TRENTON MEACHAM'S BLOG View profile
188cm / 6'2'' - Guard - 1985 USA
Trenton Meacham Basketball Career
Born: Sep.26, 1985
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outlook:
Trent was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in all 3 years at Illinois. Also, Trent was team captain in the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Trent is an outstanding guard who is very capable of playing the point full time as well as the 2 spot. He started all 34 games on the season in 09, ranking third on the team in scoring with an average of 10.2 points. Trent is an outstanding shooter and he led the Illini and ranked second in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal shooting at 42.1 percent (69-164). Trent also ranked fifth in the league with an average of 2.0 treys per game...Ranks fifth on the Illinois career 3-point field goal percentage list at 40.8 percent (178-436) and ninth on the school career 3-point field goals list with 178 treys...Scored in double figures 16 times and was the Illini's leading scorer in six games on the year...In final game of his career, scored a season-high 24 points vs. Western Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA?Tournament...Also had a career-high four steals vs. the Hilltoppers...Named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Dec. 29 after averaging 19.5 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds in wins over No. 25 Missouri and Eastern Michigan. He scored 23 points vs. Mizzou and had 16 points vs. EMU. Scored 21 points vs. Indiana on Jan. 10 and made seven 3-pointers vs. the Hoosiers, one shy of his school record...Trent was third on the team in assists with an average of 2.7 apg...Tied career-high of six assists on three occasions, vs. Georgia (Dec. 6), at Purdue (Dec. 30) and at Ohio State (Feb. 22). Trent was third on the team with 31 steals.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career:
Champaign, IL (Centennial)
2004-2005: Dayton (NCAA): 29 games: 6.4ppg, 1.7rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 41.9%, 3Pts: 45.9%
2005-2006: Illinois (NCAA): redshirted
2006, summer: Athletes in Action (touring team) France Tour
2006-2007: Illinois (NCAA): 35 games: 5.0ppg, 1.0rpg, 1.7apg
2007-2008: Illinois (NCAA): 34 games: 10.1ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.3apg, FGP: 41.1%, 3Pts: 40.0%, FT: 74.6%
2008-2009: Illinois (NCAA, starting five): 34 games: 10.2ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.7apg, FGP: 42.2%, 3Pts: 42.1%, FT: 84.5%
2009-2010: WBC Kraftwerk Wels (Austria-A Bundesliga, starting five): EuroChallenge: 6 games: 13.5ppg, 2.5rpg, 2.0apg, 1.3spg, FGP: 45.2%, 3PT: 45.2%, FT: 91.7%; Austrian League: 37 games: 15.4ppg, 2.4rpg, 2.6apg, 1.4spg, FGP: 55.8%, 3PT-2(45.0%), FT: 82.4%
2010-2011: BG Goettingen (Germany-1.Bundesliga, starting five)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awards/Achievements:
Big Ten Tournament Semifinals -07, 09
Big Ten Tournament Finalist -08
Most Improved Player -08
Big Ten Regular Season Runner-Up -09
Big Ten Medal of Honor -09
Team Captain -08-09
Acadmic All Big-Ten -07, 09
Austrian Supercup Finalist -09
Austrian A Bundesliga All-Star Game -10
Eurobasket.com All-Austrian Bundesliga Honorable Mention -10
Our seasons been over for about 2 weeks now, and I just returned home a day ago, so I wanted to write one last blog here as my summer gets underwayWe lost in the quarterfinals in the 5th game against Arkadia. It was a tough fought series, and we lost to a good team. Despite that, I was very disappointed in how our season ended. Overall, we had a very good year and showed really well in our EuroCup qualification round and in the EuroChallenge[read more]
Our seasons been over for about 2 weeks now, and I just returned home a day ago, so I wanted to write one last blog here as my summer gets underwayWe lost in the quarterfinals in the 5th game against Arkadia. It was a tough fought series, and we lost to a good team. Despite that, I was very disappointed in how our season ended. Overall, we had a very good year and showed really well in our EuroCup qualification round and in the EuroChallenge. As a team, we did not finish the season playing our best basketball and it caught up to us in the end. Personally, I had a great experience in my first year playing ball overseas. I know I learned a lot both on and off the court, and I am confident that will help me as I further my career as a basketball player as well as in all areas of my life. It was also a blessing to be able to go through everything I went through this year with my wife, Theresa. In our first year of marriage, it was great for us to be able to get away from all of our comforts of home and experience everything together. I would like to just recap the past few weeks that have really flown by. First, my dad was able to come visit Theresa and I in Wels, Austria which was a big surprise. I was taking my usual pregrame nap when my wife told me she had to pick a friend up from the train station. Well, she returned with my dad. It was a total surprise to me. I was shocked to see him! Probably the most surprised Id ever been to see anyone. It meant a lot to have him visit, and I know he was thrilled to catch a game and see how we have been living all year. He came for what ended up being our last game, but he was still able to see a great game. And as a coach himself, I think he really enjoyed seeing the differences in the European game and atmosphere compared to what hes used to in the states. He was