After a win over the Madrid All-Stars on Thursday, the Michigan State men's basketball team remained in Spain and took a trip down to Valencia.
After a fun experience at the Valencia CF versus FC Barcelona soccer game on Saturday, it was time for another basketball game on Sunday, this time, versus the Valencia All-Stars.
In a dominant performance, Michigan State took care of the Valencia All-Stars by a staggering final score of 105-59. After just a seven-point win in Madrid a few days earlier, gathering a 46-point victory was great for team morale.
While the 2-0 start is ideal, for head coach Tom Izzo, the journey in Spain is about experimenting and finding out more about his team.
Izzo went with a different starting lineup against the Valencia All-Stars compared to the starters from the win over the Madrid All-Stars. On Sunday, it was freshman guard Jase Richardson, junior guard Tre Holloman, sophomore forward Coen Carr, junior forward/center Jaxon Kohler and center Carson Cooper.
The star of the show on Sunday was Carr. He went for a team-high 20 points, and shot 10-for-12 from the field, according to statistics tracked by Anthony Garvert.
Carr showed his athleticism to the greatest extent, and proved that he is one of the best athletes in college basketball with a series of dunks. Having Carr likely come off of the bench during the 2024-2025 season will be huge for the team due to the athleticim and energy he provides, and the Spartans hope he can make a big jump in his overall game this coming season.
Kohler has had strong back-to-back performances. In Madrid, he had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and in Valencia, he scored 10 points, grabbed four boards and recorded two blocks, according to Garvert.
Kohler has dealt with injuries and has had his struggles on the court throughout his career, and his play in Spain won't automatically translate to the regular season, but he does seem to be potentially taking a significant step forward this summer.
Another big man who had a good outing was senior center and Longwood transfer Szymon Zapala. He chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and an assist.
Nebraska Omaha transfer and senior forward Frankie Fidler (11 points) and senior guard Jaden Akins (11 points) each reached double-digits. Fidler and Akins tied for the second-most points for MSU versus the Valencia All-Stars.
In the last outing in Madrid, Akins considerably struggled. He scored just one point and shot an abysmal 0-for-11 from the field. On Sunday, Akins was much improved, making five out of his 10 shot attempts (50%), including a 3-pointer. He also had five assists, three rebounds and two steals, according to Garvert.
As a team, the Spartans played outstanding. They shot an efficient 47.8% from the floor. MSU also played well defensively, only giving up 59 points. MSU's veterans played well, as well as the team's freshmen. Richardson contributed nine points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals. Meanwhile, fellow freshman guard Kur Teng recorded nine points, four rebounds and a steal.
All in all, 14 different Spartans got on the scoring sheet on Sunday, including junior guard Nick Sanders who hit a 3-pointer.
Michigan State will have its final contest in Barcelona on Tuesday, where the Spartans hope to end their Spanish tour with a 3-0 record. It will be interesting to see which players will shine in the final game of the trip.
All four quarters of Sunday's game can be watched in the Spartans Illustrated Message Board.
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