SPORTS
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WWW.GUlLFORDiAN.COM
GuiHbrd basketball athletes representing USA abroad
BY MAILE MUNRO
Staff Writer
"At the end of the day, we just want to win," said senior basketball player Jake
Hopkins.
This sentiment is frequently heard from student-athletes at Guilford College, but
Hopkins' comes from a distinct perspective.
Hopkins, along with junior guard Matt McCarthy and head basketball coach and
director of athletics Tom Palombo, will represent Team USA in a series of overseas
competitions from May 30-June 8.
They will travel with fellow collegiate student-athletes from the United States as part
of USA Athletes International.
The trip includes five games in cities throughout Italy and Austria,
as well as various cultural tours, such as a gondola tour of Venice.
After Palombo accepted the invitation to coach, he had some
liberty to recommend players for the team and extended
offers to players from the Old Dominion Athletic
Conference, including Washington & Lee, Hampden
Sydney and Randolph Macon players.
Previous Guilford athletes have taken advantage
of this opportunity to play internationally
through USAAI, including assistant %
basketball coach Caleb Kimbrough.
"He went over there and made
a good impression as a Guilford
athlete," said McCarthy. "The
USAAI remembered that
and, they've been offering
more Guilford athletes that
opportunity."
A large part of creating those
opportunities is success here
at home.
During his 11 seasons
at Guilford, Palombo
has made a habit of
generating successful
basketball players.
"We have had great
success at Guilford
because of the leadership of our administration and the quality of student-athletes we
have had in our basketball program," said Palombo in an email interview.
Quality athletes and quality coaches make a winning team.
Junior basketball player Will Koppenhaver said that Palombo is a really intelligent
coach.
"He has a system," said Koppenhaver. "If you play well in the system, we win.
"Everybody plays their role and does what they're
expected in the team aspect, and that's why we are
as consistently successful as we are."
Integral to the system are the early morning
workouts and two-a-day practices during the
preseason.
Paiombo's system has led Guilford's
basketball program to two Division III Final
Four appearances and an ODAC league
championship.
To maximize the skills they work so hard
to attain, the basketball team emphasizes
teamwork and fostering a culture of
cooperation among the players.
"Basically we're a family," said McCarthy.
"It's not fun to be up at six in the morning,
but everyone has each other's backs.
"We all expect everyone to be there and
pick each other up when we fall."
Players believe this culture of building
each other up is essential to success.
"We always say we are family," said
Koppenhaver. "When you're dying on the
sideline trying to make a sprint ... everyone's
helping you out."
And those who help each other out in
practice help each other out in the game.
"If teammates have your back in the game
then they will have your back for the rest of your
life," said Hopkins.
Now, Hopkins, McCarthy and Palombo will
take this family spirit and system of basketball
abroad to compete and participate in a brand new
international experience.
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INSIDE SPORTS
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Assistant Coach Leaves
BY NICOLE ZELNiKER
Staff Writer
Day in the Life: Lax Bro
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BY CHASE CLAUSEN
Staff Writer
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Senior
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Closed her season going 3-for-
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league-leading-record double
count at 23