only able to stay for a couple days, so we made sure to take him around town and show him all our spots. After our season ended, Theresa and I decided to take a trip somewhere. Of course, we were anxious to get home, but we wanted to take advantage of already being in Europe and being so close to some amazing cities. As a professional basketball player in Europe, I dont have much time to travel and see other places. A lot of American college students who study abroad will have weeks at a time where theyre free to travel, and many people think we have the same time as basketball players. Well, that is not the case during the season, so we made sure to use our free time to check a new place out. We decided on Barcelona, and had a blast walking the streets and touring the city. We stayed right on La Rambla, and really tried to soak up the culture there. With the sea, mountains, and incredible architecture, Barcelona was unlike anywhere we had ever been. It is now easily up there as one of the coolest cities weve been too. We stayed 5 days in Barcelona with our flight scheduled to leave on Saturday, May 8th. Once we got to the airport, we learned there was another volcanic explosion and no flights were leaving. And with our return flight home scheduled for early Tuesday morning, May 11th, we knew we had to get back to Austria to clean up and pack up all our stuff to return home. With no idea of when they would re open the flights, we decided on taking the trains all the way back to Wels, Austria. I still have yet to look at the map to see the route we took. All I know is that we left our hotel at 10am on Saturday morning and got back to Wels at 6:30pm Sunday night. We had just one day to pack up before being picked up from our apartment at 2am on Tuesday morning to head to the airport for our return flight home. It was a chaotic few days of travel and another day spent scrambling around town to get everything ready to leave. It feels great to be back home now! 9 months is longer than either my wife or I had ever been away from home. It wasnt always easy, but it was a great experience, and one that will help prepare us for our future. There were so many wonderful people we met this year. Starting with my coaches and teammates, I was put in a great place to begin my professional basketball career. It doesnt appear that Ill be back in Wels next year, so I wish all the guys returning the best as well as the other guys who are moving on. I also want to say thank you to all the friends we made this past year and all of our fans! There were so many people who made us feel at home, and I dont know what we wouldve done without their help. For now, Im just going to enjoy my time at home with my wife and our family and friends. There are so many people were excited to catch up with, and it is great to be back close to everyone. Its also that time to get back in the gym and start working towards next year. Ive always enjoyed working on my game and thats what the summertime is for as a basketball player. Ive learned a lot this past year, and I know the lessons I learned will only help me improve as a player and a man as I move forward. Theresa and I have no idea where we might land next year, but well just trust that God will place exactly where we are supposed to be.
We lost internet access!! So for anyone who is playing overseas, you know that the internet is pretty much your lifeline back home. Some of the guys here will joke and question how Americans used to make it over here in Europe before there was the internet. Well our internet at our apartment went down yesterday, and hopefully well be able to get it back up and running soon[read more]
We lost internet access!! So for anyone who is playing overseas, you know that the internet is pretty much your lifeline back home. Some of the guys here will joke and question how Americans used to make it over here in Europe before there was the internet. Well our internet at our apartment went down yesterday, and hopefully well be able to get it back up and running soon. In the meantime, I was able to borrow an internet stick from one of my teammates to hold us over until our wireless is back up. The internet makes living in a foreign country so much easier because it connects us back home. Email and Facebook make it easy to keep up with my wife, Theresa, and Is family and friends (and people I dont even know) back home. We also have a Skype number which allows us to talk to anyone with a Skype account or anyone in the U.S. for free. I think it cost us about $80 to buy the number and unlimited calling to and from the states for the year. Easily the best investment weve made. The time difference can make connecting with people difficult, and Ill often wake up in the morning with new voicemails from my buddies back home calling us here at 4 in the morning about who knows what. Hah, theres always something going on with those guys. Its nice to hear from them though so I can stay up with whats going on in their lives. Were 7 hours ahead of our families back home in Illinois, and we also talk with Theresas brother, Kevin Lisch (188-G, agency: Warren Sports International, college: St.Louis), whos playing ball in Perth, Australia. Hes a full 7 hours ahead of us. I also have to give a shoutout to Kevin as he was named the MVP of the NBLs Final Series which his team, the Perth Wildcats won last month! So even though we sometimes forget what day of the week it is over here, were usually aware of the time it is here as well as around the world.
