It was the experience of a lifetime for Emma Sipe-Copeland , a soon-to-be senior at Hennessey High School, as she proudly represented Team USA in Spain during an unforgettable international basketball and cultural tour. Accompanied by her mother, Lacey Copeland, grandmother Pene Cline, and aunt Gracie Mills, the trip blended fierce competition with sightseeing, history, and a taste of Spanish life.
The family began their adventure in Barcelona, where the bustling city welcomed them with sunny skies.
The team’s first test came quickly. On their second day, they scrimmaged a local team from the town of Gava. Despite never having played together before, the team found their rhythm fast, resulting in a thrilling 76-76 tie. “It went really good for their first time ever on the court together,” Lacey shared.
The following day offered a change of pace with a visit to the seaside town of Sitges. Swimming, shopping, and local cuisine, including the famously polarizing paella, filled their time. Later, the group cooled off with water games in Castelldefels’ Olympic Canal and enjoyed a relaxing evening with dinner and gelato.
Day four brought a slower start and a bit of retail therapy. The girls walked to a nearby mall for breakfast and stocked up on water bottles before heading into Castelldefels for lunch. That afternoon, Team USA played two games in Cornellà de Llobregat, winning the first 64-42 and falling short in the second 33-64. Lacey noted that the officiating seemed a bit unfair during the second matchup. Despite the loss, the girls shared a great moment afterward, trading jerseys with players from the first team they faced.
On day five, Lacey and Gracie began the morning with a 7 a.m. trip to a local laundromat to wash uniforms. By late morning, the team was back on the court for the tournament finale. Team USA gave it their all and finished in second place overall. The conditions were tough,
with the games held in a non-air-conditioned gym while the outside temperature climbed to 91 degrees.
After the games, the team rewarded themselves with a long walk to the beach, two miles, to be exact, and dinner at Marchalo, where they were surprised to find Oklahoma-style smash burgers on the menu. A swim in the sea followed before they caught a ride back to the hotel.
Their final full day in Spain was spent touring some of Barcelona’s most iconic sites. They began with Antoni Gaudí’s world-famous Sagrada Família, the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. From there, they continued to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia and ended their day exploring Park Güell, another colorful and whimsical Gaudí creation.
Though the walking had worn them out, Lacey summed it up best: “Absolutely incredible day.” Emma Sipe-Copeland. Lacey would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped make the trip possible.
“It truly will be a trip we will never forget.”
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