Fun in the Sun: Toledo men's basketball arrives in Bahamas
Nov. 21—NASSAU, Bahamas — A 4 a.m. wake-up call doesn't sound so bad when the final destination is the Bahamas.
Welcome to the Toledo men's basketball team's Saturday.
The Rockets woke up while the moon was high and roosters slept, departing from the university at 4:30 a.m. for a flight to Atlanta, and then onto Nassau. Their Delta Boeing 737 touched down in the Bahamas at 1:45 p.m., just in time for a light practice at the Baha Mar Performing Arts and Convention Center.
"Obviously, the MAC championship is on our mind, but we just want to get better every game," Junior forward Setric Millner, Jr. said.
Toledo (2-1) plays Charlotte (3-0) at noon Monday. The eight-team tournament was reduced to seven last week after Abilene Christian was forced to cancel its trip because of a coronavirus outbreak on the team. If UT loses its first two games, it will not play a third game because of the odd number setup.
"I'm looking forward to learning about our team," Toledo coach Tod Kowalczyk said. "We're still a young team. We still don't know about rotations. We want our young guys to continue to get better."
Players were quick to exit the converted ballroom where they practiced, bound for one of the many swimming pools and the beach at the luxurious Baha Mar Grand Hyatt. If one of the nearly dozen pools isn't good enough, there's a $200-million water park. An aquarium with sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays is another popular attraction, as well as a daily flamingo parade.
Baha Mar, which overlooks Cable Beach, opened in 2017. The 1,000-acre complex has three hotels, 2,300 rooms, a casino, convention center, Jack Nicklaus golf course, and 40 restaurants.
"This has been in the works for several years. It was planned last year but got canceled because of COVID," Kowalczyk said. "What a great venue. What a great place."
Several coaches brought their wives and children, and some players' families made the trip. They will eat as a giant extended family on Thanksgiving, a feast that will number a few dozen.
But it's not all fun and games — at least not Marco Polo. There's basketball to be played. Asked what the goal of the trip is, junior forward J.T. Shumate responded in about 0.7 seconds.
"Win a championship and simulate the MAC tournament so we get used to the three-day format," he said. "We need to get used to the toll it takes on your body to win that championship in three days."
Kowalczyk's answer was similar to Millner and Shumate. He began practice by telling the Rockets that they were on the island for one reason: to win the tournament. But there's a deeper meaning to the Nassau Championship for UT. It's only late November, and Kowalczyk still has plenty to discover.
"We obviously want to compete for a championship and I want to see how we react to three games in three days, but I want our team to grow and get better," Kowalczyk said.
One question that's already received a loud response is, where will Millner spend his free time? By the pool.
"I ain't gonna lie," he said, "I'm a little scared of the ocean. I'm scared of sharks. But I'm going to enjoy this time."
First Published November 20, 2021, 7:59pm
