USA Garden State Basketball

24/08/2026

The USA Garden State basketball team had a busy Sunday, August 23, when its Greek and Dalmatia cruise came to a close. The ship docked in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

First stop after they disembarked was its final game against Dubrovnik Select. The team defeated the Croatian team 73-71 in a buzzer be**er. The game attracted a handful of guests from the Seabourn Quest , who were excited to watch an American basketball team.

After the game, the team and coaches checked into the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel, where they had lunch and relaxed on the beach of the Adriatic Sea.

Following a late lunch, some of the players took a Dubrovnik City Walls walking tour.

Next stop a 10-hour flight home from Dubrovnik to Newark Liberty International Airport.

23/08/2026

The USA Garden State basketball team spent a busy afternoon and evening at sea on its fifth day (August 19) of a nine day European tour.

The day began with a visit to the captain’s  bridge, where the players and coaches were offered a tour of the inner workings of the cruise ship.

Third Officer Gabriele Agache explained how the ship is run and what the staff’s responsibilities included. He also discussed the education needed to pursue a career in maritime seafaring. 

Players  used binoculars to look out at the great expanse of the Ionian Sea. 

“It was interesting,” said Nano Barrantes of DesMoines, Iowa and University of Illinois at Chicago. He, along with many of his teammates, said they recognize that this adventure was an opportunity of a lifetime. 

The team dinner, held in the main dining room, gave the team an opportunity to talk about their experiences on and off the court and debate who was the greatest basketball player of all time. 

One of the pastry chefs baked a special multi-tier chocolate cake to honor the team. 

At a nearby table in the main dining room, a couple from California said they were so impressed with the team and how they behaved, interacted with each other and the guests on the cruise, and the opportunity these college students were given. 

Next stop tomorrow (August 19) Itea, Greece, where the team will play against Petra Basketball Club at the Itea Sports Club.

23/08/2026

One more port. One more game.
After an unforgettable 7-day USA Garden State Basketball Tour, we’re heading into our final stop: beautiful Dubrovnik, Croatia! 🇭🇷

One last game to play, one last chance to compete, and then it’s time to head back home to the U.S. on Monday, August 24.

What a journey, what a team, and what an experience!

23/08/2026

The USA Garden State  basketball team spent Friday August 21 and  Saturday, August 22 aboard Seabourn’s Quest with stops in Lefkada, Greece and Sarande, Albania.

Several team members opted to partake in  water sports — jet skiing and tubing —  in both countries since the temperatures spiked to the mid- nineties. 

In Albania, a group hiked to Blue Eye, a natural spring and waterfall about 35 minutes outside Sarande.  

Others took advantage of the crystal clear,  blue water along the coastline and did souvenir shopping in town.

23/08/2026

Day 6 Itea copy

The USA Garden State basketball team defeated the Petra Basketball Club 122-55 at the Itea Sports Club in Itea, Greece on August 19. 

The event attracted 125 people from the town of Itea. 

After the game, children and teens clamored for autographs and selfies with the American players. 

The Itea players were so happy to participate in the game that they drove the players and coaches back to the pier in their private vehicles. 

After the game some of the players opted to swim at a local beach in the Ionian Sea. 

Next stop is a day off with a visit to Nydri to explore its culture, food and landmarks.

23/08/2026

Day 4 Santorini

The USA Garden State Basketball Team conducted a sports clinic at the Santorini Summer Camp, working with 50 children ages 5-12 on the island. The clinic took place on Tuesday, August 18. 

The USA squad, along with its coaches, demonstrated drills, dunked balls and fist bumped the campers, who then shot hoops and imitated their drills. 

But before they played basketball, the children presented the players with camp caps and flags they made. 

It was difficult to determine, who had more fun — the players, coaches or children. 

“It was so much fun seeing the excitement on their faces, ” said John Kelly of Hillsborough and NJIT Men's Basketball. “Even though most didn’t speak English we could communicate because basketball is a universal language.”

One young player, who attempted to speak English, said it was the best day ever and preceded to get autographs from the college athletes.  

