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Bulls hope to bond in Italy

By GREG AUMAN
Published August 12, 2006

TAMPA - Robert McCullum knows firsthand the value a foreign tour can have for a team, the benefits of the extra practice and competition as an early start on the season.

Yet because of "unfortunate" depth concerns, it also will seem like a leftover chapter from the injury-depleted struggles of USF's first Big East season.

But if you're going to field a team with only six players, including two walk-ons, you might as well do it in Italy.

"This experience will enable our starting point to be a lot farther ahead when we start in October," said McCullum, whose team flies today to New York and on to Italy, where they'll play five games in 12 days. "We've had the opportunity to get experience for a number of guys, to get their confidence up, to really improve our team chemistry. Those are three very important aspects."

The group McCullum will use in Italy represents less than half of the team he'll have for league play. Freshmen and midyear transfers are ineligible for foreign tours, so the Bulls leave five players at home. Redshirt freshmen Chris Howard and Zaronn Cann will travel but cannot play because of knee injuries.

That leaves five regulars from last season: walk-on point guard Chris Capko; forward Melvin Buckley, who will slide over to shooting guard; and forwards McHugh Mattis, Aris Williams and Melvyn Richardson. Without a center in the group, Richardson will play that position. The only reserve is walk-on guard Eddie Lovett, who played 13 minutes last season.

Unable to play five-on-five in practice, the Bulls have enlisted the help of former players such as Terrence Leather, Marlyn Bryant, Will McDonald and even Solomon Jones, a rookie with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.

The Bulls are excited about traveling through Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan.

"Just seeing the paintings, the statues and whatnot," said Mattis, a St. Petersburg College graduate who never has been to Europe. "I've heard a lot about it, but I can't wait to see it all myself. And it's a time where we can become closer as a team."

Thursday's news of a foiled terrorist plot in England won't likely impact USF's travels, aside from the team leaving earlier today in anticipation of longer lines.

Two weeks of practice have helped the Bulls, with Mattis and Capko showing improvement as complementary scoring options to Buckley. And though they cannot take the trip because they transferred to USF in January, guard Jesus Verdejo and center Kentrell Gransberry have been able to practice with the team. In two months, freshman guards Dante Curry, Solomon Bozeman and Amu Saaka can practice, leaving most of the depth problems behind.

"We've got seven guys who will be integral parts of what we're going to do who won't be playing there, but Chris and Zaronn will benefit from the trip," McCullum said. "All in all, to have this opportunity in itself has been great."

[Last modified August 12, 2006, 02:23:37]