Mechelen, Belgium — Follow WPI Men's Basketball's European tour with blog updates from the Men's Basketball Head Coach Chris Bartley.
May 18th – On Saturday, we traveled to Cologne, Germany to see the famous Cologne Cathedral, whose construction began in 1248 and has two 515-foot towers. The team enjoyed a traditional German lunch of schnitzel and pork knuckle together. Good call on the knuckle from Coach Riley. We ended the day with more sightseeing and experiencing German culture. Sunday is the big day as we head to Paris! Bonjour la France.
From May 17th Today I visited the lively city of Brussels. We enjoyed views of the Royal Palace and the lively Grand Place, known for its amazing architecture and shopping. Coach Zhou picked up a nice jacket at a store called “Super Dry''. After a long day of walking we headed to Leuven for the 9pm game against the Leuven Bears and their noisy fans. It was a heated game of physical strength, and we were able to take the initiative and win 72-53. After the contest, we enjoyed spending time with our opponents' families and staff, learning about their programs and cities. We would like to thank Leuven Club for their hospitality and competition. I'm going on a day trip to Cologne, Germany on Saturday.
May 16th – It was a day with a great start and a great end for WPI basketball. We started our day with a trip to the majestic city of Bruges. A city full of culture, commerce, and canals. After lunch, we all enjoyed the famous Belgian waffles. I ended up wearing my own. Then we drove out and played against BC Ostend in the beautiful 15,000 seat Coretec Dome. In a game where they conceded a goal, they made an important play in the final stages and won 77-65. Four players scored in double figures, and the team's defense was solid as well. We would like to thank the Ostend Club for their hospitality and competition. Tomorrow we are leaving for Brussels!
May 15th – We have arrived in Belgium! The team arrived in Amsterdam this morning and took a charter bus to the city of Mechelen. After a short break and a walk around town, we headed to the Mechelen Kangaroo Club team facility for a 75-minute practice session. After practice, we enjoyed a team meal and toured the city along the canal. After the meeting with the coach, the assistant coach took me to a local store so I could buy a small shoulder bag. I'm currently working hard on this European thing. Tomorrow they will travel to Bruges to take on Ostend BC at 8pm Belgian time (2pm ET).
For travel updates, follow WPI Men's Basketball on Instagram (@wpimensbasketball) and X/Twitter (@WPIMBasketball) and WPI Athletics on Instagram (@wpiathletics) and X/Twitter (@WPIAthletics).
