WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- For coach Eric Bridgeland and his Whitman College men's basketball team, the timing of next week's seven-day, five-game whirlwind trip through British Columbia is almost perfect.

"We're excited for our guys for reasons that go beyond the chance to visit a beautiful country and culture," Bridgeland says. 

Eric Bridgeland

"I know they're going to love Canada and its wonderful people, but the timing is perfect because our classes don't start until late this month. This is the one time this school year that guys will take a trip without taking the daily pressures of Whitman academics along with them.

 "They can just relax, enjoy each           other and have fun.

 "We're a relationship-based program      and this is a great opportunity for guys to build on our team camaraderie and brotherhood."

Bridgeland, assistant coach Matt Airy and 11 returning players leave Walla Walla early Sunday, flying by way of Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. From there, the group heads north and west in vans for Kamloops, where they play Thompson Rivers University at 7 p.m. Monday.

Game two follows at 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. UBC-Okanogan in Kelowna.

The Whitman contingent returns to Vancouver on Wednesday and faces its toughest test against the University of British Columbia (UBC) on Thursday. That game starts at 7 p.m. at St. George's School.

Whitman wraps up its trip with games Friday and Saturday at University of the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford) and Vancouver Island University (Nanaimo). Both games start at 7 p.m.

"The level of competition we're facing next week is equivalent to mid-to high-NCAA Division II. We will have our hands full throughout the trip."

LuQuam Thompson

As allowed by NCAA Division III regulations, Bridgeland has run his returning players through 10 days of practice as preparation for its trip outside the U.S. The NCAA allows Division III programs to take out-of-country excursions once every four years.

"We've been having championship practices already," Bridgeland says. "No one plays any harder than our guys, and they practice like they are playing a game. They go hard all the time.

"We've actually had to stop two practices early because our guys are playing so hard. This core group is very determined, energized and focused. They're all cut from the same blue collar fabric."

This month's trip to B.C. also gives Bridgeland a chance to work sophomore guard LuQuam Thompson back into the fold. Thompson, who was Whitman's third-leading scorer two years ago, missed all of last season with a knee injury. 

"Quam's injury happened about 10 months ago, so the positive spin is that he's had time to fully heal and rehab and get ready for this season," Bridgeland says. "Our athletic training staff is phenomenal, and Nathan Fry's work with Quam has been exceptional."

Thompson's injury last October was tough to swallow in more ways than one, Bridgeland says.

"Quam is as tough as they come and can be very stoic. So, to see him show some emotion when the injury happened was hard for all of us. He's a great teammate and a great person, and the game means so much to him. His teammates and coaches felt horrible for him."

The injury, which came on the first day of practice in mid-October, also left the coaching staff scrambling to fill the void.

"To be honest, Quam's injury sent us into a little tailspin to start the season," Bridgeland says. "We had to change our style of play, which turned out to be a blessing. We learned a lot during the season about involving everyone and not relying quite so much on the dribble-drive."

Whitman Teamwork

With Thompson on the sidelines, Whitman stumbled to start the season, winning just two of its first six games. That included two losses to start the Northwest Conference season.

Beginning in early December, however, the Missionaries won 16 of their next 18 games to finish in a second-place tie with Lewis & Clark in the final regular standings.

That closing rush included an epic come-from-behind triumph that handed No. 1-ranked Whitworth its first loss of the season.

Whitman continued its best season in more than two decades by beating Lewis & Clark in the NWC playoff semifinals. With a national playoff berth at stake in the conference finals, Whitman battled Whitworth to a standstill until the Pirates pulled away in the second half to win.

Next week's B.C. trip is a homecoming of sorts for Bridgeland, who spent much of his childhood in Canada and then returned to play basketball at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. He earned All-Canadian honors in each of his four seasons and still reigns as Manitoba's all-time career scoring leader.

He also was part of the Canadian National Basketball program from 1990 through 1993, and he played professionally for the Winnipeg Thunder during the 1993-94 season.

"Canada is a beautiful country with wonderful people, and I'm thrilled that our guys are getting the chance to experience this trip. They work very hard at being successful student athletes, and they've earned this trip.

"Our guys also know they will be representing the United States, and not just Whitman, during this trip. They are well aware of this and will be tremendous ambassadors."

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu