Although the Fairfield Men’s Basketball team has a couple of months before their slate of regular season games begins, the group kept in shape and gained valuable experience in an international setting this past summer.

The team embarked on a 10-day trip to Italy and was matched up against four local Italian teams across the country, starting off with Roma Selazione.

After an impressive 89-45 victory in Rome, the Stags went on to win the next three games in an impressive fashion as they traveled from city to city. In each contest, multiple players reached double figures as the unit learned to come together as a whole. Coach Johnson could not have been happier with the effort put forth by his squad.

“I was very pleased with the way our team gelled together on the court. We were quick to face any kind of adversary and performed well with contributions from the entire team,” he said.

Out of all the newcomers to this Fairfield squad, senior forward Rakim Sanders particularly stood out against the Italian competition. Sanders reached 20 points in three out of the four contests while abroad, netting a high of 35 points in the Stags’ lopsided 101-70 win against Forli. Johnson was full of praise regarding the new Stag transfer.

“Rakim played great and was often the best player on the court,” Johnson said. “He plays within himself and is very unselfish with the ball which allowed him to enjoy great success against our competition.”

The team was able to excel on the court during their trip, but Johnson stressed how the sightseeing and the time spent learning about the Italian culture helped his teams’ development.

“We definitely had fun enjoying the Italian way of life and sightseeing around the country,” he said. “It was a group of familiar faces in a foreign place, so the trip was a great experience for our guys.”

While exploring places like Venice and Lake Como, the Stags were able to mix their fun with hard work on the court and relished in this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Building a team identity this summer on the international level was a great way to start off the school year. While a few months remain before the Connecticut 6 Classic rolls around, the announcement of the Stags non-conference schedule makes it clear that the team will not shy away from major-conference powers.

With match-ups against Arizona State, UCONN, University of Minnesota and the Providence Friars, coached by the one and only Coach Cooley, Coach Johnson and the Stags are ready to make their presence known on the national level before they set sights on the familiar faces of MAAC.

“Our non-conference schedule is very challenging to say the least. We will have to be ready to face high-quality competition early on in the season, but the players are excited to take advantage of the opportunity,” Johnson said.

When the time comes for the Stags return to the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, the team can be confident that there was no shortage of preparation in the off-season.  The journey began in Italy during the dog days of August and as the Stags prepare this fall, they know their potential is limitless.

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