December 25, 2024
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Hoops in Hawaii: Grady Thompson chronicles University of Dubuque basketball team’s trip to Hawaii

Spartans play hoops, visit Pearl Harbor, the beach, Diamond Head

By Grady Thompson and Kevin Hieronymus
Grady Thompson (left) and the University of Dubuque basketball team recently played in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic. Thompson, a 2023 Princeton High School graduate who became the Tigers' all-time leading scorer, chronicled the Spartans' trip for the BCR.

Grady Thompson (left) and the University of Dubuque basketball team recently played in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic. Thompson, a 2023 Princeton High School graduate who became the Tigers' all-time leading scorer, chronicled the Spartans' trip for the BCR. (Photo provided by the University of Dubuque)

Editor’s note: Grady Thompson, a 2023 Princeton High School graduate who became the Tigers’ all-time leading scorer last year, is a freshman member of the University of Dubuque basketball team. He wrote about the Spartans’ recent trip to play in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic for Shaw Local. The Spartans won both games in Hawaii and recently have improved their record to 11-0. Thompson has played in all 11 games for the Spartans, averaging 10.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 21.5 minutes per game.

Grady Thompson

Grady Thompson (Photo provided by the University of Dubuque)

Day 1: Dec. 16 – We arrived at the Hawaii airport around 2:00 HST after a long night of travel. Next we went to our hotel in Waikiki. Once we got settled into our hotel rooms we immediately went to go get food and explore the area a bit. It was a pretty early night for me because of how exhausted I was from all the traveling.

Day 2: Dec. 17 – On this day we got to take the day off and just enjoy what Hawaii had to offer. It was a pretty sunny day, so it made for a good beach day, where we spent a good chunk of our day. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, but it was relaxing, and it was good to give my body some rest.

Grady Thompson (right) and the University of Dubuque basketball team recently played in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic. Thompson, a 2023 Princeton High School graduate who became the Tigers' all-time leading scorer, chronicled the Spartans' trip for the BCR.

Grady Thompson (right) and the University of Dubuque basketball team recently played in the Hoops in Hawaii Classic. Thompson, a 2023 Princeton High School graduate who became the Tigers' all-time leading scorer, chronicled the Spartans' trip for the BCR. (Photo provided by the University of Dubuque)

Day 3: Dec. 18 – On this day we started our day off with some delicious breakfast at Duke’s restaurant, which is where we ate breakfast the rest of the week. Midway through the day we made our way over to Diamond Head State Park Summit, where we made the 30-minute hike all the way to the top. The views were gorgeous. It was definitely worth the hike.

Day 4: Dec. 19 – On this day we had our first practice at Hawaii Pacific University after having a few days off. It was good to get back on the court to get ready for our upcoming games. It was very humid that day, so it made the court pretty slick, but we were still able to get done what needed to get done. After practice we went to get lunch and then we made our way over to the Pearl Harbor Memorial, which happened on Dec. 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor was a very dreadful day in history. It was a very eye-opening experience for me. We got to go out on the USS Arizona. It made me feel sorrow for the people that were there that day.

Day 5: Dec. 20 – On this day we had our second and last practice of the week, where we got ready for Whitworth University. We had a good practice, and once again it was a very humid day. When we got back to the hotel we watched film together as a team to review Whitworth’s plays and personnel. Mid-afternoon that day we got the opportunity to go to the Sea Life Park. It was a bit rainy, but we still had a really good time getting to watch the dolphin show. Until getting the chance to watch a dolphin in person, I did not realize how smart they are. It was a very cool experience.

Day 6: Dec. 21 – On this day we had our first game of two against Whitworth University. We started the day off with some breakfast and then watched more film on Whitworth. After the film session we grabbed a quick lunch and headed to Hawaii Pacific to watch Lewis & Clark vs. Knox to familiarize ourselves with what Lewis & Clark had to offer. Pretty soon it was time for tip-off for our game. We struggled in the first half against Whitworth, only scoring 22 points compared to their 30. After making some adjustments at halftime, we came out and scored 50 points in the second half compared to Whitworth’s 28. The final score was 72-58. After the game we went out to dinner with all of the parents that came to watch to celebrate our win and time here in Hawaii.

Day 7: Dec. 22 – This day was the last day we were in Hawaii. We started our day off with some breakfast and a film session on Lewis & Clark. After the film session we departed to Hawaii Pacific for our game. Once again we got off to a slow start against them, but we still went into halftime with a one-point lead. After making some more adjustments, we got going in the second half and ended up winning the game 84-68. After the game we got some food and went back for the all tournament announcements, and then we headed to the airport to get on our plane and head back home.

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