Scotch College

Basketball with the lot in the USA

A basketball and life experience for 16 Scotch students in America.

Words: WARWICK BARRY • TEACHER IN CHARGE, USA BASKETBALL TRIP, 2007

Sixteen Scotch students, a staff member and two associated sports coaches flew to the USA in early December, where they made up two teams to play six school matches at varsity and junior varsity level.

Basketball in the high-school system in the US differed in some respects to the boys’ experience of basketball in Australia. Players needed to adjust to the fact that there is no shot clock timing limit, that contact is a lot more vigorous in the US, and that rebounding requires waiting until the ball actually hits the edge of the hoop, before you can move. Many players in the USA play with great intensity, as a college place is often at stake. Despite this, both teams experienced a few wins and were very competitive in other games, a pleasing sign for the future of basketball at Scotch.

The boys revelled in the sights and sounds of New York. Times Square was amazing, teeming with people, surrounded by a floodlit world at night, with an interesting array of shops and places to eat. While there, the group saw an NBA game live at Madison Square Gardens between the New York Nicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. We were very pleased to be welcomed on the enormous visual centre console during a game, and fortunate to receive New York Nicks singlets for every team member. Sightseeing included a very moving visit to the World Trade Centre site.

The high-school matches were generally very enjoyable, and we very proud to receive celebrity-like welcomes. One of the most memorable moments was walking into an all-black high school in Washington, DC, the Friendship Public Charter School. Here both our teams met their match against opponents who were incredibly tall, athletically talented and well drilled in the finer points of the game.

For all of us the War Memorials in Washington, DC, were stunning in colour, visually attractive and fitting as monuments. This city was security conscious, with five different policing organisations evident in all sorts of vehicles.

Another enjoyable aspect of the trip for the students was being billeted by families from Kinnelon High School in New Jersey and Bullis School in Washington, DC, a very wealthy school with beautiful grounds and buildings and again very strong basketball teams. A marked contrast was playing at Mount Zion Christian School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where both national anthems were played and both games opened with public prayer.

The game against Grenfell Central High School in rural North Carolina was memorable, not so much because both Scotch teams won, but because the school was only built in 2007 and had brand-new facilities. Also, the after-dinner function put on by the parents of the home teams was truly amazing.

The boys enjoyed good shopping at both Hanes Mall and Concord Mall, and happily made contributions towards boosting the US economy.

On the way back to Australia, the group enjoyed a marvellous time at Disneyland, California Adventureland and Universal Studios in Hollywood, capped off with a flying visit to Santa Monica Place, and for some the Santa Monica Pier.

As the group made their way home, they could reflect on the wonderful experience of mixing with others in a vast country, and learning to adjust their game to the local conditions, in what was an unforgettable trip. GS