Five years ago, when Jeff Jones took his American University basketball team to Europe, it was a veteran group with roles established, led by three players from Lithuania. Monday when the Eagles return to Europe for another summer basketball tour, it will be with a different squad, wide-eyed for many reasons. For one, there are no Europeans on the team. For another, few players have established roles after the departure of four starters.
AU departs Monday for 10 days in the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary. But for Jones, the best part of the trip might have been the 10 days of practice the Eagles were permitted in preparation. There’s plenty to sort out after the departure of Vlad Moldoveanu and Stephen Lumpkins.
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“You don’t try to fit a square peg into a round hole,” Jones said on Sunday. “Clearly we’re gonna have to adjust our approach. We don’t have the same personnel.”
American will play games Wednesday and Thursday in Prague, followed by single games in Vienna and Budapest.
– Kevin Dunleavy
