Bridgewater State Men’s Basketball Team Bound for Cape Verde

By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men’s basketball team is about to take part in an interesting offseason activity.

The Bears leave on Wednesday morning for Cape Verde, where they will play two exhibition games against the Cape Verde National Team in addition to presenting four clinics, including one at an orphanage, during a week-long stay.

“How do you put a price tag on something like this?’’ asked BSU coach Joe Farroba. “I look at it as a trip of a lifetime for some of these kids. I’m not sure they understand how fortunate they are to be doing what they’re going to do.

“When they leave Bridgewater State, it’ll probably be one of the highlights of their education at the university. Anytime you can get in a culture like we’re going to be involved, it’s a great teaching thing.’’

Farroba, who runs basketball camps on the Caribbean island of Anguilla, approached BSU president Dr. Dana Mohler-Faria last year about having his team go to Cape Verde to give clinics.

Dr. Mohler-Faria, who is Cape Verdean, visited Cape Verde in December and got the plan in motion. In March, Cape Verde officials asked BSU to travel there to play the national team in the summer.

“Dr. Mohler-Faira was very receptive of it,’’ said Farroba. “The college and he, in particular, have forged a tremendous connection with Cape Verde. Students from there are being educated at Bridgewater State and we are sending students to Cape Verde.

“He thought it was a good idea. He said he’d talk to some people. Next thing you know in March he calls me in his office and the national team was very interested in us coming over and playing some exhibition games.’’

BSU will have 10 players in addition to Farroba and assistant coach Brian Ferris on the trip. Also going is Bears women’s basketball coach Bridgett Casey, who may bring her team to Cape Verde in the future.

The exhibition games are Aug. 2 and 5 against a national team that is preparing for the African Basketball Championships, which will be held Aug. 20-31 in Abidjan.

According to the Cape Verde roster on Facebook, the national team has some local ties.

Among the players listed are Mario Correia, an All-New England forward at Massasoit Community College in 2001-02 who transferred to Bryant University; former Stonehill College forward Ivan Almeida, who played in Portugal this season; Marques Houtman of New Bedford, who played at Stonehill and UMass-Dartmouth; UMass-Boston product Tony Barros, whose cousin is former NBA guard Dana Barros; and ex-Providence College guard Jeff Xavier.

“I think they’ll be very good,’’ said Farroba. “We’ll be very challenged, to be very honest with you. They have guys in their late 20s and 30s. I’ve watched a little bit of them on film and they’re good.’’

The NCAA allows teams going abroad for exhibition games to have 10 practices before they depart, which is a benefit for the Bears.

The two teams will exchange pins before one game and jerseys before the other game, and basketballs are being donated by BSU and Farroba to the Cape Verde National Team and at the participants at the clinics.

“It’s just a great way to have a lead-in for our season,’’ said Farroba, whose. They’ll have some practices, get a chance to build some chemistry. It’s really a win-win.’’