Foreign Tour Central: Saturday, August 27
8/28/2022 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Daily updates from women's basketball's trip to Morocco and Spain
GoColumbiaLions.com will post daily updates on the Lions' whereabouts, including pictures and videos from the tour. Check here every evening for a complete summary of each day.
DAY 7 — Seville Bike Tour & Exhibition Game #3
The team's final full day of its Foreign Tour started at 9 a.m. with a bike tour through the city of Seville. The three-hour tour included stops and information about Plaza de Toros, Triana Bridge, the Tower of Gold and Plaza de España. The tour ended back in the city center.
The team had free time during the middle portion of the day before preparing for an 8 p.m. tip against a Spanish selection team, comprised of club players from various parts of Spain. Saturday night's game was the most competitive of the three during the week but Columbia still prevailed. The Lions jumped out to a 22-10 lead after the first quarter, took a 16-point lead into halftime and overcame a sluggish third quarter by outscoring their opposition, 24-12, in the fourth for a, 75-48, final. Jaida Patrick led the way with a game-high 21 points (7-18 FG, 4-8 3-PT). Kaitlyn Davis posted a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Abbey Hsu (18) and Nicole Stephens (12) also scored in double figures.🚴 🚴 🚴 Our final full day of #CUOverseas began with a bike tour through Sevilla 🇪🇸. Game tonight at 8 PM.#RoarLionRoar 🦁🏀 pic.twitter.com/GAXfw1unOA
— Columbia Women's Basketball (@CULionsWBB) August 27, 2022
DAY 6 - Exploring Seville3️⃣-0️⃣ on our #CUOverseas Tour! We just wrapped up our final exhibition game against a selection team from different parts of Spain, and took a 75-48 victory. 🦁
— Columbia Women's Basketball (@CULionsWBB) August 27, 2022
🗣 Nicole Stephens
12 Pts (5-10, 2-3 3-PT), 4 Reb, 2 Ast. 1 Stl#RoarLionRoar #EDGE pic.twitter.com/MI6F9Hgmai
The team departed Granada around 9 a.m. en route to Seville, where it will spend the remaining days of its foreign tour. The Lions arrived in Seville around noon and had two hours for lunch and free time in the city center.
Following lunch, the team met up for its first of two self-guided tours. The first one took place at the Royal Alcázar of Seville, which first took shape under Muslim rule in the 11th century by King Al-Mu'tamid. It was later built by Castilian Christians on the site of an Abbadid Muslim alcazar, or residential fortress. The fortress was destroyed after the Christian conquest of Seville in 1248.🚎 Granada ➡️ Sevilla 🇪🇸
— Columbia Women's Basketball (@CULionsWBB) August 26, 2022
We have arrived in Sevilla, where we will spend the next two days exploring and playing our final exhibition game!#RoarLionRoar #CUOverseas 🇲🇦🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/3i0hBX5dm3
The second self-guided tour of the day took the team through the historic Seville Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1507. It was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, along with the adjoining Alcázar palace complex.
The day in Seville ended with a Flamenco show and dinner at Tablao El Arenal.Felt the love of our Spanish families today in Sevilla!
— Columbia Women's Basketball (@CULionsWBB) August 26, 2022
🦁💙🇪🇸
📸 @BLVCKPICS
GALLERY:https://t.co/5S5AK9H9Y9#CUOverseas 🇲🇦🇪🇸 // #RoarLionRoar // #EDGE pic.twitter.com/XTn9b14qUX
DAY 5 - Alhambra & Exhibition Game #2
The team's first full day in Spain started at 9:30 a.m. with a guided walking tour of the Alhambra, one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, The team toured the historic monument for three hours, which included breathtaking views of the city of Granada. Following the tour, the team had a chance to rest for a few hours before preparing for its second exhibition game of the trip. The Lions tipped off against Armilla Baloncesto at 8 p.m. local time and, much like their first game, they dominated from start to finish. Jaida Patrick led Columbia with a game-high 28 points on 9-of-18 shooting, followed by 27 from Abbey Hsu and 21 apiece from Kaitlyn Davis and Nicole Stephens. Hsu also added a game-high 14 rebounds and Carly Rivera dished out a game-high 10 assists, as the Lions walked away with a lopsided, 136-30, victory. Mary Lobon, a native of Valencia, Spain, played 20 minutes and scored 18 points (9-10 FG) with eight rebounds and five steals.
