Wilson has a chance to impress
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Clay Wilson played just 48 minutes in 11 games as a freshman for the Princeton University men’s basketball team a year ago.
The sophomore from Tulsa, Okla. is hoping that during the Tigers’ 10-day trip to Spain he can make an impression on the coaching staff and put himself in a position to play a bigger role this upcoming season.
Wilson is one of 12 Princeton players to be part of the team’s trip to Spain, which will include stops in Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. The team departed on Wednesday and will return to Princeton on Sept. 9 after having had the opportunity to play four games against Spanish professional teams. There will also be the chance to sightsee in their host cities.
”We are definitely going over there to try and win some games,” said Wilson, who averaged 27 points a game as a senior in high school. “But it is going to be a good experience as well. I didn’t play a lot last year but I have been practicing a lot and getting good reps. I want to do anything to help the team as much as I can. Whatever role they put me in whether it be off the bench or starting, whatever I can do to help the team I am going to do.”
For Wilson, the trip will be his first out of the country. He’s looking forward to that aspect, as are all of the Tigers. PU coach Mitch Henderson made a similar trip to Italy before his senior season with the Tigers and still has fond memories of the chance to bond with his teammates and see a different part of the world.
”The summer before our senior year we went to Italy,” said Henderson, who will begin his second season as the Tigers’ head coach. “I still remember the little things that we did in the hotel rooms and the bus rides. When you get a chance to go on a trip like this with your friends it is special.
”We have a lot of time. When we have free time we are using it very wisely. This is our study abroad, year off, all rolled into a 10-day period. We have tours planned. I want the guys to be by themselves in Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid so they can get the experience of what that is like. That is the great thing about traveling, having that unstructured time and learning about a city.”
There will also be the chance for players to impress the coaching staff. The team will play four games — beginning today against Spanish first-division team Assignia Manresa.
”The first game we play, I actually have a friend who is on that team,” Wilson said. “We have been keeping in touch and talking to each other a little bit. He went to Tulsa and I am from Tulsa. So I am excited to play against him as well. It will be really cool to play against pros.
”This summer I didn’t get to play in a league because they were too far away. But I tried to play as much as I could. Just getting back here and playing with the team is what I am really looking forward to.”
And when they are not playing against pros they will be hanging out with their teammates.
”During the summer we have been calling each other and getting ready for this,” Wilson said. “We’ve been talking to each other about how excited we are to be going on this trip. I have never been out of the country before so it is something I have been looking forward to for a while.
”Just being together the whole trip and being in the rooms and going out and playing the games, we’ll be together the whole time and we’ll get to know each other even better.”
Henderson has enjoyed the opportunity to work with his players in preparation for the trip and no matter what the results of the games knows this will be a positive experience.
”Practices have been really good,” Henderson said. “I care about winning and we want to go 4-0, but I care more about the teachable moments that we are going to have with the guys out on the floor that have not had a whole lot of minutes. This is a really special opportunity for our team.”