MONTREAL, Quebec – The Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s (FAMU) Men’s basketball team posted a 1-2 record in the first three games of a four-game Canadian exhibition tour Aug. 14-16.
Despite the record, FAMU’s third-year head coach Byron Samuels remained excited about what he feels will get accomplished with the exhibition experience.
“This gives us an opportunity for our players to travel, become familiar with one another and begin to trust each other as teammates. Our kids recognized that the opportunity came with sacrifice and coordination from their coaches and the athletic administration,” Samuels said.
The Rattlers opened play with a thrilling 94-92 double overtime victory over the University of Quebec-Montreal on Saturday, Aug. 13.
Sunday, Aug. 14, FAMU dropped an 87-74 decision to the University of Laval, before losing a hard-fought 69-62 decision to McGill University on Tuesday, Aug.16.
The fourth and final game, against Concordia University on Wednesday, Aug. 17 had not been played prior to the FAMU Forward newsletter’s press time.
The preseason tour will give the Rattler cagers the opportunity to get a head start on the coming 2016-17 season that many schools have taken advantage of, but it will be the first opportunity under Samuels’ leadership.
“When I took the job two years ago, at this point in the season I had only met two of the players. Last year we had four to six players in summer school. This season we had 12 players in summer school and they had the opportunity to meet each other and begin to gel,” Samuel said. “In the allotted days we’ve had to practice together, they’ve begun to understand one another. They’ve competed so hard against one another that there have been times where I’ve had to pull them back. It will bode well for us once the actual season begins,” he added.
The Rattlers have three goals on the trip according to Samuels. “We have to learn how to commit to one another, how to sacrifice and how to trust one another and the faith that comes with that,” Samuels said.
Keep up with the Rattlers on their Canadian tour via Twitter. Live tweets from games, along with other exclusive will appear on our Twitter feed. Follow us @famuathletics.
Canadian Exhibition Tour Schedule & Scores:
Saturday, Aug. 13: FAMU 94, University of Quebec-Montreal 92, 2 OTs
Sunday, Aug.14: University of Laval 87, FAMU 74
Tuesday, Aug.16: McGill University 69, FAMU 62