DAY 4 - Arriving in Spain
The team had an early start Wednesday morning, departing its hotel in Tangier, Morocco at 6:10 a.m. to get ready to board the ferry for Spain. The ferry arrived in Tarifa, Spain around 10:45 local time, which was followed by a 175-mile bus ride to the city of Granada. The team stopped for lunch halfway into the ride in Málaga before arriving in Granada around 5:30 p.m. Before dinner, the team went on a one-hour sunset walking tour through the hills of Granada. During the tour, the team could see the Alhambra, a medieval Nasrid citadel and palace. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the most visited tourist sites in Spain. The team will tour the Alhambra on Thursday.
DAY 3 - Chefchaouen & Gameday
Columbia's third day in Morocco began by boarding the bus at 9 a.m. for the city of Chefchaouen, taking a 70-mile bus ride more than two hours to the infamous blue city. Nicknamed the "Blue Pearl of Morocco," Chefchaouen is known for its traditional houses painted in blue and white. The historic town was founded in 1471.
After riding back to Tangier, the Lions quickly prepared for their first exhibition game of the Foreign Tour. Columbia took on the IR Tanger Women's Basketball Club at Ziaten Hall. Before the start of the game, a ceremony took place at center court as IR Tanger welcomed Columbia, posed for a group photo and presented the team with gifts from Morocco.
Columbia dominated the game, jumping out to an 18-3 without allowing the hosts to score a single field goal in the first quarter. With Columbia starting the second half ahead by 25, last year's leading scorer Abbey Hsu hit back-to-back threes to start the third quarter on her way to a game-high 29 points in 28 minutes. She hit eight of her first 10 looks from the perimeter and went on to finish 10-for-17 from the field. Jaida Patrick ended with 19 points on 8-of-16 from the floor and Paige Lauder added 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The Lions won, 93-26.
DAY 2 - CAPE SPARTEL, CAVES OF HERCULES & MOROCCAN WEDDING
Columbia's second day in Tangier started at 10 a.m., boarding the bus for Cape Spartel, which sits approximately eight miles west of downtown Tangier. Built in 1864 by Sultan Muhammed III, Cape Spartel features a lighthouse and the legendary Caves of Hercules. The team climbed the lighthouse and explored the caves before heading down to the beach for a camel ride. After a morning full of activities, the team had free time in the middle part of the day to explore the city and grab lunch. The evening began with a practice at Ziaten Hall in Tangier, home of the l'Ittihad Tanger basketball team. The practice was Columbia's first in Morocco in preparation for an exhibition game which will take place in Ziaten Hall on Tuesday. Columbia returned to the medina for the evening and shared a meal with parents, players and family members of the IRT Tanger women's team. To the surprise of Columbia's players and staff, the Moroccan hosts had traditional wedding dresses for the team to change into before dinner. Once changed and introduced, the staff and hosts reenacted a traditional Moroccan wedding celebration, complete with food, dancing and henna tattoos designed by a local artist.
DAY 1 - DEPARTURE & TANGIER
The women's basketball team departed John F. Kennedy Airport Saturday night around 9 p.m. ET and landed in Madrid, Spain at 10 a.m. local time. The Lions then took a connecting flight from Madrid to Tangier, Morocco, flying over the Strait of Gibraltar and arriving in Tangier around 12 p.m. local time. After exploring near the hotel for lunch, the Lions hopped on a bus for a walking tour of the "Old Town" section of Tangier. The Old Town (medina), enclosed by 15th-century ramparts, is dominated by a casbah, the sultan's palace (now a museum of Moroccan art), and the Great Mosque.
Day 1 wrapped up with a traditional Moroccan dinner of soup and chicken tagine, which are pieces of braised chicken with spices, garlic, onion, olives, and preserved lemons.
Columbia WBB Foreign Tour Itinerary:
August 20 | Depart New York City for Tangier, Morocco
August 21 | Land in Tangier, Guided Walking Tour
August 22 | Visit Caves of Hercules & Dar el Makhzen
August 23 | Day Trip to Chefchaouen, Exhibition Game #1
August 24 | Depart Tangier for Granada, Spain, Guided Walking Tour
August 25 | Visit Alhambra, Exhibition Game #2
August 26 | Seville, Spain Bike Tour & Flamenco Dance Show
August 27 | Visit Seville Cathedral, Exhibition Game #3
August 28 | Return to New York City
Fans can keep up with the team's trip by following @CULionsWBB on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Daily blogs with accompanying photo and video content will also be posted to GoColumbiaLions.com.
