from this room.

Finally we had reached the tunnel leading onto the field, where two bars surround both sides of the tunnel. Here, fans have the ultimate experience of watching the players run onto the field. Fortunately, we were able to walk through the tunnel and onto the field. This was the pinnacle of our experience as we all enjoyed running on the field whilst playing ‘red rover’. We were privileged to receive such insight into a world renowned stadium and I am sure we will all treasure this unique experience forever.

Alex Gianarakis

Freshman/Sophomore Game 1 - Day 1

On December the 3rd the Freshman team played their first game in America against the Lake Worth Bullfrogs. The boys were also the first tour team to play our hosts of the tournament, and we were treated to a team lunch with the Bullfrogs after the game to get to know the players a bit better. After a quick warm up we listened to some words of wisdom from coaches Bateson and Tom and the starting 5 took the court. We came out strong in the first quarter, swiftly (or in Max's case, Speedily) establishing our dominance with an early lead, up 16 to 2. However in the next quarter we had a slump in performance, allowing the opposition to get some quick points on the board, and our lead was cut to only 5. After some stern words from coach Bateson and some time to rest our legs during half time, the team was feeling confident and ready to continue play. Stoney led the way at both ends of the court with intensity and although in the third quarter no one played their best, we were beginning to get back into the rhythm of things. The team picked the up the pace in the end of the third quarter to extend our lead significantly. In the fourth quarter we came on confident because of a strong lead, and the promise of great gifts from Cooper 'Christmas' Brown, and this really helped our play. We began to make more strategic passes and even began to run some of the plays we had practiced in training. In classic Churchie fashion we came home hard with a strong win, 56 to 39.

Ned Cook

Travelling Through Time and Space

Despite a few delays on the tarmac the 2015 Churchie Basketball Tour got underway at about midday on Wednesday. A few hours into the trip, we crossed the International Date Line and eventually landed at LAX at about 6am on Wednesday.

After passing through customs, we had a couple of hours to check out one of the world's most famous airports before catching our connecting flight to Dallas. A number of boys seemed confused by the time and date change, with one remarking how long it felt since he had seen his parents despite it technically only being a few hours on the clock.

We finally got checked in to our hotel on Wednesday afternoon in Arlington, just outside of Dallas Texas. To the boys delight, the Six Flags theme park is just beyond our hotel fence and after tournament play this week we are sure the boys will be looking forward to a casual flume ride or seven! Tomorrow morning we are up and ready to check out AT&T Stadium before heading to our first games. 

All Kitted Out

On Monday the boys had their final meeting before we leave on Wednesday morning.

As well as a few last minute reminders and housekeeping matters, we collected all of our tear gear. As you can see, we have been well looked after in 2015 thanks to Churchie Basketball and Aussie Basketball Travellers.

The boys will use all of this gear on tour and more!

T-MINUS 21 Days

T-MINUS 21 DAYS

The Big Ticket has returned to Minnesota and Churchie Basketball returns to the USA!

Looking forward to seeing all parents, players and coaches for the 2015 USA Tour at the SJPSC tonight at 7pm!

Please remember to bring your passport, and proof of ETSA application. You won't be able to cross the border without both!

At tonight's meeting we will discuss;

• Itinerary - updated details 
• Tour Safety, Expectations and Consequences – refer to handout 
• Mobile phones, sims, social media and tour webpage 
• Tour roles and responsibilities 
• Baggage information 
• All of the TOUR SWAG Tour gear and packing list 
• Tour game and billet gifts 
• Final reminders 
• Any further Questions? 
• Forms check – All

See you all there!

29 Days to Go!

The 2015 Churchie Basketball USA Tour is set to depart for the states on December 2. By now, everyone should have received final itineraries and a list of what to bring and what to expect.

Parents and friends can keep up to date with the tour by checking in on our daily blogs here!

Get excited boys!

