Eagles Reflect On Chile Trip

August 21, 2001

As Lan Chile flight 500 touched down at 5:20 a.m. Tuesday at Miami International Airport, a loud applause engulfed the plane. Perhaps many of those aboard were grateful to have landed safely, others may have been happy the eight-plus hour trip from Santiago was over, but for at least 19 of those aboard they were just glad to be back in the United States.

After 12 days, eight games and nearly 10,000 miles traveling on airplanes, it felt good to be home even though our final destination of Charlotte was still some six hours away. When Anthony Moore, a sophomore from Winston-Salem, NC, finally made it through the Customs and Immigration check points in Miami, he seemed to express what everyone else was thinking when he thrust both arms high into the air and exclaimed, "We’re Back!". What may be a trip of a lifetime for many of the Winthrop basketball team was nearly over. Only a three-hour layover in Miami, a two-hour flight to Charlotte, and a 30-minute bus ride back to Rock Hill remained in the trip.

It was 11:10 a.m. when U.S. Airways Flight 508 landed in Charlotte, nearly 17 hours after the Eagles had checked out of the Santiago Marriott on Monday evening. As the team waited in baggage claim, head coach Gregg Marshall called his players together for the final time of trip. He explained the things they needed to do when they got back to campus, such as get their books and make appointments with their professors. Nearly every players will begin Fall semester classes in less than 24 hours. Before team huddle broke, Marshall gathered everyone in a tight circle for the traditional chant that ends every practice or game huddle. Anyone in earshot could hear them as they shouted "Win". That one simple word was the purpose of this trip to Chile which was taken to help this Eagle team get better and prepare for what could be a very special 2001-2002 season.

Everyone in the Winthrop travel party had their favorite memories of the trip. Here are some excerpts from each person.

Gregg Marshall, Head Coach:  "The Chilean people make for a genuinely nice, happy and polite nation. Interacting with them and living amongst them may have been the thing I enjoyed most. There is much to be learned on such an extensive tour, but the one thing that stands out to me is the less than clean air and the need for worldwide environment protection. I will look back on the experience fondly and I enjoyed our ‘basketball family’, but I realize that 13 days is far too long for me to be away from my young family."

Damon Stephenson, Assistant Coach:  "I liked watching international basketball. The motion offense is on another level and the players really know how to move without the ball. I learned that you DO NOT want the Chilean Flu."

Barclay Radebaugh, Assistant Coach:  "The Mariott was a fabulous hotel and the people in Santiago were warm and friendly. Spending time with our players was also something special about the trip because I joined the staff only recently and this offered me a great opportunity to spend time with each of our players. We certainly have a great group of young men. I also enjoyed watching the two teams from Argentina play. Both teams played with a high degree of fundamental execution and skill."

Zach Spiker, Administrative Assistant: "I enjoyed playing golf in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The scenery was beautiful. I also enjoyed getting to know the coaches from Argentina and learning about their approach to the international game."

Tyrone Walker, Sophomore Forward, North Augusta, SC: "I liked the diversity of people who live in Chile. Meeting new people forms a new way of communication between ethnic groups. A new way to communicate with people will help everyone in someway in the future."

Tywan Harris, Senior Guard, Greenville, SC: "The thing I learned the most about was the language. I really got a feel for the people and how they communicate. If I had to live in Chile, I think I learned enough to survive, communicate and interact well. I also enjoyed meeting the FBI staff member at the U.S. Embassy who greeted us with open arms. Her name was Marian Mines and she was just great. The meal she cooked for us was by far the best we had on the entire trip."

Lavar Hemphill, Sophomore Guard, Rock Hill, SC: "I learned that other countries aren’t as fortunate as the United States. I enjoyed seeing the different landscapes and beautiful snow-capped mountains."

Pierre Wooten, Junior Guard, Cincinnati, OH: "I thing I learned during our trip to Chile was to respect other people’s cultures more, and to be more patient with foreigners when they come to the USA. I now realize how hard it is to adapt to other languages. I thought the Chilean people were F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S and I enjoyed being on the first American team to win a game in the tournament."

Greg Lewis, Senior Forward, Akron, OH: "The best part of the trip was when we arrived at the Marriott Hotel in Santiago and I finally had a bed that was big enough for me. Just experiencing the different culture and sites of Chile was a learning experience for me. My most memorable experience will be the railway trip to the top of San Cristobal Hill and the sky lift ride because I felt like I was on top of the world."

Josh Grant, Freshman Center, Kokomo, IN: "After visiting Chile, I realized how blessed I am to be an American. Seeing all the poverty made me appreciate how much I have. Meeting all of the diverse people in the country was a wonderful experience."

Marcus Stewart, Senior Forward, Arlington, VA: "The thing I enjoyed most about Chile were its people and the competition we had on the basketball court. The Chilean people are friendly and seemed to love Americans. The competition was great and will be a terrific learning experience for our team."

Eyo Effiong, Senior Center, Lagos, Nigeria: "Santiago is a very pretty city and the Andes Mountains are a beauty. I most enjoyed taking the railway to the top of the mountain and riding the cable car across the mountain."

Anthony Moore, Junior Forward, Winston-Salem, NC: "There were many things I liked about Chile such as the nice people and the markets, the Marriott, and the scenery of the mountains and varied landscape. But most of all, I enjoyed looking at all of the beautiful women."

Derrick Knox, Senior Guard, Decatur, GA: "I really enjoyed the opportunity we had getting to know my teammates better. I also enjoyed the experience of playing against professional players which made me learn how to adapt to the different style of play. The trip to Chile was a great experience for me and the program and I will never forget this opportunity."

Bryant Latimer, Sophomore Guard, Columbia, SC: "The things that I enjoyed most about our trip was the ride to the top of mountain and sky lift. I also like to visit the shopping mall where it seemed that everyone was trying to talk to us in English even though none of them knew the language."

Shaun Garrett, Student Manager, Greenville, SC: "I enjoyed learning about the incredible history that Chile has. Nearly everywhere we went, there was something historical that had a significant impact on the Chile that exists today."

Jack Frost, Sports Information Director: "I especially enjoyed the briefing that we received at the U.S. Embassy. It was very educational to hear from government officials about the role the United States plays in the world. I was also glad that our group had a chance to see the two extremes of Chile–the older, less developed city of Osorno and the modern city of Santiago. The fact that surprised me most about Chile, however, was the amount of air pollution and the acceptance the general population has toward smoking."

10. There is no sales tax.

9. Can’t see the top of the snow-capped mountains because of the cloudy, rainy weather.

8. Can’t see the top of the snow-capped mountains because of the smog.

7. Getting french fries with your Pizza Hut value meal.

6. Getting french fries with your Taco Bell value meal.

5. The wonderful music played during pre-game and timeouts at the Catholic University gym.

4. Futbol every night on the tube at Ruby Tuesday’s (Go Chile, Beat Bolivia!).

3. The choices for appetizer–raw meat or raw fish.

2. Lunch and dinner at Sodexho, the university dining hall (love those mystery salads).

1. And the number one thing enjoyed by Skip: Mauricio the bartender’s pisco sours (the national drink of Chile) at the Santiago Ruby Tuesday.