It’s a quiet time for most college athletes. With exams over and many students home for the holidays, basketball players are left to roam free and wreak havoc on campus.
Or not.
“It’s really boring. We’re just playing video games and practicing. That’s all we’re doing,” said American center Paulius Joneliunas. One of three Lithuanian seniors on the team, Joneliunas has had enough of being cooped up with his three roommates and teammates, countrymen Linas Lekavisius and Arvydas Eitutavicius and forward Brayden Billbe. “[Billbe’s] the one who plays the most.”
Despite occasional twinges of homesickness among their foreign contingent, the Eagles (7-3) are looking forward to returning from their break for two tough road contests against Atlantic Coast Conference foes Maryland on Saturday and Virginia on Dec. 28. American’s had nearly two weeks to stew over what went wrong in its last outing. Off to their best start in 17 years, the Eagles stumbled before finals in a 70-53 loss at lowly Yale (2-7), shooting just 34.5 percent and getting outrebounded, 44-30.
“We didn’t come out that strong, and some of the guys didn’t show up, not even play hard,” said Eitutavicius, who scored a team-high 14 points off the bench. “I don’t know what happened there, but we’re definitely excited for the Maryland game.”
While Eitutavicius has become a veritable sixth starter, averaging 10.8 points and 23 minutes per game, Lekavicius has struggled. After working back from a leg injury, he’s now battling a loss of confidence.
“My season has not really gone very well so far,” said Lekavicius, who has just two field goals in the last two games. “I expected something else but the season is long so I still have time to recover and play better. I don’t think I’m playing to my potential right now.”
An opportunity to play at Comcast Center and John Paul Jones Arena in games where the Eagles will be pegged as clear underdogs are two highlights of their season.
“We’ve been practicing hard,” said Lekavicius. “If we’re going to play really well and lose, I don’tthink it’s going to affect us.”
The Eagles’ final tune-ups before their Patriot League slate come on the road at Longwood and home versus St. Francis (Pa.).
