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Buller coach Tad Matta on the final game of the Bulldogs’ European tour
Buller basketball coach Tad Matta wrapped up the Bulldogs’ final exhibition game in Athens.
Courtesy of Butler Athletics, Indianapolis Star
Editor’s note: Carmel’s John-Michael Mulloy submitted journal entries for IndyStar during the Butler Bulldogs’ tour of Italy and Greece. This is his last.
Travel day to Greece
As we began our seventh day overseas, it was time to move on. Destination: Athens.
Greece will be new to everyone as some of our coaches and teammates have been to Italy before. We are excited to have another look at life in a different country. Many of us wondered if there would be another culture shock, and many of us wondered if the food would be any good.
We started the day with a three hour drive from Sorrento to Rome. Walking through a regional airport can be difficult, but doing so in a foreign country’s airport is a different ball game.
Many of us tried to use our new Italian when speaking. Several friendly Italians started laughing and then told us where to go in perfect English. . . But at least we tried! Thankfully we made it to our gate on time and boarded our flight to Athens. My highlight was securing an exit seat for this two hour flight so I could fly the whole way in comfort and get a good night’s sleep.
As soon as we landed we had to go through customs. Amazingly, our passports didn’t require a stamp issued by the aggravated staff. We basically got off the plane, and we were good to go.
Welcome to Greece.
As we waited in long queues of Americans, Canadians and UK nationals, our only non-American teammate, Seamas Lukosius, showed us why foreigners are the best at airports. The Lithuanian got in his line with three men in it; He was very pleased with this.
After everyone passed, we met our bus driver, took a nap and headed to the hotel. Travel days really drain your energy.
Game 3 (at Athens)
Day 8 was again a match day and we were excited to see the different opponents. We are excited to hear that the game will be live streamed for friends and family to watch.
While the game was at 3pm in Athens, our friends and family watched the morning game. Fortunately, this time the gym was air-conditioned and we were able to catch the ball without slipping in our hands due to sweat.
Before we tipped, Coach Matta had the same mission and challenge for us: Butler, play basketball, play for each other, go have fun.
We quickly learned that the Greek team was much better than the Italian team. Most of these players were older, stronger and actually better than our previous opponents.
Our team was excited for this challenge and knew we had to play better. The score was added at halftime and we went into the locker room knowing we had to go up. The coach was happy with the way we were playing, but he said that the other team was making us play their game, not ours, by doing physical activity.
We took his words to heart and won the rest of the game by 15. The coach was proud of the criticism and how we handled it in the second half. It was promising to see how we faced adversity for the first time as we had plenty of time throughout the season.
We watched the Greek national team play against Spain. All four Antetokounmpo brothers were there. It was amazing to see how much the Antetokounmpo family means to the Greek people.
Giannis was applauded every time he scored or flipped, and the atmosphere was truly incredible. We got to see how passionate Greeks are about basketball and saw one of the best players in the world.
It was another moment of this trip that we will all remember for a lifetime.
What’s better than a day at the beach? The food
Day 9 was another period of rest and relaxation. We gather in the bus and hang out on the beach most of the day. Of course, my red hair and pale skin didn’t go well with the Mediterranean sea, so I had to find the nearest stand that sold sunscreen.
Some of us basked in the sun, others waded into the crystal-clear waters — some by choice and others by force. We ended up having a team 2v2 competition in sand volleyball and we all got to stick to our first sport.
That night we were on our own for dinner. Myself, Ali Ali and Miles Wilmot walked 20 minutes into town in search of authentic Mediterranean food. We were excited to find a good place and to make sure our server didn’t care what we brought but that it was Greek and good.
Our host smiled from ear to ear and said he was going to hook us up with the best souvlaki. He explained what it was, and we didn’t even need to see a picture. We were sold.
Ham, chicken and gyros served with lettuce, tomato, tzatziki sauce and French fries, seasoned and seasoned and wrapped in warm pita bread. Not many words were spoken at that dinner table. We dived fully into our food and ate quickly. We all looked at each other after eating and agreed it was the best meal we’d ever had, and thought it was okay to ask for more.
Game 4 and Acropolis
We started the day by seeing one of the main sights of Greece, the Acropolis. Not only were the stories and structures amazing to see up close and personal, the views of the city of Athens were jaw-dropping. These are things we’ve only seen in movies, and being given the opportunity to see them in person is something we never take for granted.
After seeing the Acropolis, we headed back to get ready for the final game of our tour. Same sleep, same movie study, same music. We are ready to finish hard together.
Coach ended by telling us that despite their pregame motivation and action, 9,000 fans packed into Hinkle Fieldhouse were the last opponent we’d see until the real deal. This is because we know we have a lot to improve, but we can’t see a team other than ourselves for a while.
The game had its ups and downs but again we ended up winning by 15. It wasn’t perfect but we were 4-0 on the road and learned what we needed to improve on. The coach was critical of what we need to do to be ready for the upcoming season. The last four games have given us a lot of insight into our strengths and weaknesses.
We ended our trip with a group dinner and a view of the Acropolis. It was great to see our whole team – coaches, managers, trainers – laughing and having fun at the long table, not just as a team, but as a family. It is a stronger family because of this trip.
Back to Indy
Finally it was time to go home. While we are all enjoying this trip, many are ready to sleep in our own beds and eat American food.
We went through the airport again, this time we didn’t have a chance to speak Greek and we hoped that someone would speak English. This 11 hour flight was not fun, but at the same time it provided an opportunity to reflect on the past 10 days.
It was amazing to see that each and every one of my teammates and coaches were willing to step out of their comfort zone and be vulnerable at some point. This allowed us to help and encourage each other and bring us closer together. The opportunity our team was given was something we will cherish and appreciate forever. As coach told us, this will be an eternal memory.
Thanks to IndyStar and John Dedman, Associate Athletic Director/Communications, for the opportunity to document my team’s practices. This journal will be something I keep for the rest of my life.
It is always an honor to represent not only Butler basketball, but the entire university and community. Truly defined the Butler way. To the fans, I hope you enjoyed reading about our team’s experience, and we can’t wait to see you all in November.
This trip has given us an insight into our team and our capabilities. We can’t wait to show them off and get Butler basketball back on track. Go Dawgs!
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