The D3hoops.com All-Star team in a relaxing moment. @ULVBasketball photo

New Paltz State standout Matt Devine writes about the D3hoops.com All-Star Team's trip to Europe.

The trip was a complete success and a great experience to say the least. Playing in a different country against professional teams was a honor and really made the trip that much more enjoyable. Especially when we went 11-1! The sights that we saw in the cities we stayed were awesome, especially the Notre Dame and Eiffel Tower in Paris.

I was curious how this trip was going to go and how us new teammates were going to get along but luckily that wasn't a problem. We became a very close knit group from the airport on the way there and it continued throughout the whole trip. We played really well on the court together and that was the main reason why we won so many games/tournaments.

Coach Dee Vick (of Hampden-Sydney) coached a great game every day and made playing very enjoyable. It was tough living out of a suitcase because we never really stayed in the same hotel more than two nights but traveling was okay because we got to see a lot of cities throughout Europe and what they had to offer. We had two really great tour guide/trip runners that showed us a lot in every city and supported us in every game we played as well as giving us the opportunity to watch a professional playoff game in Den Bosch which was a crazy experience. The fans were crazy and the atmosphere was electric so we were really excited to be able to watch that game. Let alone the fact that we sat front row!

Overall the group and I enjoyed this trip and were very honored to be able to represent Division III basketball overseas. We all hope to be able to play overseas in our future and this experience made us want to do it even more. I am looking forward to keeping in touch with my teammates and coach and seeing how they do next year. I am thankful for this trip and it is for sure one I will never forget.