University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Spain Trip 2008
08/06/2008 | Men's Basketball
PART 1:
PART 2:
PART 3:
DAN GERIOT'S BLOG
Spider junior Dan Geriot did a blog during Richmond's 2008 trip to Spain.
GAME 4: RICHMOND 91, ILLESCAS TOLEDO 77
SpiderTV: HIGHLIGHTS 
| INTERVIEWS
GAME 3: FORD BURGOS 103, RICHMOND 79
SpiderTV: HIGHLIGHTS | INTERVIEWS
GAME 2: CAJA RIOJA 95, RICHMOND 94 (OT)
SpiderTV: HIGHLIGHTS | INTERVIEWS
GAME 1: RICHMOND 101, USA TOULOGUES PERPIGNAN 78
SpiderTV: HIGHLIGHTS | INTERVIEWS
SPAIN RECAP
The Spiders, or Las Aranas, as they are known in Spanish, had a very productive trip to Spain in August. Sporting specially-made European-style uniforms that said Las Aranas on the front, Richmond finished the trip 2-2, including a 95-94 overtime loss in which the Spiders overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to force OT.
Richmond showed that it can score points, even without center Dan Geriot, as the Spiders averaged 91.3 points per game in the four contests. Eight of the 11 players in uniform on the trip scored in double-figures at least once. Sophomore Kevin Anderson, the 2008 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, averaged 23.7 points per game on the trip with a pair of 30-point games. Anderson scored 35 points in the overtime loss to Caja Rioja and had 30 points in the 91-77 win over Illescas Toledo.
Junior Justin Harper averaged 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over the first two games before rolling his ankle in the opening minutes of the trip's third game. Redshirt freshman Conor Smith showed his long-range shooting ability making 15 three-pointers over the first three games of the trip and averaging 11.8 points per game. Conor Smith had a 21-point effort on seven three-pointers and an 18-point night on six treys.
Redshirt freshman Josh Duinker, an Australian who joined the team in January, averaged 11.0 points and 6.0 boards per game, narrowly missing a double-double in the second game with 11-points and nine rebounds. Duinker showed that he can score inside and outside, making a pair of three-pointers in the win over Illescas Toledo to close the trip.
Sophomore Kevin Smith averaged 10.0 points per game and 6.3 rebounds, while senior David Gonzalvez came off an injury prior to the trip to average 9.5 points, including 19 points in the trip finale.
Not only was the trip beneficial to the Spiders on the court, but off the court it served as 12 days of bonding for the players and coaches. "This trip was terrific, not just because of how well our guys played, but because of what they got to experience," Richmond head coach Chris Mooney said.
Said Anderson, "I think we've been bonding great this year, as we bond off the court, we bond on the court."
TRIP PREVIEW
The Richmond men's basketball team is heading across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday to spend 10 days in Spain.
The Spiders will benefit from the experience both on and off the basketball court, playing four games and having ample time for experiencing the Spanish culture. The trip includes stops in Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, Bargos, along with Perpignan, France.
The Spiders, or Las Aranas as they will be known in Spain, will play one club team and three professional squads during their visit.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for the players, not just from a basketball standpoint, but also having the chance to visit another country and experience a different culture," Mooney said. "We're obviously looking forward to getting over there, do some sightseeing and representing ourselves well on the basketball court."
The NCAA allows teams going on foreign tours 10 practices leading up to the trip. Mooney believes the Spiders have gotten a lot out of their summer practices and looks forward to seeing what Richmond does against international competition.
"Practices have been going very well," Mooney said. "It's a unique situation to be able to have normal practices in the middle of the summer and we're definitely taking advantage of the time we have. There has been great energy and you can really see the improvement in everybody, especially the guys making the transition to their sophomore year."
While incoming freshmen Francis Cedric Martel and Darrius Garrett are prohibited from practicing with the team or taking part in the trip due to NCAA rules, 6-foot-11 red-shirt freshman Josh Duinker is permitted since he was enrolled at Richmond during the spring semester.
After arriving in Barcelona on Monday, the Richmond contingent will experience Spanish culture for the first few days of the excursion. The Spiders will play their first game on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. ET against USA Toulouges Perpignan, just over the Spanish border in Perpignan, France.
Richmond will then play three games in three days to wrap up the trip. The Spiders' second game will be on Monday, Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. ET against Caja Rioja in the Spanish city of Zaragoza. The Spiders play in the city of Burgos against Ford Burgos at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday and take on Illescas Toledo on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 3 p.m. in Madrid.
Be sure to check RichmondSpiders.com throughout the trip for updates, including video, photos and a blog by Spider junior Dan Geriot.
