Well, this will be my last entry as the regular season is winding down at the end of this month.

In an effort to get another American, AEK just signed Jerel Blassingame for the remainder of the season. He is a quick point guard who spent this past season playing in Cyprus before coming here. Back in the U.S. he played for UNLV and graduated in 2005. Hopefully he can provide some helpful scoring and leadership as we move into such a critical point of the season. 

This part of the year is where you have to really buckle down despite how mentally or physically fatigued the team feels. It gives you a spark of rejuvenation when you have something like the playoffs to fight for. AEK is a team with a proud tradition and they tell you that from the moment you arrive. Therefore, the issue of making the postseason looms larger than it does with most other teams. The fans expect a competitive program year in and year out, and they can be very tough if you don't meet their high expectations. 

Speaking of passionate fans, I learned last week from one of my teammates that it is extremely risky for a fan to wear clothing that expresses support for the opposition at away games. He said that many times the person will be beat up by home team fans and the police will not do anything about it. As I wrote in an earlier entry, the fans will even throw things on the court during games in some rare instances. If it can be that rough on the court then it is no surprise to hear about the dangers in the stands. 

It has been a tremendous learning experience to live and play here during my first year as a professional basketball player. The Greek culture is obviously very rich in history and each day you learn to appreciate more and more that you are spending time in the birthplace of modern civilization. 

I am glad to have been able to give you a glimpse into my life as I've adapted to life over here and I hope you have equally enjoyed following my entries. I look forward to returning to Vermont this summer for my summer camp! That's it from my world. So long and GO AEK!!