July 22, 2011

CHICAGO - Former Loyola University Chicago men's basketball player David Gale recently served as an assistant coach for a U16 basketball team that claimed the gold medal at the 2011 European Maccabi Games in Vienna, Austria. The tournament ran from July 5-13.

Gale, who played at Loyola from 2003-07 and was a part of Rambler teams that won 40 games over a two-year period from 2005-07, was in charge of offensive sets for the U16 team that was comprised of Jewish athletes from New Jersey, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Orlando, Houston and New York.

"As a whole, the trip was an amazing experience," Gale said. "Our kids really came together and played their best basketball in the gold medal game. We came together as a family by the end of the trip, sharing a lot of laughs and new Jewish experiences, all while exploring a new country with open eyes and open minds. Friendships and memories that will last a lifetime were formed."

Following a three-day training camp in Albany, N.Y., Gale and the team traveled to Vienna for the Maccabi Games, which featured teams from 35 countries competing in 17 total sports. While in Vienna, the U.S. squad went 4-1, but after losing its first game in pool play to Brazil, rebounded to record victories over Germany and Austria to finish second in its pool.

Gale helped guide the U.S. team to a semifinal victory over Turkey before exacting revenge on Brazil in the gold medal game by earning a 60-57 decision. In 2006, Gale participated in the Maccabi Games in Australia as a player and helped the U.S. team to a bronze medal.

Gale currently serves as an assistant video coordinator for the Los Angeles Clippers.