Lakeland College

All you need is ... Lakeland!
Posted on 6/2/2011 7:53:15 AM

Well, let's cover the not-so-good news first – the Muskies dropped a 104-63 decision to the Czech national 20-and-under team in their first game of the trip on Wednesday. It wasn't all bad – Lakeland led the nation's top young team 21-15 after one quarter (the team's played four 10-minute quarters), and trailed by just three, 38-35, at halftime. The Czechs outscored Lakeland, 43-14, in the decisive third quarter as the Muskies ran out of gas and the Czechs scorched the nets. It was a fast-paced, very physical game as the officials allowed the players to hand check and use arm bars, which was a huge adjustment for Lakeland. Freshman James Oshkeshequoam (Keshena, Wis.) scored 15 to lead Lakeland, while classmate Justin Ward (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) scored 13, junior Josh Regal (Suring, Wis.) added 12 and sophomore Eric Strzok (Thorp, Wis.) scored 10. The team's used a 24-second shot clock, 11 seconds shorter than the U.S. 35-second shot clock, although it was really a factor in the quicker tempo. The physical play was a factor, as well as the high level of play of the Czechs, who are professional players. James and Justin discuss the game in today's video (below).
The day got started with a trip to the famous John Lennon wall. It's not easy to find, as it's located on a pretty secluded, serene street opposite the French Embassy, but it was a real hit with our group. After being murdered in 1980, Lennon became a hero for young Czechs, who were rebelling against the Communist regime, which had banned (among other things) Western pop music. Young people would repeatedly cover the wall with political graffiti and Beatles lyrics, and police would constantly whitewash it, followed by young people filling it again. After Communism had been flushed from the country in 1989, tourists began adding their own contributions, and the wall has taken on pop culture status. Members of Lakeland's group added their own contributions, including an LC and an outline of Musko, which now become permanent additions to this popular tourist attraction.
After the Lennon Wall, the team made the loooong climb up Petrin Hill to the Lookout Tower, also known as Prague's Eiffel Tower. The walk up to the tower is an ambitious 299 stairs to climb. It is said to offer one of the best views over Prague and its surroundings.
Tomorrow is a busy day. We'll started with a tour of the Terezen Concentration Camp in the morning, followed by our second and final game in the evening. A complete report will follow. As noted earlier, James, Justin and Stan McKenzie (Racine, Wis.) chat with us for today's video. We'll be posting more a lot more pictures and video tomorrow, so check back later in the day on Thursday. Thanks for reading!