Our regular season just ended, and we did not finish out like we wanted to. We dropped our last three games and now begin the playoffs as the fourth seed. We play Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions in the quarterfinals which start Thursday, April 15th. Theres no question, were facing one of the most talented teams in our league, so it should be a fun and intense series. Personally, Im really excited to begin the playoffs. Its been a long year. Not in a bad way as Ive really enjoyed the season, but just much longer than any season Ive ever been a part of. In college, the regular season would go from mid November until early March, and then the postseason would begin with conference and NCAA tournaments. Here in Austria, our regular season began the first week of October and lasted until this past week. Its been a fun year, but I think were all ready to begin the playoffs and compete for the championship. Im feeling fresh and ready to go, and I think the team as a whole is looking at the playoffs as a start to a new season. Its money time, so you know well be ready to go! This will also be the first time I ever play in a series format. Each round will be the best of five games, so it will be interesting to see the adjustments teams make from game to game. The phrase, win or go home, has never been truer because if we lose then were going back to the states. And although itll be nice to go home, that can wait another month or so
Back to the importance of the internetit also allowed me to follow the NCAA tournament, and what a year it was! I stayed up to watch most of the games online, and although my Illinois were one of the last teams left out of the field, I still had a lot of fun watching one of the most memorable tournaments ever. Some of the guys on my team here made our own pool for the tournament which always adds a little more excitement to the games. Even though my bracket was in last place with my national champion pick, Kansas, already out after the first two rounds, I ended up winning the prize money! I guess that proves what a crazy tournament it was this year. It also shows that anybody can beat anybody on a given night. Its just one of the things which make basketball the greatest game in this world!
Whatsup everyone? I'm going to start writing a blog on here every couple weeks or so, and I'll start it off by introducing myself...
My name's Trenton Meacham (188-G-85, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Illinois), and I'm currently living in Wels, Austria with my beautiful wife, Theresa. We got married July 25 of last summer. By far the best and easiest decision I've ever made! This is our first year overseas as I'm playing for WBC Raiffeisen Wels[read more]
Whatsup everyone? I'm going to start writing a blog on here every couple weeks or so, and I'll start it off by introducing myself...
My name's Trenton Meacham (188-G-85, agency: Warren Sports International, college: Illinois), and I'm currently living in Wels, Austria with my beautiful wife, Theresa. We got married July 25 of last summer. By far the best and easiest decision I've ever made! This is our first year overseas as I'm playing for WBC Raiffeisen Wels. We've been here since August 17th; by far the longest either of us have ever been away from home. We're both from Illinois. I'm from Champaign, IL and went to the University of Illinois. Theresa's from Belleville, IL and went to Saint Louis University. So not only have we been away from home for a long time, but neither of us had strayed too far away from mom and dad to begin with. Aside from my freshman year at the University of Dayton (I transferred to Illinois following that year), I have lived in Champaign my entire life. Theresa's about the same, as St. Louis is about 20 minutes from Belleville.
When we first arrived in Austria, it's safe to say we experienced a little culture shock. Tired from the flight over and overwhelmed with everything; the two of us were ready to catch the next flight back to the states. That first week was a tough adjustment for us. It's such a different world, and the language barrier (they speak German in Austria) made it even more difficult. It's funny looking back on our first few days here. I think we've adjusted pretty well, and we've both really enjoyed our time here. Sure, we're excited about going home in a couple months, but we're trying to make the most of each day we have.
Basketball helped smooth the transition when we first got here. It provided me with something I was used to and familiar with. There were a few new rules I had to get used to including a 24 second shot clock (compared to 35 seconds in college) and a different take on traveling. In Europe you aren't allowed to use your 'first-step' to beat your man like you can in the states. I found this out quick in the preseason when I was called for a few travels every game. Sometimes old habits can be tough to break. It only took me a few games to tweak my game a little, and I haven't been called for many traveling violations since. More than anything though, basketball has provided me with some great teammates and friends. The great thing about this game is how it can bring people from all over the world together on a team. It forces guys from all walks of life to come together and work towards a common goal. The best thing about playing for WBC is easily my teammates and coaches. I've really been blessed with a great group of people to compete with everyday.
We're just coming off a short All-Star break which I was fortunate enough to be able to participate in. I played with the 'International' or (American) All-Stars, and we defeated the European All-Stars 88-79. I also participated in the 3-point shootout, however, I lost to my teammate and eventual champion, Bruce Fields (197-F-80, agency: Rasmussen Services, college: Gardner-Webb)...nice work Bruce! The event was a lot of fun to be a part of. I really enjoyed getting to know some of the other guys who were there. I've been able to compete against all the guys, but it's great to have the chance to get to know each other away from the court.
It's now time to get back to business. My team has three big games coming up before playoffs begin on April 15th. We're currently tied for 3rd place, and we have the opportunity to move up to 2nd place if we can finish with 3 straight wins. It'll be tough as we face Gmunden (currently in 2nd), Klosterneuburg (currently in 3rd), and Arkadia (currently in 5th) in the next week. More than anything, it'll be important for us to continue hitting our stride as we enter the playoffs.
Thanks for checking in with me and I'll try to keep this updated on everything. God bless!
Copyright (c) 1998-2010 Eurobasket Inc. Disclaimer
WARNING:
Do not copy, redistribute, publish or otherwise exploit information that you download from the site !
Do not encumber, license, modify, publish, sell, transfer or transmit, or in any way exploit, any of the
content of the site, nor will you attempt to do so.
USA
