Shannon coaches USA team in Europe

Courtesy: ECU Sports Information
Release: 06/12/2008

ADA – East Central University men’s head basketball coach Terry Shannon recently guided a team of USA basketball stars on a 5-0 run in a nine-day span through Europe.

Shannon, a last-minute replacement as the team’s coach, led nine U.S. college players on the 2008 European Metropolis Tour which saw the team visit London, England; Paris, France; Bredene, Belgium; and the Netherlands from May 17-25.

In London, Shannon and the team were able to see the changing of the guard, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Bend. They then took the Eurostar train to Paris and visited the Eiffel Tower. A French guide took them on a tour the next day to see Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre.

Over in Belgium, the squad got to tour the Breendonk Concentration Camp.

"It was awfully eerie," said Shannon. "That and Paris were the two things that stood out for me on the trip."

In Amsterdam, the team visited a cheese farm, went on a canal cruise and toured Anne Frank’s house.

Members of Shannon’s squad included: Peter Alexander (Lynchburg College), Adam Dorzeniecki (Purdue North Central), Isaiah Goodman (Washington & Lee), Kevin Mendez (Lynchburg), Kyle Pape (Colorado School of Mines), Terry Polk (Purdue North Central), Bradley Puffenbarger (Lynchburg), Zachary White (Washington & Lee) and Cody Gatton (California-Maritime).

"We had a good group of kids and it was an enjoyable trip," Shannon said.

Shannon’s squad defeated Richmond College in London, 96-78; Stade Francais in Paris, 75-73; BC Comware, 129-74 in Bredene, Balgium; Matrixx Magixx in Nijmegan, Netherlands, 97-85; and Utrecht Cangeroes in Utrecht, Netherlands, 91-85.