Long Beach State University Athletics
Spaghetti & Beachballs: The Adventures of Beach Basketball in Italy
8/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Long Beach State women's basketball team is currently on their foreign tour throughout Italy and Slovenia. The tour, which was organized by Passion Hoops International, features stops in Pordenone, Venice, Milan, Pisa, Florence and Rome. Below are the players' accounts of their experiences during the trip.
Day 8 - Game Day vs. Kranj Triglav (Slovenia) | 
Photo Gallery
Long Beach State wrapped up its foreign tour with a 64-58 win over Kranj Triglav in Slovenia on Wednesday evening.
Jessica Gertz and Chantel Dooley tied for the team lead with 14 points each. Dooley was 4-for-6 from the floor and made all four of her free throws in only 11 minutes of action. Gertz was also 5-for-8 from the field, including a 4-of-5 performance from 3-point range. Alex Sanchez added eight points, while Anna Kim had seven points and five assists. Jewelyn Sawyer led the 49ers with seven rebounds, and Chanterria Jackson chipped in six points and six boards.
Long Beach State once again won the battle on the boards (32-28) and finished with 12 steals.
Both teams got off to a slow start as the score was knotted at 3-3 nearly halfway through the first quarter. Kranj then went on a 12-2 run over the next three-plus minutes to pull ahead, 15-5. The Beach chipped away and closed the gap to four, but the home team was able to get the final bucket at the buzzer for a 21-15 advantage.
In the second period, Kranj went back up by 10 before LBSU used a 9-2 spurt, capped by a Sanchez jumper, to make it 33-30 at the 2:00 mark. After trading baskets, Kranj scored the final four points of the period for a 39-32 cushion at the break.
Long Beach State came out ready to go in the second half as they opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run to go on top, 40-39. The 49ers ended up outscoring their opponent, 20-to-8, over the 10-minute stretch and led 52-47 at the end of three. LBSU would not relinquish that lead in the final period and went up by as many as eight in the 64-58 win.
By Alex Sanchez
This has been a trip to remember... I am so blessed and lucky to have had this opportunity, to be able to say I went on a foreign tour with a great group. I am not going to lie, dealing with a lot of different personalities can be really difficult but at the end of the day no one will remember the bad, but only the good! And this was a great way to show people's personalities and find out what they do and do not like. I can literally write a whole book about this trip but I am going to make it short and to the point :)
This trip made me realize how much the team has grown the last five years and to be able to say I was a part of that is something I will always carry with me. Being able to still have an impact with my teammates and the new freshmen makes me so happy because I am leaving a legacy that will hopefully stay with them forever, not just about basketball but more advice about school, family and just life. Hearing from a freshmen who I barley met say, "I learned a lot from you, that was great advice," makes who I am so much better. Being able to talk to each and every one of my teammates about anything and everything goes to show the bond and relationships I have with them. They all know I am always here for them no matter what. I will always be a phone call, text or dinner away to catch up and be their mentor. Being able to give back and make sure this program is going in the right direction is something I will always invest my time in.
My last wave, at the end of our last game, in the locker room I got emotional (of course, if anyone that knows me, I am tough and strong but also have the biggest heart and get emotional when it comes to things I love the most) and I love this program, this was "me," all my time was invested into this program (and I wouldn't have had it any other way) and to think this won't happen again made me cry, but at the same time so happy because of all the memories that will stay with me, all the relationships I have built and because of the person I have become. No more momma Alex, now it's time for my little ones to be the leaders I know they can be and to keep it moving forward. This is going to be a great season... I am so confident in this team and I can't wait to be sitting, court side, yelling at the refs and cheering on my "babies." #nomatterwhatstaytogether
Previous Entries
Aug. 18, 2015
Day 7 - Game Day vs. Grosuplje (Slovenia) | Photo Gallery
In the 49ers' second game of their foreign tour, Jewelyn Sawyer had a monster performance as she finished with a double-double to lead the Beach to a 75-49 win over Grosuplje Tuesday evening in Pordenone, Italy.
