Vandals Discover True Meaning Of Phrase ‘Hungary For A Win’

The Idaho men’s basketball team recently concluded its twoweek trip to Austria and Hungary, and that can only mean one thing:

UI coach Joe Cravens has fresh story-telling material.

The Vandals were 4-3 on the trip, including a 3-0 mark versus the Hungarian junior Olympic team and an 0-3 record against the Hungarian Olympic squad.

The latter was a particularly tough outfit. The Hungarian frontline stood 7-foot-2, 6-10 and 6-9, with the first sub 7-0. Then there was the 27-year-old team captain, a 6-4 guard with one imperfection: He never cracked a smile. “I’d try to tell him he played a good game and he’d just look at me,” Cravens said. “He was just unbelievably tough.”

On part of the tour, UI and the Hungarians traveled together on a bus to game sites in cities outside Budapest.

“We’d travel around with these guys and they’d kick our butts,” Cravens said. “They’d just sit in their part of the bus and nod at us, just like the (Harlem) Globetrotters. I told (assistant coach) Bus Connor, I’m starting to feel like the old Washington Generals. I was feeling like (Generals player-coach) Red Klotz.”

That hopeless feeling changed when UI concluded the tour with three straight wins against the 22-and-under club. “If we played the older guys 50 times, we’d probably lose 50 times,” Cravens said. “If we played the younger team 50 times, we’d probably win 50 times.”

The colorful Cravens said his club was treated very well, ate to excess and immensely enjoyed the trip.

At receptions in several towns, Cravens usually met the town mayor, exchanged trinkets and dutifully answered questions from Hungarian media. When he didn’t answer, the tour interpreter did.

Asked what he knew about Hungarian basketball, Cravens intellectualized, “Nothing.” To which the interpreter frowned and fired off a lengthy answer, no doubt relaying Cravens’ deep respect for Hungarian hoop.

Next question: Do you have any NBA players? “No,” Cravens offered. The interpreter shook his head again, so Cravens ‘fessed up. “I mean, yes, we have three.”

Ah yes, international diplomacy at work.

The games were often physical, but Cravens said the referees did an exceptional job (he wasn’t joking, either). Contrary to the NBA and U.S. college basketball, when a player pump-faked and drove, he was usually called for traveling. UI players had to make adjustments.

Guard Kris Baumann struggled early before finding his shooting touch. “He was O for Hungary for a while there,” Cravens said.

Harry Harrison was strong throughout and Nate Gardner was consistent. Shawn Dirden shined at times.

But the tour’s biggest beneficiary was forward James Jones. “He had several games with 15 or 16 points, six rebounds, six steals, even against the older team,” Cravens said. “It’s just a confidence thing with him.”

Chad Coates injured his ankle and Mark Leslie pulled a groin muscle, forcing the Vandals to insert a raw recruit - a professor look-alike named Jay McMillin.

Haven’t heard of McMillin? He’s a 30-year-old Vandal assistant coach who played at Nebraska Wesleyan in the mid 1980s.

McMillin launched three shots in about 90 seconds, all rejected before they could flirt with the rim. But he was fouled and hit 1 of 2 free throws.

“I told Joe, ‘I want to go in and say I played Division I,”’ McMillin said. “Afterward, I officially retired.”

Assessed Cravens: “I would have played him more, but I really questioned his training methods and dedication.”

On a more serious note, Cravens said the bottom line of the trip was that the team should be better this fall and that the players’ lives will be enriched for having experienced different cultures.

“I’d like to publicly thank our administration and (athletic director) Pete Liske,” Cravens said. “If education is truly our intent, we gave the kids an experience no classroom course could hope to do, and our kids were appreciative of it.”

No kidding.

, DataTimes