Print edition: 
MANHATTAN — Nick Russell described his freshman basketball season at Kansas State as a reality check.
That's the nicest way the 6-foot-4 guard can explain a 37-game stretch in which he played sparingly and averaged 1.5 points.
"Coming out of high school my confidence was real high," Russell said. "But coming to college last year opened my eyes. It knocked me down a bit."
Ask Russell to describe his recent five-game tour of Europe with teammate Jamar Samuels as part of the East Coast All-Stars, and he tells a much different story.
"It was such a great experience and a big confidence boost," said Russell, who led his team in scoring in two games. "That's something I needed. Going overseas on that trip helped build up my confidence a lot and show off my potential. I have real high confidence heading into this season."
In the all-star team's first game, Russell was asked to play point guard and scored a team-high 23 points. In the squad's fourth game, he scored 15 and helped the team to its only victory of the trip.
Samuels, who posted a pair of double-doubles on the trip, said Russell was one of the best players on the roster. What impressed him most was Russell's ability to play multiple positions. During certain situations, he even played power forward.
"They had him doing everything," Samuels said. "I was impressed. He played extremely well."
Samuels, a junior forward, played center more than any other position, and said he enjoyed the overseas experience. He got to participate in games in Switzerland and France, and saw famous architecture and art he wouldn't have otherwise been exposed to. He said the Eiffel Tower was his favorite stop.
Playing in front of rowdy European fans was fun, too.
"It was different, but I liked it," Samuels said. "If you dunked, they pretty much loved you."
Last summer, senior guard Jacob Pullen and former swingman Dominique Sutton went on a similar trip through the Czech Republic.
But it wasn't all fun and games overseas. Both Russell and Samuels said the European teams they faced were more physical than any opponent they've come across in college. Russell recalled being shoved in mid-air while trying to go up for a dunk, and was given no sympathy by the officials.
"They didn't call many fouls," Russell said. "But I think it made us better. Here in America, we've been so used to getting fouls. Over there you had to go to the basket strong if you wanted to score."
Samuels said those experiences are already helping down low in the pick-up games he has played since the fall semester began.
"I was getting the ball and trying to score as much as possible," Samuels said. "It was fun. I think I'm coming back here in tip-top shape."