Final Varsity Game

Final Varsity Game vs Faith Christian Lions

As we walked into the gym of Faith Christian, the Churchie boys were excited to play their final game in the United States and cap this amazing experience. We were treated wonderfully by our hosts, served a traditional Tex-Mex lunch when we arrived. Despite the the hour or so we spent getting to know the opposing team, when we took the court at 4pm we knew we couldn't be friendly during the game. However we didn't start the game too well, falling down 11-3 as they showcased their 3 point shooting in the first half. We fought back, and the fast paced style took us back to our GPS Premiership winning ways, playing into our hands as we took a slim lead into half time. We saved our best for last, as in the second half we started playing like we know we can. No one could stay in front of our guards, which was creating opportunities for our bigs and shots for our outside shooters. Will as usual stood out being 1 assist from a triple double, Darryl providing great defense and outside shooting and Jason spotting up in his usual corner three position. Jeremy was as consistent and tough as usual, Benee got his tour high scoring 10 points as he played really well. Jordan provided great energy and hustle off the bench as did Ethan who showed great toughness. Captain Sam had a great game, with great defense and rebounding. Congrats to Jason and Sam who played their final game in the blue and grey. It was a great way to finish the tour in front of a big crowd and an awesome way to cap an amazing tour we will never forget.
Many thanks to Mr Goodrick for organizing this fantastic tour.
The team spend today playing paintball and shopping before flying out.

Xavier

Junior Varsity vs Grapevine Faith High School Match Report:

The mood in the locker room before hand was energetic and somber. A strange combination but everyone was pumped to get a W but it was also our last game of the tour. After such brilliant experiences, everyone was keen to come out and wrap up our tour in style with an excellent game.

Tommy Grant breasted again with 22 points and 11 rebounds. His inside presence has been critical the entirety of the tour and this game was no different. Zac Laird came up with an amazing 6 steals and made great decisions with the ball all game; his lock down defense on #32 who was lighting up the 3's was also absolutely superb. Boston Freestone had 6 offensive rebounds in this game but his total for all the games played would be in the high 30's that's how good boston has been on the O boards. His work down low and defensively tonight, blocking several shots, has been an integral part of our success. Patty Gibney played hard as usual, coming up with 5 steals and 9 rebounds, complimented by his 4 points which does not reflect his impact tonight or this whole tour. Unfortunately, Patty also had another very good block where he smashed another layup attempt into the backboard. This is bad because we all know that Patty will press hard for his 2 blocks to be the highlights of the tour. Anthony White played strong, tough and passive as always tonight, locking down on defense and digging deep. He Initiated the half court offense excellently as always and his smart plays have been crucial this whole tour. Andrew Adams saved his best game for last by making some equisite plays in the half court offense and staying calm whenever the play broke down. His on ball defense has also been consistently awesome and tonight was no exception. Dylan Evans ran the lanes hard and was vocal on defense which has been terrific this tour. Nick Davis brought lights out shooting and chipped in some great patches of defense. Being our stretch 4 man, Nick has been an outside threat this whole tour and he has played well for us. Last but not least, KB. KB was easily best on court tonight because of his 100% effort but also his excellent defensive work to steal several passes and his offensive class tonight with a big 8 points off the bench on 4-5 shooting. This might not seem like a lot of points but each basket was made off a silky smooth play I assure you.

We ended up winning the game 50-38 but it was hard fought until the end as we had to scrap in the last few minutes of the game. We played hard together and we executed in a way that we were happy with as a team which was one of our main goals on this tour.

Karl has been absolutely magnificent all tour long and we have all been very fortunate to play under Karl for this trip. His guidance and his basketball information that he brings to the table has been invaluable for us and we cannot thank him enough. Mitch was our main assistant for the first leg of the tour until Chewie stepped in and provided an equally terrific job to us with both of them offering us their basketball insight which we were able to always utilize.

This tour has been a pleasure to be on and on behalf of the team, I would like to thank Karl, Mitch and Chewie for all they did for us. It was great fun to be over here playing these American teams but we wouldn't have got here without the parents so thank you to all reading this back home.

It's been great fun for me when I've written these reports and I hope everyone back home enjoyed them.

