The Boys Are Back in Town, March Is Here, and Two Dub Week - Blog #21 (Mar. 10 - 16)

Basketball Update:

It was a big week for us. In our first matchup on Wednesday against the last team we have not played against this year, Donar Groningen. Big matchup because we play them again this Friday in our biggest game of the year thus far in the Dutch cup semifinals. We traveled roughly three hours way up north to get to the game. I had my worst foul trouble game of the season. I was really trying not to foul, but I couldn't last more than two minutes without committing a foul. Just one of those games... but! Everyone else played well, stepped up, and we got the win. We probably could have won the game by 20+ points but ended up winning, 74-65.

Then, Saturday was also a big game because Oostende is in first place. They have the biggest budget in the league and have been the best team in Belgium for a couple of decades now. Their point guard, Marijn Ververs, played for Leiden his whole life and is from here. It was his first game playing back here, so the matchup was marketed well, and we had a sold-out crowd. They had a couple of injuries, and we did too. We won the game 87-74. I played much better this game, and we had a lot of people contribute to the win. I did get elbowed in the chin and chipped one of my molars. My chin was bleeding pretty bad too, so I had to miss most of the second quarter getting the bleeding to stop. I was able to go back in bandaged up. Dutch cup this weekend... semis on Friday and championship on Sunday.

Leadership Lesson:

I do not know if I can fully express the feeling I had watching Colorado State win the MW tournament. Completely elated and overjoyed for all the people who are part of that program. Watching them celebrate and knowing all of the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that my former teammates and coaches have put in was one of the most satisfying things ever. After reflecting on their championship win, my leadership takeaway was that character matters. I took a leadership class while at Hillsdale, and my teacher always said that leadership is character. Character is made up of a myriad of factors like wisdom, courage, kindness, honesty, etc. I will not spend time dissecting what good versus bad character is. Medved (head coach at CSU) has always said he will never sacrifice character for talent in recruiting. This is something that Coach Tharp (head coach at Hillsdale) also believed in. However, I often doubted if you could win at the Div I level while having these principles. This championship served as validation that character wins. Many people view leadership as an innate quality that people are born with. We see a leader as someone who talks the most or acts as an alpha. I think leadership can be simply defined as good character. I am so glad that it worked out for the Rams.

Top 5 of the Week:

March Madness Games in My Life

1. CSU vs. Virginia 2024 - My only March Madness win, and it was a fun one. Getting to end Tony Bennett's career was something I will never forget. Even though none of us thought we would have to go to Dayton for the First Four, I am glad we did. The vibes after that blowout win going to the team plane were unmatched. An unforgettable experience to say the least.

2. Oakland vs. Kentucky 2024 - I actually didn't get to watch this game because it was going on during our game against Texas (tough one), but I did see a couple of the clips on the scoreboards in the arena when we came out of the locker room after our game ended. I could not believe it, but then again, I could. To see one of my best friends doing what he does best on that stage was amazing. Jack Gohlke will live in the March Madness history books because of this performance.

3. Wisconsin vs. Kentucky 2015 - The Badgers upset Anthony Davis and undefeated Kentucky in the Final Four in one of the best college games ever. I remember watching at Matt Johnston's house and running around with our shirts off outside after the game. That Kentucky team had so much hype, and Frank Kaminsky was a hero of mine. What a game.

4. North Carolina vs. Villanova 2016 - The game for the National Championship that ended in a buzzer-beater win for Nova. Anytime that happens, it deserves to be on this list.

5. Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Purdue 2023 - #16 seed takes down #1 seed with National POY. Absolutely unbelievable and the epitome of March Madness in one game. An amazing game that is truly iconic.

What Else Did I Do This Week?

Two of my favorite teammates ever, Jacob Ngobi and Cole Nau, from Hillsdale came out to visit me along with my former Hillsdale assistant coach, Eric Weiss, who is currently living in London. They got into town Friday morning, so we were able to hang a bit before my practice. They had a packed trip, going to three soccer games and two basketball games. They were in London, Manchester, and bounced around both Germany and the Netherlands. On Friday, I got to show them most of Leiden after we grabbed lunch in the center. Everyone who has visited thus far has said that Leiden is a lot bigger than they imagined. It really is a great place to live, and it was great to show them around. We grabbed dinner at a Thai place, Sabai Sabai, after practice, and we came back to our place for them to see. They went to Amsterdam during the day, and I just chilled before the game. After the win, we grabbed a couple of drinks to watch the CSU MW championship game back at our place. It was an awesome game for the Rams, and we won, as I already talked about. We went out for a bit in Leiden and called it a night. I grabbed breakfast with Cole and E before they left Sunday. It was so amazing having them visit and hanging with them. It really felt like old times with the boys at Hillsdale. I miss those guys, but I am excited because we are getting together this summer. It was great that they visited.

After they left, Nikki and I grocery-shopped and went back to the beach to walk, read, and watch the sunset. It was awesome. Nikki and I were talking, and being this close to a beach is something I feel like people do not completely realize about the Netherlands. I definitely did not know it until I got here. Just a heads up, I may or may not do a blog next week because my fam is coming to visit. Super pumped for it, and I may be too busy hanging with them to write one.

Top Meal of the Week:

This meal was kind of last minute because nothing is open on Sunday morning in Europe, but the pancakes at Bar Lokaal were some of the best I have ever had. Gotta go back there at some point.

One Thing I Miss About the States:

I miss March Madness and the college basketball vibes that come with this time of year. I truly believe that college basketball in March is peak sports. Nothing touches it which includes Super Bowl, NBA Playoffs, etc. Rooting for the Rams, Badgers, and some good Cinderella stories. Thanks for reading!