Aug. 24, 2001

Villanova Director of Publications Mike Sheridan is with the men's basketball team in Italy. This is the fourth of his reports on the team's travels.

Tuesday, Aug. 21

Porto San Giorgio, 10:30 a.m.

Gennaro, our trusty driver, has navigated the huge coach into the side street adjoining our Garden Hotel. Bags are brought to the side of the curb, where a familiar crowd of teens has gathered to say farewell.

"Porto San Giorgio has probably been my favorite part of this trip," says Derrick Snowden while signing a few more autographs. "The people here have really made us feel like celebrities and the beach is great. It isn't too crowded."

For Snowden this trip has been much more than a beach getaway, however. Villanova's lone true scholarship point guard has shined here. In the team's frist three games he has led the Wildcats in scoring and become a crowd favorite with his electric bursts to the basket. In addition, he has shot well from deep, connecting on six consectuive 3-point field goals over the course of games two and three.

"This trip has been nothing but a positive for me and the team," the sophomore from Baltimore says.

As a freshman, Snowden endured some of the hardships first year players do. For much of the first two months he served as the understudy to senior point guard Jermaine Medley. The role was a new one for him and, he concedes, not one he easily adjusted to.

"It took me until midway through the year until I started to feel comfortable," he says now.

A turning point came on Feb. 12 at Georgetown. With Medley sidelined by an ankle sprain and the Wildcats desperately in need of a victory against the No. 16 Hoyas, Snowden played 35 minutes, scored eight points and did not wilt under the stifling defensive pressure applied by Kevin Braswell and Co.

"That was a big night for me," states the Baltimore native. "I had about 100 friends and family at the game, it was on national TV, and it definitely gave me a boost."

From that point on Snowden was the starting point guard and he performed well the rest of the way. His turnovers, a problem early in the season, seemed to diminish the more he played. When the Wildcats failed to reach the NCAA Tournament, Snowden was crestfallen.

"We had worked so hard and then to see us not get there was very tough on me," he states. "I was real upset. I was so used to winning and, in a lot of ways, basketball is my life. If it weren't for basketball I probably wouldn't have made it to college. So I take it very seriously.

"All I could do was work hard this offseason to make sure that we are in the NCAA Tournament this year."

Snowden's skills are particularly well suited for the style employed by new head coach Jay Wright. Wright's system emphasizes defensive tenacity and an uptempo offense where players who can create space off the dribble have an opportunity to score.

There was another benefit to the time off this summer. Snowden - who remained on campus for both sessions - spent hours working out with former 'Cat point guard Jonathan Haynes, back home in Philadelphia from pro action here in Italy. Haynes, with the encouragement of Wright, took the young point guard under his wing.

"He just loves to play," Haynes notes, "and that's big. I've just tried to tell him how it was when we were here and some of the things I have learned about being a point guard. In a lot of ways he, Reggie (Bryant) and (Gary) Buchanan remind me of what we had when I was here with myself, Alvin (Williams) and Kerry (Kittles)."

A high compliment that, and one that any Villanova fan would love to see materialize. For his part, Snowden appreciates the lessons Haynes has imparted to him.

"Two months ago I didn't even know him," Snowden says. "It was great hearing from him and he's told me the stories about when he was at Villanova. It's great to get that kind of support from someone who has been through this. He is kind of an inspiration to me."

If this excursion has been any indication, the tutorials were extremely helpful. Snowden has made better decisions than he did as a rookie and at times has been the best player on the floor filled with professionals. His quickness and on the ball defense have set the tone for the 'Cats.

"Derrick Snowden has done a very good job for us on this trip," Wright states.

And, 'Cat fans, you can be buoyed by this thought - Snowden loves to be on the floor, which he figures to be a lot in 2001-02.

"Some guys want to sit down when they're tired," he says. "But I feel better when I'm moving around."

