Numerous times, basketball coaches pride themselves on stressing the importance of building relationships, strengthening teamwork and applying lessons learned on the court into everyday life.

Through countless interviews, many coaches spew off this clich, sometimes disguised as a distraction and excuse for a disheartening defeat. But for the Binghamton women’s basketball team, that mindset couldn’t come at a more opportune time than in 2004.

Possessing five international players from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Latvia, honing in on these three aspects draws the U.S. natives and international players closer. Bearcats coach Rich Conover is in the process of successfully melting the pot – full of various basketball backgrounds – and combining it into one effective unit. That unit is Syracuse’s opponent at Manley Field House tonight at 7.

Conover, last year’s America East Conference Coach of the Year, runs sophomore Rebecka Lindgren (Sweden) as the starting point guard. The other international players -Laura Sario (Finland), Therese Deemand (Denmark), Juta Jahilo (Finland) and Laine Kurpniece (Latvia) – have come off the bench, but that hasn’t been a barrier to the contributions each player has made.

Each player broke down cultural barriers, for instance, in practice when they explained in their native language a drill they picked up in international play.

Another time, the squad was split up into five groups, each paired with a foreign teammate. The groups made a different meal that is custom to the native’s country. Then, they shared it with the rest of the team, giving the Bearcats a better taste of their teammates’ backgrounds.

‘It teaches them something that maybe ‘I’m in a situation where I can’t understand something and I need help,” Conover said. ‘It’s a plus for them to get an opportunity to meet other cultures.’

So how did Binghamton land these players anyway? It doesn’t hurt when its assistant coach – Morten Thomsen – makes the recruiting efforts. From Copenhagen, Denmark, Thomsen speaks Danish and Swedish fluently and travels to Europe to scope the international scene. These international recruits are the new gems to discover, as indicated by the 2004 Olympics and the increasing popularity and competitiveness in basketball around the globe.

Thomsen said he knows many European coaches. Close relationships with these coaches and the selling point of attending an American school provides an in with international recruits.

‘The access to the kids is fairly easy,’ Thomsen said. ‘It’s a matter of trust. Every coach wants to be recognized with what they’re doing for kids. European kids know we’ll take care of kids.’

As sophomores this year, Deemand and Lindgren already have a year under their belts and have adjusted successfully. In their second college game, a match-up with St. John’s last year, Deemand and Lindgren netted 26 points and eight points, respectively, in Binghamton’s 84-81 victory.

Against the Red Storm, Deemand also hit a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. Against Boston University, the former member of the Danish national team hit double-digits, contributing 14 points in a 74-65 triumph.

On the Swedish national team, Lindgren guided the squad to the qualifying round of the European championship. With her superb ball-handling skills, Lindgren’s trying to lead the Bearcats at the starting point guard position.

‘It’s a gradual process (adapting), and I think having Rebecka and Therese helps quite a bit,’ Conover said. ‘They pick (the other girl’s) brain a little bit about their experiences.’

Lindgren and Deemand declined comment on this story through Binghamton sports information assistant David O’Brian. O’Brian shielded the freshman players – Sario, Jahilo, and Kurpniece – from interviews, also.

Sario picked up the scoring slack by averaging 19 points a game on Tapiolan Honka, a Finnish league team based in Espoo, Finland. Listed at 6-foot-1, she brings an unusual size to the guard position, allowing her to score around the perimeter and in the paint.

Jahilo, a participant in a Finnish league in Helsinki, and Kurpniece both are key rebounding contributors. Thomsen credits Sario and Jahilo as Big East-caliber players. Thomsen thinks Kurpniece has needed the most time adapting from her Latvian roots.

But according to Thomsen, the recruits already have an edge on education and language. The transition from the Scandinavian area to the United States has only been a significant factor basketball-wise and socially.

‘We’re so much deeper than we’ve been,’ Thomsen said. ‘Depth-wise it’s helped us tremendously. It’s frustrating for all of them sometimes because it has to be here and now. You can make five, six mistakes (in Europe) and you can still win. You make five, six mistakes here, you come out of the game.’

Conover admits this year’s 1-2 team hasn’t honed the communication skills of the 17-10 squad last year. With a heavy mix of overwhelming wins and losses in regular and exhibition play this season, the Bearcats hope to pin down the already established close relationships, teamwork and life lessons.

‘They’ve adapted pretty well,’ Conover said. ‘It’ll take a few more games. All of the freshmen and international players have shown flashes of what they’re capable of doing.’

Published on December 1, 2004 at 12:00 pm