Grosuplje is a professional basketball team based in Grosuplje, Slovenia.
Sawyer, who played 27 minutes, registered 22 points and 12 rebounds, including six offensive boards. She was 9-for-14 from the floor.
Chanterria Jackson nearly had a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Martina McCowan added 10 points and six boards, while Gigi Hascheff totaled eight points, seven rebounds and four steals. McCowan and Hashceff each made a pair of threes.
Long Beach State finished with 25 offensive boards and ended up outrebounding Grosuplje, 54-to-39. The 49ers also had 17 steals.
LBSU struck first with a jumper from Anna Kim at the 9:24 mark of the first quarter. Grosuplje then took a 4-2 lead with 7:29 remaining, but Jackson would end a nearly three-minute scoring drought for both teams to knot the score. It proceeded to go back-and-forth before the 49ers closed out the period on a 12-6 spurt to pull ahead, 21-15. The Beach quickly built on that lead with a McCowan 3-pointer in the first minute of the second quarter. LBSU stayed out front and held a 36-26 advantage at the break.
Long Beach State kept its momentum in the second half as it went on a 14-4 run, capped by a Chantel Dooley jumper, to open up a 50-30 lead. Grosuplje was able to cut the deficit to 14 at the end of the third period, but the 49ers scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter to go up, 64-41. LBSU cruised the rest of the way to the 75-49 victory.
I woke up this morning and the first thing I did was text my mom GAMEDAY! Being out of the country for nine days has really made me realize how much I would miss my family if I were to play overseas, but playing basketball is so rewarding I wouldn't want to miss an experience like this.
Today was a more relaxing day compared to all the other fun-filled days in Italy, but it was a purposeful one. I had a small European breakfast before I went out to explore the beautiful City of Pordenone before we left for shoot around. At shoot around I think we learned as a team and improved our basketball IQ. We have a team tradition to shoot half court shots at the end of our shoot around. I was the only one to make a half court shot today and I think that was a sign that today was going to be a good day for me.
After shoot around I couldn't wait to eat! The small breakfast that I had did not satisfy my hunger as a student-athlete. We went to a nice restaurant for our pre-game meal and we all had gnocchi with meat sauce. For an appetizer we had salami, mozzarella balls, prosciutto and bread. Everything was delicious! When I was done I walked back to the hotel ready to take a nap because the food was so good but I could not fall asleep. I was too excited about our second international game. I told one of my teammates that we had to win no matter what tonight. Our first game was physical so I mentally prepared myself for another physical and aggressive game.
I think as a team we all played hard and competed on every inch of the floor. From girls flying after rebounds to getting steals on defense in our full court press, we were the definition of hustle. The most memorable play in the game for me was when I ran between three girls to get a loose ball. I tapped the ball over all three of their heads and went to go chase it down. I was ahead of everyone else and had a wide-open lay up. Fast break lay-ups are the scariest lay-ups sometimes because you don't want to ruin a great play you or a teammate just made, but I was confident about this one. I was actually very confident this whole game because I know my teammates are going to play with heart and bring an indescribable energy to the court that I love. They are more than my teammates, they are my sisters, and together this team is a FAMILY. .. and it always feels amazing to Win!!!!
Aug. 17, 2015
Day 6 - Florence | Photo Gallery
Today, we went to explore and shop in beautiful Florence (Firenze). We left Rome at about 11:15 a.m. and arrived in Florence around 3 p.m. On the long bus ride, we played cards and rested up so we would be prepared.
While in Florence, we saw the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which had many paintings and religious figures. We also saw the statue of David (replica) on our way to visiting Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence. During our walk, we stopped to eat gelato and visit the carts selling souvenirs. After we traveled in a big group for a little while, we broke up into smaller groups to go shop on our own. We visited stores like Gucci, Prada, Foot Locker and more. As we walked through Florence, we were stopped multiple times by vendors on the street. Florence was beautiful and had a lot to offer. Our day in Florence was fun and educational at the same time.