As the bus pulls away from the curb, a group of 20 teens and youngsters, several adorned in Villanova gear, wave goodbye. We leave this quiant seashore resort for another, more cosmopolitan one in Rimini, approximately a two hour drive from here.

Rimini, 2:30 p.m.

We pull up in front of the Holiday Inn Rimini, a first class establishment with a breathtaking top floor view of the coast. Meanwhile, your intrepid correspondent makes his customary dash for what has become a staple of the trip: an internet cafe. Fortunately, there is one located across the street from the hotel.

A marvelous device, the cafe computer has only one drawback: you are on the clock as they say at NFL draft headquarters. You feed your lira bills into the slot and get your 30 minutes (memo to Athletics Business Manager Brian Murray: sorry, no recepits). That creates a most imposing deadline: type fast or lose everything when the clock expires.

I suddenly have an appreciation for how Sandra Bullock's character felt in "The Net". It may not be armed terrorists bearing down on me, but the prospect of seeing my words vanish does give me a chill. So if the content here suddenly evaporates, you'll know why.

Republic of San Marino, 8:15 p.m.

Although we are lodged in Rimini, the games take place in the Republic of San Marino, a tiny republic located within Italy. There are actually three countries in one here: Vatican City, San Marino and the rest of Italy.

The facility here is superb. It is the only air conditioned site we have seen here and on the other side of the building sits an enormous Olympic swimming pool.

The Wildcats waste no time in seizing the moment, jumping on Progresso Castelmaggiore to gain an early 9-2 edge. Villanova builds a 16-point halftime advantage as the Italian club struggles to cope with VU's offensive talent. Brooks Sales controls the middle (he ends the night with 11 rebounds) and Gary Buchanan shakes his shooting slump with 19 points in an 85-68 win.

All nine players see at least six minutes of action and walk-on B.J. Johnson converted a 3-point field goal.

"One thing we have been able to do on this trip is use our depth," Jay Wright notes, "and that has to help us in the long run."

Wed. Aug. 22

Rimini

The Wildcats take a leisurely approach to matters today as they look ahead to their fifth game in six nights. Most student-athletes nap in the afternoon while the support staff either soaks up sunshine on the beach or explores the city.

It is associate athletic director Peter Pilling who scores the biggest coup: a copy of USA Today. It is the first American newspaper seen in a week and is devoured by no fewer than 10 eager readers.

We discover the Phillies have faltered, Eric Lindros is gone and that Andy Reid wants his offense to perform better than it did in the exhibition opener.

It all sounds wonderful.

Republic of San Marino, 10:15 p.m.

Last night's win over Castelmaggiore lifted the Wildcats into the final against the home team, Basket Rimini. The building is packed and the home team builds a 40-27 advantage.

"I thought we looked a little tired in the first half," Jay Wright said.

Given the fatigue and the fact junior forward Ricky Wright picked up three first half fouls, hope for a rally appears slim. But Villanova manages to stay afloat early in the third quarter and then finds its legs. Using a three guard rotation of Snowden, Bryant and Buchanan, the Wildcats cut a 16-point edge to 58-50. When Sales hits the first of two free throws with 20.8 seconds left, the game is tied at 66.Basket Rimini turns to Arthur Lee, their standout point guard who ended the night with 25 points. A clearout is run and Lee breaks down the lane before a foul is called.

"I didn't think I fouled him but you have to give the official his respect," Snowden says.

While the Wildcats are disappointed, there is a sense that the gains made here for outweigh any lasting negatives.

"I am very proud of the way we competed in the second half," Jay Wright states.

Soon it is back to the hotel, where we are joined by a collection of new fans. Included in this group is Annarita Palma, the hotel manager at the Holiday Inn who had attended her first basketball game at the behest of the coaching staff.

"My English is not so good, but it was fun," she notes.

In a way that summarizes our trip: a few confusing yet charming moments of communication wrapped around a whole lot of fun and learning.

Next: Rome and Vatican City.