If it was helpful for Landon Milbourne, Greivis Vasquez and James Gist, it has to be beneficial for the Maryland basketball team.
Each played overseas this summer, picking up the finer points of basketball against top competition.
“I think that helped each one of us out individually,” said Gist, one of just two senior starters. “I think that?s going to help the team out because we can take what we learned over the summer and we can bring that back to the team. I think we?ll be able to show the team that, because we experienced it first-hand.”
Gist played with the U.S. National team in the Pan American Games, with Vasquez playing for the Venezuelan team in the FIBA Americas Championship and Milbourne competing with the East Coast All-Stars on a 10-day tour through Holland and Belgium.
“I think that was very important to [Milbourne] because he didn?t play a lot of minutes [as a freshman],” Williams said. “Landon is going to be a very important player for us this year.”
Vazquez, who competed against Los Angeles Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant at the FIBA Americas Championship, valued the confidence he gained from playing against some of the world?s top players.
“My confidence is pretty high right now,” Vazquez said. “I?m the type of guy that doesn?t get satisfied. I keep working hard. I know if I keep working hard like I am right now, it?s going to pay off in the season. I really expect myself to do well.”
The 6-foot-8 Gist is one of the most dynamic dunkers in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but he focused on improving his all-around game this summer.
“I learned that even though I may be faster, quicker and canjump higher and am stronger than people I play against, that the physical ability isn?t what matters as much in the game anymore,” Gist said. “They still had an edge on me just because they were smarter than me, as far as basketball goes.”
Gist needs 111 points to reach 1,000 for his career, and is going to be asked to be one of the team?s go-to players this winter.
“A leader isn?t somebody that has to do everything perfect,” Gist said. “A leader just has to set the bar high enough and guide the team to victory. I want to be able to help this team to win.”
