The vikings can play, and eat

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  Asker, Norway
Thursday, April 3, 2008

On the run, so this will be short.
Speaking of running, we usually are. Our entourage is scattered all over Asker, and host parents are gladly driving us to a meeting place (usually the local pizza joint called Dollar Dimple) or the sports complex in Asker. Asker is high-end suburb, beautiful rolling hills, but covers quite a distance. A couple of our homes are actually outside of Asker. But we gather up more or less on time, and the big swimming pool has become a favorite hangout. We were all there yesterday and the boys return today before their big game against Sandvika, one of the best teams in Norway. The girls instead have elected to come to downtown Oslo for a walking and boating tour of the city with most of the chaperones. We'll meet this afternoon before the boys game.

Running also applies to the pace of the games. The boys played the Asker 89\90 team again last night, and again it was a barn-burner. We wee down 10-0 in the opening two minutes then 28-19 at the quarter mark (quarters are 10 minutes long) based on three-point shooting. But we tightened up as always and battled to within four points by the end of the third quarter. Then it was back and forth -- we got as close as two -- but could not pull it out. After two games these boys have developed considerable respect for each other. When Jaydee flew out of bounds after a loose ball and bounced a couple of times off the floor everybody in the gym ran over. He shook it off and was fine.
The girls are also running. We played the same team to whom we lost by over 20 yesterday, Asker 90-91. We played a much better game, especially on defense which smothered their three-point shooters. Last game they hit 10 threes, this game they hit a pair. Asker hit 66 points in the last game and we held them to 52 on this one -- four more points than the Nighthawks. The girls are learning each other's moves and preferences, and there are some three on two plays that are a beauty to behold. Shelby is our leading scorer at about 16 ppg, but several others are close behind. We have also found an offensive rhythm that we like and will serve us well as we head into the second half of our tour games. Tonight we play an Asker team that is our own age, 91-92.
After the games all the players went out with Norwegian players to the pizza place, and I haven't heard much about that yet. All the chaperones were invited to the gorgeous home of a man named Dag who was one of the Norwegian coaches who brought the girls team to Port Townsend in 2002 that home-stayed with us. He and Ola Thomas Morin, the big Norwegian who led that group and was our original contact here, laid out a tremendous feast of meats and arranged vegetables and chicken and you name it, and we had a wonderful time and conversation with the lead members of Asker Basket. As Ola Thomas said in his welcome speech, exchange is about exchange and is a never-ending conversation. One day our visit to Asker will be followed by a visit to Port Townsend, and on it goes. It was a great night out with our generous hosts. I gave Ola Thomas the only 2XX Nighthawks shirt ever made -- he's a huge man, 6-6 and 280 lbs who was on the Norwegian national basketball team for 8 years. He's now an international head-hunter for CEOs of large companies.

Everyone had rave reports about their home stays. Some are in mansions with whole floors, two bathrooms, a weight room, a massive tv screen, all to themselves. All reports have been very positive, and that is certainly what Jennifer and I are finding with the Bergseths.
More later.

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