By Andy Lohman

"You can't eat gelato then come back," SMU junior guard Jimmy Whitt Jr. said. "I haven't had a bit of ice cream since I got back."

"I'm not eating any regular ice cream ever again," sophomore Isiaha Mike agreed.

The pair experienced Italian culture firsthand this August on a week-long basketball trip with USA East Coast, where they joined other college players to face professional competition from across Europe, in addition to sampling the local cuisine and sightseeing in Venice and Verona.

Beyond pizza, pasta and gelato, the trip was a great learning experience on and off the court.

"Basketball aside, it was really fun to see another country, to get out there and see another culture other than your own. It was a really great experience," Whitt said. "Basketball-wise, it was really cool being able to play against pros, because these were guys that are going to be playing for their Olympic teams in the future."

For Whitt specifically, the top-level competition was a chance to implement the improvements to his game that he's been working on during the summer.

"Everything I've been working on this summer, I got to go try to translate into a real game," Whitt said. "Improved shooting, I feel like that was a big key for me as well."

These offseason game experiences are especially important for Mike, who had to sit out the 2017-18 season after transferring to the Hilltop from Duquesne. The 6-foot-8 forward also played on SMU's summer tour of Canada in 2017 where he averaged 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.7 assists. Mike and Whitt will likely feature prominently in the Mustangs' lineup this season, so developing on-court chemistry was a key aspect of the trip to Italy.

"It's one of those things that's hard to put into words, you just can feel it and you know it," Whitt said of the duo's chemistry. "I think it'll help us towards the season too."

The composition of the USA East Coast team, with players from all over the country including schools like Kansas and Purdue, facilitates the free flow of basketball ideas between the players, an opportunity that wasn't lost on Whitt.

"Being able to see what their coaches are telling them and how they apply it to the game and what our coaches are telling us, just being able to mix and match it, it's a learning experience," Whitt said. "You get to learn things you may not have known, teach things they may have not known. It's a growing experience for everybody."

"Playing with a bunch of different guys from across the country was a really good experience," Mike said. "It was really easy to relate to them so we got along right away."

The Mustangs gained new perspectives on the game, but also grew their friendship together.

"I thought we had a really strong bond, but [it got] even better," Whitt said. "When you go over water when really you're the only two that know each other, you've got to rely on each other. It just strengthens it."

"Oh yeah, Jimmy and I have grown so much closer since then," Mike said. "We spend a lot of time together. Off the court we play a lot of video games together. As soon as I get home, he's calling me 'bro, get on the game.'"

Of course, their friendship doesn't stop a little friendly competition.

"No question: me," Whitt said when asked who was the better Fortnite player. "By far. And if anyone says otherwise, ask them to check the career stats."

Both Whitt and Mike look to add to their career basketball stats as SMU starts its season on Nov. 8 at Moody Coliseum against Northwestern State at 7 p.m.