Our day today began in Rome. Half of the team woke up early to do some shopping while the other half slept in. Once everyone was awake and ready to go we left Rome and headed to Florence. Personally, I love the bus rides. To me, they are the most entertaining. I enjoy all the card games, joke telling and I guess just the overall bonding time.
Shopping is also one of my favorite things to do and over the past few days we have been doing a lot of it. However, shopping in Florence was very different from shopping in Rome. The Florence stores were more up to date and caught my attention a lot quicker. They had Gucci, Michael Kors, Coach, Polo and much more. Overall, today was very eventful and I can't wait for the water park!
Aug. 16, 2015
Day 5 - Rome | Photo Gallery
Hey y'all! Today we were in Rome and yes, it was just as cool as it sounds! When we first got to Rome, we saw the ancient Roman Wall and many other buildings that looked so authentic. The roads were original roads. They weren't reconstructed so it was all brick-type roads to drive and walk on, the same exact ones the Romans walked on. Next up: THE ROMAN COLOSSEUM!
We went inside the Colosseum and it was so cool to actually see it after reading and hearing all about it. Our tour guide said it only took eight years to build, I thought that was absolutely crazy! There were holes in the walls as well, which were from iron clamps that were stolen years ago. Seeing the Colosseum was such a cool experience, I can't believe I actually saw it! After the Colosseum, we saw Piazza Navona, the Roman Courthouse & many other historical places!
After visiting some of the famous places in Rome, we went to a restaurant named Maccheroni for lunch. A lot of us ordered different types of pasta, it was so good! We then went inside The Vatican. It was crazy how big and detailed everything was. It was amazing to see in person! While we were there, an actual mass was taking place. That was interesting to see and hear for a few minutes. The Vatican sculptures and details on the walls and ceilings were so interesting to look at.
Later in the day, we got to walk around and shop in Rome! Gelato was a must, and then we went to a bunch of little stores throughout Rome. They had a bunch of stands and booths of all kinds of things! There were souvenirs, bracelets, pictures/paintings, and so many more cool things.
Today was so fun! I've always read, learned and heard about Rome, but actually seeing it was such a cool experience, as well as this whole trip. Being in Italy is definitely a once in a lifetime experience. I am so thankful to be here with this team and it makes me even more excited for season and my next four years at Long Beach State!
By Aaryon Green
We have arrived in the city of Rome!!! This city is absolutely beautiful and amazing. We got to visit the Colosseum, St. Peter's Square and The Vatican. There was so much history to be told about these places. The architecture in the Colosseum was interesting to me. Built in 70 A.D. and finished eight years later, I found that incredible because a place like that, I would have thought would take at least 35 years to build. Back then the Colosseum was used for entertainment.
After the Colosseum, we headed over to St. Peter's Square, which I thought was absolutely remarkable. The work that they put in towards the building was very detailed. Then we headed to lunch at Maccheroni. The food there was really good. The spaghetti I had was different from the American way. Instead of it being just tomato sauce, it was oil, garlic and chile sauce.
We headed to The Vatican after lunch which I was looking forward to visiting. The Vatican by far was my favorite place, it was so much to take in, I couldn't believe it. From the ceilings to the floor was filled with great art. The place was huge and down below were tombs of the past Popes. The statues and paintings told various stories of what life was like back then and I thought it was really cool. The history here can't compare to anything I've learned about in school. Rome has been my favorite place so far.
Aug. 15, 2015
Day 4 - Leaning Tower of Pisa | Photo Gallery
This morning we packed up our bags and headed to Pisa. We spent a good amount of time on the bus, but after a few hours we made it to Pisa - the place where we got to see one of Europe's most recognizable images and explore another place rich in history!
We reached The Piazza del Duomo that was nicknamed "Field of Miracles," or "Campo dei Miracoli," which is a huge, perfectly watered green lawn that has five grand buildings: The Duomo (Cathedral), the bell tower (the Leaning Tower), the Baptistery, the Museum, and the Camposanto Cemetery. The buildings are made from white marble and were designed with such detail that it's hard for me to wrap my head around the amount of time that was spent creating this place. Everywhere I look holds so much beauty that no picture could begin to capture it.