For the last time:
Yours truly,
Ben Krieger

Dallas

Dallas Review
We flew in to Texas Monday morning , pushing aside the fatigue of a 5:15 wake up to play Gods Academy in the afternoon. Both JV and Varsity won their games despite the long day of travel showing the performances. We put aside our tough performances, to really enjoy our day off. We hit up Cowboy Stadium, impressed by the sheer size of the arena, as well as the awesome technology apart of the stadium. In the evening we headed to the Dallas Stars ice hockey game, highlighted by fights that captivated the boys. Wednesday we took a trip into American history, as we visited the Grassy Knoll and the JFK museum. We then caught the bus to St Marks where we participated in a shoot around in preparation for our games. The JV team then played, losing a tough one. The Varsity then took the court, where we experienced our best game of the tour, shooting as a team above 60%. Darryl McDowell-White was in particular hot from outside, knocking down 7 there's for a total of 28 points. William provided the statement with an And-1 alley-oop jam in the final minute. When we thought the day couldn't get better, we were treated to behind the scenes look at the Dallas Mavericks. Thanks to some handy connections we were able to go inside their locker room, look at their training facility and shoot around on their training courts. We were then guided to a box suite for their game against the Memphis Grizzlies. We had a box to ourselves and it was an experience of a lifetime. We then made our way back to St Marks, where we met our billets and were taken to their homes.

Xavier

REPOST - Tour photo link

Please click on the link below to see a small selection of the photos Karl has taken on the trip so far.

Tour photos link – View Album - "This will be the tour photography post site for the parents. It is private and password protected. Password: vikings2013

The tour of the Strip and Recap of today

Yesterday after our tough games against Bishop Gorman, the Churchie boys headed to the infamous Strip for a night tour. The weird and wonderful people opened our eyes to the wonder of the party centre of the world. The shops were on another level also, with MnM stores consisting of 4 levels. Our tour continued to the Bellagio, where we were met by a 'magician', who Sam Mayer continuously  to refute his legitimacy. Our night ended when we watched the water show at the Bellagio.

Today we were treated to a morning of retail therapy as fatigue was beginning to overtake the group. The boys all had a great time at the Outlet Mall, the main attractions being the Nike store and Ralph Lauren. In the afternoon we hit the Go Cart track, as Goodrick lived up to smack talk and roared along the track. It was a great day for all, and it was capped of as some attended Jay-Z's concert.

Junior Varsity vs Bishop Gorman Freshman/Sophomore Match Report:

Coming off a tough loss to a fellow Australian team at the Impact Clinic on Tuesday, the team was pumped up for a strong outing on our part in terms of effort and execution on the court.

We started out very strong defensively, holding Bishop Gorman to 5 points for the first 6 minutes of the game. Unfortunately, we weren't able to make this opportunity count on the offensive end as a few fumbles and errant passes kept us behind Bishop Gorman for the rest of the first half. We found ourselves down by 24 at half time.

Our 2nd half was considerably better as we tightened the screws even further defensively and started to get out into our transition game and finish in the half court offense. Tommy Grant continued his brilliant form with his dominance in the paint being a crucial factor in our comeback. Boston swatted numerous field goal attempts by Bishop Gorman and pulled down strong offensive rebounds that allowed us second chance points. Zac Laird played the passing lanes well and constantly denied Bishop Gorman easy shot attempts. Patty Gibney played very well especially in the first half when we were struggling by intercepting several passes and finishing on the fastbreak. Unfortunately, Patty also had possibly the biggest block of the tour by smashing an open layup into the backboard during the last quarter. I say this is a bad thing because he is still talking of how brilliant it was. That won't end soon I'm sure. Anthony White was a menace defensively and initiated the half court offense very well. Andrew Adams also contained the ball carrier extremely well and came up with several steals that started the break. Dylan Evans ran the lanes well and had a highlight reel play when he pump faked out a defender and sunk the mid range basket. KB pulled down big defensive rebounds and busted out himself, running the break brilliantly and finishing with some equisite passes for open teammates. Nick Davis was awesome filling the water bottle as he missed this game with a banged up toe.

Despite our first half, the team knuckled down in the 2nd half and brought it back to an 8 point game at one point. However, we weren't able to win this game, going down by 20 points in the end. The team played absolutely awesome in the 2nd half and everyone's commitment and faith in out system was evidenced by our comeback. Even though we didn't win, we were extremely happy with the spirit in which we played and the tenacity and fight which we showed and this is what we will take into out next game.

Final score: Bishop Gorman def Churchie 62-42

Yours truly,
Ben Krieger

KB: "Best $100 I've ever spent."

Thursday 12th of December Quote of the Day:

KB: "I'm the next Martin Luther King of my generation."