“It was a unique experience for our kids and for us,”  said camp director 
Antonis. “Those kids will remember this day for a lifetime.”

Following the two-hour basketball clinic, the college players visited Fira and Oia on the island of Santorini. They rented a catamaran and All-Terrain vehicles to tour the island, located on the Aegean Sea known for its stone, white-washed houses and buildings with blue accents. 

aydenn.___ of Paterson and Rutgers Newark Mens Basketball said visiting Greece was tops on his bucket list since he was in elementary school. 

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But this trip was a dream come true.”

19/08/2026

19/08/2026

Santorini — Basketball, Culture and Mentorship
The USA Garden State Basketball Team brought the game, the energy and the spirit of mentorship to Santorini on Tuesday, August 18, hosting a basketball clinic for 50 children, ages 5 to 12, at the Santorini Summer Camp.
For two hours, the college athletes and their coaches put the campers through their paces, demonstrating drills, throwing down dunks and exchanging plenty of fist bumps. The young players eagerly followed along, taking shots, practicing the drills and soaking in every moment alongside the athletes.

But before the basketballs started bouncing, the campers delivered a special welcome of their own. They presented the USA GSB players with camp caps and handmade flags—gifts that reflected the culture, creativity and hospitality of the island.

It was hard to tell who enjoyed the experience more—the players, coaches or children.

“It was so much fun seeing the excitement on their faces,” said John Kelly of Hillsborough and NJIT. “Even though most didn’t speak English, we could communicate because basketball is a universal language.”

One young camper, eager to practice his English, called it the “best day ever” before quickly turning his attention to another important mission: collecting autographs from the college athletes.

For camp director Antonis, the day represented more than basketball.

“It was a unique experience for our kids and for us,” he said. “Those kids will remember this day for a lifetime.”

The clinic showcased what sports can do beyond the scoreboard—building connections, creating role models and giving young athletes an opportunity to learn from players they may never have otherwise met. For the Garden State squad, it was another reminder that mentorship and basketball can transcend language, geography and culture.

After the clinic, the players continued their Santorini experience, visiting Fira and Oia and exploring the island by catamaran and all-terrain vehicles. Surrounded by the Aegean Sea and Santorini’s iconic whitewashed buildings accented by blue rooftops, the team experienced the history, beauty and culture of one of Greece’s most celebrated destinations.

19/08/2026

Team USA Garden State Takes in the Beauty of Monemvasia
Day 3 of the European tour (Aug. 17) gave members of the USA Garden State Basketball Team a chance to step away from the court and experience the history, culture and breathtaking scenery of Monemvasia, a historic town and municipality in Laconia, Greece.
The team explored both the Old Town and New Town on foot before later switching gears and renting scooters to cruise along the coast.

For William Paterson University student and Weehawken, N.J., native Jack Gobel™️, the day was a memorable journey through Greece’s rich history.

“We walked to the Old Town in the heat for 20 to 30 minutes,” Gobel said. “We made it to the top of the mountain, where we reached an old church from 1149.”

The team’s adventure continued to Portello Beach along the Myrtoan Sea, where players took a well-earned swim and enjoyed the crystal-clear water.

Jack’s brother, Thomas Gobel, a Weehawken native and Stevens Institute of Tech student, said the experience was one of the highlights of the trip.

“The water was so blue and clear you could see through it,” Tommy said.

After taking in the beach, the team hopped on scooters and continued exploring the coastline, adding another chapter to an already unforgettable European experience.

“This trip has been amazing,” Tommy said. “It is my first time on a cruise. The best thing is the view from our balcony.”

For Team USA Garden State, Day 3 was a reminder that the European tour is about more than basketball. Between the competition, the camaraderie and the opportunity to experience different cultures, every stop is creating memories that will last well beyond the final buzzer.

Next up: Santorini, Greece.

On Aug. 18, Team USA Garden State will travel to the iconic island, where the team will participate in a youth basketball clinic and tour Santorini While continuing the European adventure.