Mission Accomplished
August 06, 2023 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Bulldogs return from Portugal with camaraderie and confidence.
STARKVILLE – Following a week and a half in Portugal, the Mississippi State men's basketball team is back on home soil.
Some 10 days ago, the mission was clear. Build bonds, grow together and capture a few wins across the pond. Well, check, check and check. After jelling as one off the court and grabbing three decisive victories on it, there's no two words that encapsulate the trip better than mission accomplished.
"The trip [was] obviously great for our camaraderie and being able to bond," MSU associate head coach James Miller said. "These guys had a great time. That's what it was all about coming over here. Sure, winning and losing are important in our program, but it was more about playing the right way, then off the court, being able to become a true family…The guys had a great time and it [was] an awesome experience."
The Dawgs all toured a new land together. They surfed together. They even buried their head coach, Chris Jans, in the sand of a Portugal beach together.
Mixed in, they dominated three contests. State boasted an average margin of victory of more than 36 points on the tour. They played strong defense, rebounded with a purpose and – perhaps most encouraging – showed flashes of tremendous offensive firepower, including sinking a total of 37 three-pointers over the three games.
It wasn't just one or two guys producing either. It was everyone. Freshman Josh Hubbard scored in double figures in every game. Other newcomers – Adrian Myers, Trey Fort and Andrew Taylor – all had at least one game with 10 or more points.
Veterans showed out, too. KeShawn Murphy was just a point and a rebound shy of a double-double in one game. Tolu Smith capped off his trip with a 15-point showing. D.J. Jeffries and Shakeel Moore were scoring and dishing out assists throughout the tour.
"Obviously, everybody did a great job," Smith said. "I think [Josh Hubbard] had a phenomenal Portugal trip. [Adrian Myers] showed a lot of spark. I think a lot of new guys did a lot of great things. So, I think we have the right pieces for a good team this year."
Hubbard completely agrees based on all he saw on the floor during the trip.
"We're super talented," Hubbard said. "A lot of people have a lot of different personalities and skills that we're all going to put together to win games. My role is to facilitate and knock down shots when I'm open. A lot of other players did their role too [in our three games]. So, we're grateful and proud of each other."
It's easy to get caught up in the on-floor production that happened in Portugal, but the reality is none of those baskets, points or wins will carry over into November. What will absolutely remain though is the brotherhood that was built upon in recent days.
An already tight team became tighter, laying a foundation that should stand strong and be able to weather any storms that come MSU's way in the year ahead.
"It means everything," Smith said of the relationships that were strengthened. "I think building a bond for your team is essential for every good team. I think [we did] a great job with that."
Time will tell if it will all lead to the chance to go dancing again come March. But if the Bulldogs are able to return to the NCAA Tournament, without a doubt, the accomplishment's roots will be traced back to when the seeds of success began sprouting on the other side of the Atlantic.