Benny Krieger

Disneyland Recap:

We woke up relatively early and had a buffet breakfast at the hills hotel. As soon as we were done we were off to the happiest place on earth. Note to any families who have never been to Disneyland - wear your most comfortable shoes because it is a 2km walk from the car park just to the entrance of the theme parks!!

We had a walk though downtown Disney, admiring the huge stores and the infamous ESPN Zone. We got to the entrance where Goodrick manfully stood in the never ending line for our tickets for over an hour and we split up into our groups. We were off into the jam packed Disneyland on a Sunday in the winter where the lines were killers and the Star Wars store was incredible. We met back up at 2:30 and switched to California Adventure Park where the rides were crazier and the lines, unbelievably, longer. The Hollywood Tower proved to be a thrill as it gave Dreamworld's Tower of Terror a run for it's money as an epic sudden drop. California Screamin' dazzled us with it's enormity and as per reports given to me - was the best ride of the day.

We met at 7 to end a long but very worthwhile day and had a solid meal of greasy burgers before we checked into the hilton near the airport for our early flight to Las Vegas.

Benny Krieger

Vegas day 2

Recap of Varsity Games- Las Vegas
As you saw from Ben's post earlier, the boys were astonished and excited by the vibe stemming from Las Vegas, especially the infamous Strip. Nonetheless we're straight into game mode, playing one of Impact's best teams, with many of their boys 2-3 years older than the Churchie boys. It was a fast and furious start, as Churchie hang with the sharpshooting Impact team thanks to the use of youth exuberance beating them down the floor in transition. However by the end of the first half, the frenetic pace caught up to the exhausted touring team thanks to out early start. The Impact team had the momentum going into the second half. However the in the second field the boys got their second wind, as we continued to push the pace, and our high speed play and high flying jams wowed the crowd, and showed that us Aussie boys had some game. We can hold our heads up high despite the loss (15 points), and can look forward to the rest our games in Vegas.

Our second game in Vegas was very similar to the first, high speed and explosive offence. Our opponent was another version of the team we played yesterday, boys a couple years older than us. However in the second game of back to back games in the last couple days, the exhaustion from playing so many games, and the lingering sickness hanging around the group, showed as we struggled for energy in the second half. That was until the last few minutes when we got within three with 6 seconds to play.

After spending an action packed day in Disneyland, we drove to the Hilton near the airport where we spent the night. We were up early yesterday for the quick flight in land to Las Vegas. We lost Davis' luggage but it eventually showed up. We stepped out of the terminal and the slot machines were already in front of us!! On our way to The Orleans Hotel (out accommodation for the week), we saw the infamous MGM Grand, Bellagio and New York New York hotels along the strip. Our hotel was a lot bigger than anything we've ever seen and we were blown away by it's enormity and presence in the city.

The varsity team had a game yesterday afternoon and Xavier can give you that match report. We had a buffet dinner and then were straight to bed. This morning we had a sleep in and a 9am breakfast. The JV team had a game against a Victorian team from Australia where we lost in a bad game for all. Watch out for my match report soon. After a genuine pool session we had a quick lunch and were off to watch the varsity game. I'll let Xavier fill you in. Tonight we've got a rest night and we've had a solid dinner to top off a good day. We have a busy day tomorrow.

Greetings to all back home in Australia from Las Vegas, Nevada.

Benny Krieger

Friday Review for Varisity

Varsity Day Review
Friday was an action packed day here in Los Angeles as our while schedule was full from dawn to dusk. We began with an early start, waking up at six o'clock that was meet with grunts and mumbling as we prepared for our training session with NAIA division 1 school Concordia Irvine. We were met with an intense skills session, incorporating teamwork and personal skills aspects into the drills, highlighted by the 'relaying' technique Concordia use, which requires everyone to relay the message to the rest of the team. The session really hammered into us the importance of focusing on detail and ensuring the intensity is high the whole time. After we showered and got changed we were given a taste of the college lifestyle, treated to an entertaining chapel service, and lunch at their awesome cafeteria. We were free to sit amongst the students and many of the boys enjoyed chatting to the students about college life. However the most eye-opening aspect of our tour was watching the training session of the Concordia team, which really displayed how hard you have to play, and how dedicated you have to be to play at the next level. We then boarded the bus and headed to the hotel to get ready for our game.

