Vasquez an inspiration to Venezuelans

Named ACC player of the year

By Wadi Gaitan Jr.

Venezuelan Terp basketball superstar Greivis Vasquez does a great job of representing both his country and university while bringing pride to both Latino and non-Latino students at the University of Maryland.

It is no secret that Vasquez is proud of his Venezuelan heritage. He is often heard in interviews giving shout-outs to Venezuela and all his fellow Latinos.

Vasquez left his hometown in Caracas for Maryland in 2002, where he attended Montrose Christian High School in Rockville, Md. In 2006, he began his undergraduate career as well as his college basketball career at U-Md.

Through his years at U-Md., he has gained the heart of student fans with his ability to score and pass, as well as his passion for the game. Latino students have taken a special interest on Vasquez because he is also Latino, and very proud of it.

“Having a Venezuelan player on the court is everything I could have asked for as a student in Maryland,” said Maria Massiani, senior psychology major.

Massiani is an International student from Venezuela who can be seen at basketball games wearing her Venezuelan flag jacket.

“I have worn it to every single game for four years. Believe it or not, I always wore my red Maryland shirt underneath as well. This was to show my support for Greivis, and to show how proud I am to be from Venezuela,” Massiani said.

She met Vasquez in her freshmen year through Facebook, but did not realize he played for the school until Maryland Madness. Massiani cheered for Vasquez from the beginning of his college career because although most people did not believe in him, she knew he was going to be great.

Massiani said the situation in Venezuela is not too good, but having someone who shows what great things can be done through determination is really inspiring to Venezuelans.

“He has become a symbol of hope and faith for many back home. In a country of repression and hardship it is amazing to see Greivis come up on our front pages. It’s beyond inspiring and for me it’s a privilege to have been able to see him grow on the court and off the court,” Massiani said.

Vasquez has certainly grown as a player since his freshman year. His achievements on the court have bought him many awards, especially as a senior this year. He is the first foreign-born player to win the ACC player of the year; he won the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the nation’s top point guard, among other awards.

Vasquez has made the most of his move to the United States, but he surely has not forgotten Venezuela.

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Posted by admin on May 30 2010. Filed under Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry