Travel Day: Lithuania to Germany

Delayed flight, tired boys, the pictures tell it all!

Exhibition Game vs Lithuania

In a hard fought, very physical exhibition game USA beat Lithuania 92-79. We will play this team in pool play when we start the World Tournament in Germany. Below is a poster we saw on a billboard advertising the games between Lithuania, Russia and USA (JAV in the poster).

Eating Out - Ostrich? Dessert anyone?

Most of the adults missed the evening meal at the hotel because we stayed to watch the entire game of U18 Russia vs U17 Lithuania. The team members watched the first half and went back to eat. The adults ate out at Pizza Jazz and we ordered pizza, salmon, or ostrich. Seriously, ostrich! And I tried it and liked it! The desserts were yummy - apple strudel, cheesecake, banana split, or ice cream with strawberries and almonds.

Ostrich, anyone?

The pizza was delicious.

Happy Birthday, Brad

Brad Beal celebrated his 17th birthday today. The evening meal came complete with a cake and candle - better described as a fire cracker! No one had their camera available at the event, but here's a picture of Brad! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


Tired? You bet. The time change has been a bit difficult to handle for some, but once the team members step onto the court for practice they were awake, alive, and intense. Great practice this afternoon! We are ready for the second exhibition game against Lithuania.

Sight-seeing afternoon in Lithuania

Between a morning practice and later afternoon practice we managed to get in a little sight seeing. Our team bus with driver and team host took us to Old Town Kuana. We saw the cobblestone streets through the old town square surrounded by quaint shops/buildings. We had the opportunity to go into one of the oldest churches here in Kuana. Most buildings in this city were destroyed in the war, but this church was left untouched. We walked to the spot where the two major rivers flow into one which was an important historic point. The castle was being renovated so it was hard to visualize.


The castle

Two rivers joining at this spot

Old Town

Old Church





Leaving Old Town via the cobblestone streets

Exhibition Game vs U18 Russia

The U17 USA TEAM played an exhibition game Sunday night against the U18 Russia team. USA lost 95-82. It was good to get in a practice game and I think the team and coaches learned a lot about what still needs to be done.


Boarding the bus at 6 p.m.

Warming up


USA coaches with the Russian coach. Don had worked with him last summer in Italy.

Introductions and exchanging gifts

Game Time!

Sunday Stroll

After breakfast, a morning shoot around in the gym and a snack at the hotel, Jamy (team trainer), Scott (team doctor), Don and I went out for a Sunday stroll to explore our neighborhood. Just a block behind the hotel we discovered an old church, shops, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, a concert in the park, fountains and statues. It is a beautiful, tree-lined pedestrian only street that went on for blocks. I will explore it more when the shops are open!

Old church. We couldn't find an unlocked door.

Dr. Scott checked out the pharmacy


Don on the tree-lined street

Concert in the park

The Lithuanian flag

Sidewalk cafe

Jamy imitating the statute

Arrival in Lithuania!

Friday and Saturday, June 25 & 26: Three hour flight from San Antonio to Washington Dulles, 3 hour lay-over, then an 8 hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany, 1 hour lay-over, then a 2 hour flight from Frankfurt to Vilinus, Lithuania and FINALLY a 1 1/2 hour bus ride to Kuanas, Lithuania. We arrived tired and glad to be at our destination for the next four days. After checking in and getting settled in our rooms at the Park Inn by Radisson, we had a snack in the hotel restaurant. Then off to the gym for practice. The boys worked hard and there weren't any signs of jet lag or tiredness. The bus took us back to the hotel for the evening meal at 8:45 and later off to McDonalds! We were amazed at how light it was outside for the 10:00 p.m. trip to McDonalds. It actually didn't turn dark until about 11:00.