The game against Trubuco Hills was a back and forward affair as both teams experienced big runs. The first half was tight as Churchie ran hard after 2 days off. The second half began poorly for Churchie, as we went from 4 down to 16 down in 7 minutes as Trubuco Hills took the momentum. However Churchie mounted a furious comeback led by the White Brothers, and we got it back to 4. Nonetheless the comeback tired the boys out and couldn't get the lead back. The boys should be proud about their effort, which was as close to the perfect 10 we strive for before each game.

We put the lose behind us, and headed to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. The food was delicious, but the entertainment between Benee and William, and the waitress provided the entertainment for the meal.


After dinner we headed to the Mater Dei vs host team Mission Viejo, which blew away the team. The stadium was packed, the crowd was insane and the player responded with great play. The evening was capped off with the attention we received from American girls, Benee exhibiting his trademark 'game' with the ladies. However Benee was outgamed by William, who was like a magnet for the girls, who were drawn in by his Aussie accent and supposed 'cuteness' he possessed. Will soon lost count of how many kisses on the cheek he received and the amount of girls on his arms.

Xavier
           

Game 4 Junior Varsity vs Sage Hill Freshman

We won against Sage Hill in our first game and won against their freshman team so we were hoping we could come out and play their Junior Varsity team on Friday night. Unfortunately they couldn't get their JV team out to play so we were up against the same team as Tuesday with some new additions. Nevertheless, Sage Hill were competitive and played with goodwill and sportsmanship until the end.

Tommy Grant was solid as usual on the inside and almost finished a breakaway jam but was fouled - he made both to clinch the play. Patty Gibney also came close to a fastbreak jam but ended up having to lay it up and in when he realized he wasn't high enough. We loved the effort though. Zac Laird played lock down D and initiated many fastbreak opportunities. Andrew Adams stepped into the starting slot to replace Boston who was out sick with a stomach bug and Andy did a good job on offense and defense especially by containing the ball handler on all occasions. Anthony White communicated so well all game and made our offense very organized in the 3rd quarter when Sage changed up their defense. Dylan Evans ran the lanes excellently and scored a ton of fastbreak points by going this. KB played hard as always and came up with tough rebounds and played the break well with nice assists on the outlets and breakaway points. Nick Davis shot down a pair of 3's and imposed himself on the defensive end.

We won this game by around 40 but more importantly, after the game Sage took us out for pizza where we made some good friendships and learnt about life in America first hand. All the players and parents of Sage were terrific people and it was a pleasure to play against them and meet all the parents.

Final Score:
70-32

Junior Varsity vs Mission Viejo JV Game Recap:

Coming off back to back wins, our team was ready for the challenge that we knew Mission Viejo would present. We were also tired though; this game being our 3rd in 3 days. It was going to be a hard fought match from the beginning. 

We came out hard and got out to a 10 point lead mainly thanks to Tommy Grant pulling down tough rebounds and traveling coast to coast on several early possessions. Patty Gibney and Zac Laird set the tone on defense as always, with Patty knocking down a two 3's and Zac coming up with lots of steals and fastbreak points. Boston was excellent once again on the inside, battling with their strong and physical No.45. Anthony White was cool and calm off the bench as always and brought in his trademark cheeky defense, sneaking in behind the big men and stealing some excellent opportunities from them. Andrew Adams was lights out again on his shooting and kept us in our offense when it looked like the play was breaking down. Nick Davis was solid with his shot and contributed well defensively by chesting his man and staying in front of him at all times - great work Davis. Dylan Evans provided hustle as usual on the offensive boards and playing lock down defense the duration of the game. James KB was strong and tough and physical in this game and battled doggedly in all his appearances on the court which is an invaluable thing for this team. KB's effort and intensity has been a key part of our success. 

Unfortunately, despite me writing up all these excellent things that everyone did, we were not able to win this game. Despite leading by over 10 at one point, Mission Viejo was just too strong in the end as their defense cranked up in the second half and we ran out of legs. Despite this, it was probably out best game in terms of effort and more importantly - it was a terrific learning experience which is the fundamental reason for the tour. Mission Viejo were brilliant hosts and were very friendly, making us feel welcome and bonding with our team in an extension of friendship greatly appreciated by us all. 

