I'm not inclined to put much emphasis on games in Spain that we didn't even see. Just from watching what few highlights there were of the games, it didn't seem to me that anyone was playing full speed. I didn't see anyone on either offense or defense make a quick move to adjust to anything. I didn't see anyone get in front of a drive, crash the boards, or make any kind of move that exhibited intensity. I kind of had the feeling that they got to go to Spain and see some of the world that they had never seen. I was more disappointed that they went to a pizzeria than I was that Nancy didn't play as many minutes as I had hoped. They could have sampled some excellent Spanish local flavor.
They played in recreation halls which are commonplace in Europe. They aren't meant to be used for large crowds. It appeared that the halls had three sides of the court bounded by walls, and a fourth side that had four or five rows of seats. Even highschool gyms seat more. I got the impression that they were playing against club teams. I don't know who the opposition was, but there are clubs for various sports. They may be the only fifty people in town who play basketball or handball or racquetball. They play each other or maybe other clubs. These did not look like highly-skilled college players.
Even following along on the livestats, it seemed that we were substituting randomly at times. Penzo had played five minutes, and now it is time to put Maddie in. It did seem that Maddie and Penzo rotated often. I also thought that it gave Sherri a chance to look at players that she wants to see more of against someone, anyone, other than each other. I do not anticipate a starting lineup of Vivi, T'Ona, Gileysa, Peyton, and Chelsea as we got in the second game.
I think we had some fun. The girls got to see Madrid, Valencia, Toledo, and Barcelona. I've never seen Madrid or Toledo. They got to walk along the Spanish Riviera and see a Spanish shopping district. I don't think this was as much about basketball as it was about an experience and an opportunity to bond with each other. Now, they have a shared experience that others at OU did not have. They have been to Barcelona.
