After covering nearly 15,000 miles, three flights, and a jump into Winter, Basketball Tasmania has arrived at Wando. On Friday, December 15, Wando junior varsity and varsity boys as well as the varsity girls had the chance to play against the Australian team.
The team’s visit to Wando is part of a bigger tour in which high schoolers, who are part of Basketball Tasmania, are touring down the East Coast. Tasmanian coach Nic Martin helped to coordinate this.
“It’s a cool opportunity for the kids to play, to get some different competition, [and] get to experience life in the U.S. as well,” Martin said.
This trip of a lifetime allows for students from two different worlds to come together and bond over the sport they both love. Tasmanian varsity player Oliver Freedman recalls the culture shock of first arriving in the U.S.
“It was pretty similar but then when you got out and about it’s really different; different foods, different highways, and things like that…we never say ‘y’all’,” Freeland said.
Basketball Tasmania defeated Wando in girl’s varsity, 50-31, while Wando boys defeated Tasmania in varsity, 60-46, and JV in overtime, 32-29.
The team will continue down the east coast through George and Florida before making their final stop in Walt Disney World.
“We’re spending about seven to eight days all up over here…we play six schools, this is our fifth game….we’ve had varying results,” Martin said.