We play Sage Hill Junior Varsity in 2 hours. Sorry for not posting sooner everyone. Look out for my match report later this afternoon your time. 

Yours truly,

Ben Krieger

Quote of the Day December 5th:

KB: "We bought so many doughnots that we're going to sell them"
Everyone else: "For how much?"
KB: "Well we bought them from $10 so I'm going to sell them at half price. So $6 please."


Shoutout to all the JV parents - it's an early night here in America as we have an early start so I will be writing the match report for the latest JV game tomorrow. Sorry.

Benny Krieger

Varsity vs Crenshaw Match Report
Our 2nd game of the tour was extremely similar to our first game against Mater Dei, with the opposition being very athletic and talented. However, the Churchie boys arrived ready to play, playing some very aggressive and intense basketball in the first quarter. Shoutout to Ben Volkman who got his first start in his Churchie career, highlighted by some big rebounds. The game was a close affair, as the lead for both teams never got larger than 6. Darryl led the team with 21 points and J-Gouw added 12 with 3 trizzies. Jordan and Ethan provided great energy off the bench after William was forced off the court after a scary fall, thankfully he is alright. Sam added his trademark inside defence and Jeremy was his usual consistent self.

Varsity vs Mater Dei Match Report

The anticipation of playing the 3rd ranked team in the country had been mounting for the last few weeks, and the excitement reached a fever pitch when we walked into the stadium and witnessed their formidable team.  Despite our nervousness, Varsity's energy and excitement for a monumental challenge pushed it to the side. The first quarter was like a blur, as our energy surprised the 3rd best high school team, as we took an early 11-5 lead. To be leading such a great team in the first quarter, is a great achievement and we should be proud, however Mater Dei soon clicked into action, and scored almost 20 unanswered points. Mater Dei's momentum continued into the 2nd quarter as they pushed their lead out. The second half was a significantly more even affair as the Churchie boys only lost the second half by 10. It was an awesome team effort to compete with elite players, and the game will really set us up well for the rest of the tour, now that we are ready for the style of play in America. The highlights of the game includes William McDowell-White's And-1 jam (17 points), Darryl's offensive flair that includes multiple 3's, and J-Gouw's classic corner 3's. The end score was 89-48.
Xavier

 

Checked in at Newport Beach this morning for a late breakfast and then a swim. Back to the hotel after to prepare for the Junior Varsity vs Mission Viejo JV game.

New section of the tour that I have decided to add is quote of the day. I will be adding the funniest quote each night for everyone back home.

Wednesday 4th December Quote of the Day:

Anthony: "What room number are you in Boston?"
Boston: "Mine."


Benny Krieger

Shout out to everyone back home to keep an eye on the 'Tour Photos' tab at the top of the web page over the rest of the tour as I will be updating this daily now that I have figured out how it works. Sorry for the lack of photos.

Benny Krieger

Junior Varsity Game 2 vs El Toro

Our first back to back of our careers was an enjoyable one to say the least. We took the court after enduring Chewie's unbearable swim session the night before, and protein fueled recovery session. Everyone had a restful morning at the hotel.

We knew El Toro would be made of tougher stuff than Sage Hill and we came out of the blocks very hard.

Zac Laird had active hands on D and stole several consecutive possessions by El Toro that led to fastbreak layups for everyone on the team. Tommy Grant followed up his beast game last night with another solid performance even with a sore quad, showing dominance and class on the inside. Boston has been our best in the first two games, scoring basket after basket after basket. His rebounding and defense has been invaluable. Patty Gibney turned in a double double with 10 points and 14 rebounds - 8 of those rebounds being offensive. We won't hear the end of this performance from patty. Nick Davis was big with his shooting all night and continued his impressive defensive run through this game and in the 4th quarter when El Toro was pressing for a win. Anthony White ran the point brilliantly again, steadying the ship in the 4th quarter by slowing the play and allowing us crucial offensive possessions. Dylan Evans played hard again and contributed on the defensive end as always with brilliant lock down D. Andrew Adams brought his lights out shooting and cool head to the court after missing our first game, making some epic offensive plays throughout the game. KB surprised us all with his ball handling and court vision, by busting out off his own rebounding and throwing stunning passes on the break on numerous occasions.