We got to walk inside the Cathedral and the Baptistery, which was exciting because these are two of Pisa's most important sights. Also, seeing the iconic Leaning Tower was unreal.
After our sightseeing, we made a quick stop to shop and of course got some gelato. There were two main streets for tourists to shop. I found some post cards, a keychain and a bracelet. On our way back to the bus, we grabbed some pizza. It. Was. Amazing. Let me tell you, after eating pizza in Italy, it will be hard to have it anywhere else because the quality just won't compare. This was my second day in a row eating pizza, and tomorrow I don't plan on killing the streak.
Everyday keeps getting better. Everyday my eyes are opened up more to different cultures and parts of the world that I've been blind to. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to experience, to learn and grow both on and off the court, individually and collectively.
Today I woke up in a castle, but only because we stayed in one last night! We started our morning with a long bus ride to Pisa where we saw the Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistery, where inside the echo travels. One of the workers started to sing and the it traveled through the church, which sounded absolutely beautiful.
Each and every building had something unique about it that I enjoyed. For instance, the Tower leaned, the Cathedral had beautiful paintings inside and the Baptistery had a huge ceiling where the sound traveled. Today we didn't do as much as the others, but I think we saw one of the most famous world marks. Can't wait `till Rome tomorrow!
Aug. 14, 2015
Day 3 - Expo Milano 2015 | Photo Gallery
Today we went to the World Expo in Milan. I started the day with true Italian pizza. There are no words to describe the delicious taste of how perfect both the sauce and cheese melts in your mouth. It was truly amazing! I will definitely be a food snob when we return to the States.
After my stomach was full, a group of us headed to look at the different expos. Before the day started I did not know the question of the day would be, "Which country next?" So, I headed to France. It was incredible. The architecture was insane. The France expo was for sure my favorite. My mom loves France, so I got her an apron to cook in. That was one of the best parts, buying gifts for my family. This trip has been so much fun thus far, and today has been my favorite as of now! Rome tomorrow!
By Raven Benton
My day in Italy today was amazing. We all ate a European breakfast at our hotel, made sure we had packed all of our stuff and left at 8:30 for our four hour bus trip to Milan. During the bus trip most of us slept but one thing I love about being in another country is that most of the time our phone is not in service so we have to find stuff to do together. I got woken up by my teammates playing an intense card game. They were having way too much fun. We later on arrived at the Milan World Fair. It was absolutely breathtaking. So many different countries you can visit and see what their culture was like. For instance, we went to Argentina and they were doing an interesting musical performance with drums. They started out having a crowd and then brought their crowd to their stage while still drumming. It was really cool and we loved it.
We also explored the food, tasting the delicious Italian pizza and my teammates then tried mini pancakes which were served with Nutella or a vanilla icing. We also visited our own country, America, where they tried to show the world how we operate somewhat and we talked to a lot of people from LA who were working there. Later on my teammates and I got henna tattoos on our hands from India which came out to be a really beautiful design that lasts about a week on our skin. After we enjoyed our day at the Milan World Fair we took the bus to our hotel that was built in the year 1000, which is four times older than America. We then ate dinner together as a group, enjoyed our time together and departed to our rooms. Today was a great experience and I enjoyed it very much with my teammates and coaches.
Aug. 13, 2015
Day 2 - Day Trip to Venice | Photo Gallery
Day 3 in Italy! Today was a HUGE day on our foreign trip. We hopped on an 8:30 train to Venice and spent the entire day there. We started off with tours of the amazing city. The first destination was this church that dates back to as early as the 1600s (Basilica San Marco). The attention to detail and mosaics on the building were absolutely breathtaking. The church is actually sinking! The floors fill with small pools of water when the tide is high. The thought of being in a sinking church was rather odd but worth it nonetheless because of the beauty of the structure. Just walking the streets of Venice, we got to experience so much history and culture. The architecture and uniqueness of each building was my favorite part of the scenery.
