SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The University of Toledo men’s basketball team spent its first full day in the Caribbean touring the island of Puerto Rico.
The Rockets spent the afternoon in historic Old San Juan, checking out shops, restaurants, and walking around Castillo San Cristóbal, a 27-acre fortress built to protect San Juan from attacks.
"It's been a lot of fun," junior center AJ Edu said. "I've been to a lot of places, but I've never been to this part of the world. It's a cool experience with nice weather and a chance for us to learn about a different culture."
The fort is considered the largest ever built in the Americas. It is part of the National Park Service.
Old San Juan is more than 500 years old. The Spanish architecture and colorful buildings are one of the biggest tourist attractions on the island.
On Saturday morning, the trip was nearing termination after the team’s flight Friday was canceled.
“The dejection in their eyes, they had worked hard and put all these practices in,” UT head athletic trainer and travel coordinator Brian Jones said. “It was frustrating. This was the last trip for the two seniors, JT Shumate and Seth Millner. The others had worked so hard it, and we yanked it out from underneath them.”
Edu was planning his dinner for Saturday night when the team received word to go to Savage Arena for an immediate departure to Detroit.
Some players’ families and girlfriends also made the trip.
“Meeting the new AD [Bryan Blair], experiencing time with our coaches and everybody, it’s going to be amazing,” Millner said.
Toledo's first game is 8 p.m. Monday against the Sancturce All-Star Team.
First Published August 8, 2022, 12:14 a.m.
