Entire Arizona Basketball team safe and accounted for in Barcelona, time to come home!

It was confirmed in the last hour from A Players Program that the Arizona Basketball team and all who traveled in their party are safe in Barcelona after a terrorist attack.

Enjoying a day off from dominating Spanish basketball teams on basketball courts, the Arizona Basketball team visited the Camp Nou, FC Barcelona’s soccer stadium in Barcelona. The team enjoyed the sights including all the trophies the team has accumulated.

The next Arizona Basketball update we heard about was a terrorist attack in the heart of Barcelona in a heavily touristy part of the city. The location of the attack by a man mowing down people while driving a white van through the sidewalks was an outside marketplace named Las Ramblas. We hear the location is close to the hotel our Wildcats are staying in.

The news reports explained that 12-13 people were killed and another 50-80 people were injured. It was the biggest terrorist attacks in recent times in Barcelona according to MSNBC. There were also reports there was a second van and hostages taken.

The players began to send out Tweets, sending messages one by one. So we found out they were okay but were they safe? That was the question.

MSNBC reported that they arrested one man, whose social media included anti-Semitic (anti-Jewish) posts, and there were some reports of hostages. The law enforcement in Barcelona wanted everyone off the streets and ordered the stores to close. Then there were reports from MSNBC at 12:28 Pacific Time that there was a second arrest.

Then Jeff Goodman started tweeting out that other basketball teams were safe, here is one from Coach Wayne Tinkle from Oregon State. Apparently, the Beavers were actually inside the hotel when the attack was happening in front of the hotel. Message from Coach Tinkle:

Tulane’s basketball team is also in Barcelona:

Goodman then assured fans that the Clemson basketball team and our Wildcats were also safe! We heard Grand Canyon University also had a team in Spain this week but was not in Barcelona at the time. Whew!

Then Brandon Randolph’s mom Robin confirmed the team and their entourage is also safe.

Then we finally heard from A Players Program, who probably wanted to make sure each and every one of their entourage was safe before reporting, that all were safe. Remember Coach Sean Miller deleted his Twitter account, so there would be no word from coach Miller.

Next Bruce Pascoe, Arizona Daily Star basketball reporter, tweeted out that there was a decision by the Arizona Basketball program to cancel its final game.

At this point, we were unsure of if they are coming home or not, but we would assume that safety trumps basketball at this point. Zona Zealots crew agrees with Mrs. Randolph; the team proved they dominate Spain teams with barely any time playing together. Wildcats rule Spain!

https://twitter.com/trulyacutiepie/status/898223489269866496

Well, that is exactly the plan. The Cats are coming home.

Just yesterday the team took in the sights and sounds of this beautiful temple: La Sagrada Familia. Ironically the team was in a place where all people of all faiths are invited to come together in love, peace and harmony. Here is an excerpt from the temple’s website:

"The Sagrada Familia is an international centre for spirituality which, in an exceptional setting, invites people of all backgrounds and faiths to share in a sense of life based on love, harmony, good, generosity and peace."

https://twitter.com/APlayersProgram/status/898204373251231744

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In light of the teams visit to La Sagrada Familia, and in light of the aftermath and healing needed after the terrorist attack in Barcelona, I pray for love, harmony, goodness, generosity, and peace in Barcelona, Tucson, and all over the world. Let’s bring our Cats home. They went they conquered Spain, nothing much else to prove.