We had a tour guide named Alena, who is a Venetian local. As if Venice wasn't breathtaking enough, she opened our minds and made Venice such a rewarding and appreciative trip. Everyone was experiencing something new, especially when it came to food! At lunch today, the girls had a choice between pasta and fried fish. Most of the girls chose pasta, but for those who had the fried fish, they were in for a surprise. Their fried fish is a town favorite and it consists of fried calamari, shrimp and small fish... including the head and bones! It was fun to see people step out of their comfort zones and try something new. I'm looking forward to what else Italy has in store for us!
This Italy trip holds a very special spot in my heart because I have a thirst for adventure, experiences and making memories. It is such an amazing opportunity to be able to travel abroad with a group of ladies who grind on and off the court as a team every day. I am so thankful to be making memories like these with my team! After lunch we walked to a location that was forbidden to the rest of the city. The owners were wonderful enough to let our team take a first glance at the almost renovated building with the oldest basketball gym in Italy! The floor is actually upstairs and was said to be very bouncy because of the elastic-like floors. The walls were all painted the same way. They were painted hundreds of years ago. It made me appreciate how far the game has come, especially for women.
If there is anything you should remember from this blog, it should be how grateful I am to be here and how insanely in love I am with the gelato here... Excited for tomorrow's adventures and more gelato.
After our exclusive tour of the oldest gym in Europe, we walked to the gondolas. The famous Venetian gondolas were beautiful. There were six girls on each gondola and I thought we were going to tip over. Chanterria and Martina kept rocking the boat. We cruised the beautiful channels of Venice where we saw all of the ancient architecture and gorgeous works of art. After our ride we got to go shopping. I felt like a real tourist. Besides the language barrier, my teammates and I found a way to bargain and get the best sales or "saldi" in Italian. We also went to the best gelato store in Venice called Grom. It was amazing! I do not think I can eat gelato in America again. All of the authentic food and culture of Italy is making me fall in love with this country. From the beautiful plush green trees to all of the rivers, lakes and seas, I could live here after college!
This experience to try new things and to be able to compete against international teams is unbelievable! Without the support and efforts from those in Long Beach and the Beach supporters, this trip would have been impossible. Thank you!
Aug. 12, 2015
Day 1 - Adventure Time & Gameday | Photo Gallery
By Anna Kim
Waking up this morning made me realize that we are really in Italy!! Unlike back at home, the hotel rooms were super compact and hot... luckily we had air conditioning. The breakfast was nice and delicious. We had some salami, ham and cheese... and OH MY GOD the croissants were to DIE for!! After being fed and having some food in our stomachs, we were so excited to begin our trip. Long Beach State women's basketball is ready to take over ITALY!!! Woohoo!!
Our adventure started with our bus ride to Lake Bled in Slovenia. Throughout the drive we had a glimpse of some beautiful rivers, mountains and adorable little neighborhoods - I could live out here! Once we got to the lake, we had some lunch and the opportunity to try a popular dish called Wienerschnitzel. It was like a unique version of chicken tenders. After we ate, all the girls were excited to hang out around the lake. Some of us decided to ride a boat, kayak or paddle board. The water was GORGEOUS and the scenery was mind blowing. We had so much fun!
We got to play a professional team today! It was such a great playing and learning experience, especially with the differences between American and International basketball (rules, style, time)! They definitely don't call travels internationally!
We played Bosnia - they were big and older, but we played them in a good, tough game. We gave them a run for their money and had the ability to grow, but unfortunately, we lost in overtime by one. Luckily, we have two more games and we're not coming home without a win! Until next time guys, Ciao!
*Long Beach State rallied from a double-digit deficit to force overtime but ended up dropping a 76-75 decision to Bosnia in its first international game. The Beach outscored its opponent 20-to-8 in the fourth quarter with Cecily Wilson's running jumper in the final seconds forcing the extra period. Wilson was one of four 49ers to reach double figures with 10 points. Anna Kim had a team-high 18 points, seven steals and five assists. Katie Webster added 11 points, while Jewelyn Sawyer finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
