After an early wake-up call to catch a 7:00 a.m. flight to Atlanta on Wednesday (Aug. 9), followed by a nearly 11-hour flight to Tel Aviv, the Arizona men's basketball team and travel party arrived in Israel just before 9:00 a.m. local time ready to embark on the trip of a lifetime.
After everyone gathered their bags at Ben Gurion Airport, the group made the approximately one-hour drive to the historic city of Jerusalem. Upon arriving at the team hotel, it was time for an early brunch that featured a wide range of foods from pizza to pasta to dates to a wide selection of cheeses, desserts and so much more.
The afternoon called for a guided tour of the City of David, a prominent location found throughout biblical history. The one-hour tour took the group to multiple excavation sites that have been or currently are active as they continue searching for further remnants from the original location of the City of David.
Another stop on the tour that is not currently accessible to the general public is the excavation of the Pilgrimage Road, which has been under excavation for over a decade. The underground road in the neighborhood of Silwan is a number of steps that lead from the Pool of Siloam to the foot of the Temple Mount. Artifacts that date back to the first century were visibly embedded in the walls of this remarkable discovery.
Following a quick return to the team hotel, the Cats boarded the bus and made their way to a local gym for a quick workout to begin preparation for Monday's game against Israel Select, which is scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. PT. Head coach Tommy Lloyd put the squad through some competitive shooting drills and other basics that will be utilized during the three games during the trip.
To wrap-up the day, the team had an outstanding meal together on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city of Jerusalem. The views were spectacular, and the food was just as good. Everyone then returned to the hotel to catch up on sleep that was missed during the travel day and looked forward to another busy day on Friday in Jerusalem.
Be sure to follow the Wildcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or online at arizonawildcats.com/SummerTour for the most up-to-date content from the trip including how to watch each of the three scheduled games.
