UAlbany Men's Basketball Enjoys Successful Tour of Barbados in the Caribbean

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

St. James, Barbados – The University at Albany men’s basketball team recently completed a four-day foreign tour to Barbados, an island in the Caribbean located 270 miles northeast of Venezuela on the South American continent. The Great Danes played three games, posting victories over the Lumber Company Lakers, Barbados League All-Stars and Tridents.

“This was great cultural and athletic experience and opportunity for these young men to bond with each other on and off the court,” UAlbany head coach Will Brown said. “We tried several combinations on the basketball floor. We played to learn with each member of the team gaining valuable and meaningful minutes.”

Redshirt freshman Tim Ambrose, who averaged 13.0 points on the tour, scored a game-high 16 in his team’s 82-45 win over the Lumber Company Lakers. Jerel Hastings, a junior college transfer from Dallas, Texas, added 14 points. Ambrose and Brian Lillis, the 2007 America East Conference defensive player of the year, had 14 and 13 points, respectively, in a 63-43 decision against the League All-Stars. Freshman Al Turley, a 6-foot-7 forward/center from Houston, Texas, netted a team-high 16 points to wrap the trip with an 84-60 triumph against the Tridents.

Although all-conference forward Brent Wilson, sharpshooter Jon Iati and sophomore Reid Anderson did not participate in the games, the trio and the rest of their teammates enjoyed swimming, diving, beach activities, and a couple of island tours during their stay in the Caribbean.

In 2006-07, UAlbany reached the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season as the America East Conference champion. The Great Danes posted back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time since 1990 with a 23-10 record.