Karl and Mitch made sure that this game it was about us as we wanted again, focusing on our own game and where we needed to improve.

Today's game was a good follow up from last nights game and we all agree that our defense is winning our games at the moment. This is where we can improve by executing on offense.

Final score: Churchie def El Toro 58-36

Yours truly,
Ben Krieger

Patty was looking for some biceps at Orange Shopping Mall when we found the gym section of the sporting outlet store. He didn't find any biceps obviously.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWQPkFETgeI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Link for the Varsity vs Mater Dei game for all parents.

Junior Varsity Game 1 Recap:

Coming up against Sage Hill High School, the boys and I were stunned when we drove into the school grounds by the huge buildings and unbelievable view of LA. We walked into the stadium and were massively impressed by the state of the art court and facilities at Sage Hill.

After the game outline and rev up from Karl and Mitch, the game was underway. We jumped out to an early lead and held it for the remainder of the game. Tommy Grant was a beast inside as usual, asserting his dominance inside the paint. Boston was excellent with brilliant FT% and strong offensive rebounds that allowed as a ton of second chance points. Zac Laird was his speedy self and came up with numerous steals on the defensive end, finishing with delicious passes to finish the fast breaks. Patty Gibney locked down defensively in the second half and steadied the ship in the 3rd quarter after a few rough possessions. Anthony White was talkative as always and provided good leadership, contributing as always on the defensive end, with steals and pressure D. Dylan Evans was solid in his game and hustled after every ball - particularly off our own misses, getting to the line after strong plays to the hoop. Nick Davis surprised us all with his outstanding defensive contribution and it paid off for him on the offensive end where he played fantastically all game long.  James KB offered one of the highlights of the tour in the 3rd quarter. KB stole the ball on three consecutive defensive possessions, finishing on the break in the first two and adding an assist to Dylan on the last one. Absolutely superb stuff from the big fella. Unfortunately, Andrew Adams went down with a stomach bug early in the 1st and had to sit out the rest of the game. His shooting was missed in this game and we look forward to seeing him next game.

Karl and Mitch were intuitive and insightful as always and as a team, we know how we are going to improve next game.

Yours truly,
Ben Krieger

Patty showed us what he's got in his new Alex English jersey. He looks small doesn't he?

The JV team at lunch today at the mall while the varsity boys rested up back at the hotel.

Days 1 and 2 Recap

After a long but very worthwhile flight, the Varsity and JV teams stepped out into Los Angeles. We managed to survive Mr Bateson, Karl's and Mr Goodrick's driving in the crowded LA transit and went down to Hollywood Boulevard. KB managed to get hustled into buying a $5 CD on the street and we bought a satisfying lunch after a long morning. We blasted off to the Clippers vs Pacers game at the staples centre in what I'm sure all boys will remember as a highlight of the tour. The atmosphere was electric and the game went right down to the wire. Pacers won by 5. We checked into our hotel at Santa Monica and after a walk on the pier we smashed out dinner and were straight to bed.

Day 2 highlighted Anthony befriending Stanley Johnson as Darryl and Will did a good job containing the 9th best high-school player in the nation in the Varsity team's first game. After waking up to Chewie's beautiful choice in breakfast, we checked into Olvera Street where we had another Mexican lunch. Karl bought his sombrero and we were off to Anaheim. We had a short rest and then the game began against Mater Dei - the 2nd best high school team in the US. Ill let Xavier give you the match report for the game. We were home in bed by 11 and that marked the end of day 2.

I write to all the parents, teachers and friends of churchie back home from the Varsity team's second game for the trip. They are currently winning by 1, 60-59 with 3:45 left in the 4th. Xavier will fill everyone in later. Everyone is having a brilliant time and the jetlag fatigue is over. Apologies for the lack of posts on here. Goodrick and I were trying to figure out the gist of the blog. It's 4:48pm over here but 10:48am back home so I'm hoping everyone is reading this right now.

The Junior Varsity team has our first game tonight and Anthony White has asked me to pre-inform you of his 50 point game tonight. Somehow, I don't think that'll happen but look out for my match report on the game later this afternoon your time.

Yours truly,
Ben Krieger

2013 USA Tour departs for the USA

2013 Tourists