Monday July 23, 20071' The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily.com 734-764-8585 Three cagers take trip to Asia during summer break FILE PI T Bitsy Ritt (left) talks with Amanda Augustus (right) last season, when Ritt was coaching the Wolverines and Augustu was her assistant. Augustus succeeded Ritt, but has since left to coach California. Ritt leads the search for a replacement. Augustus leaves 'M' frCalifornia By DAN FELDMAN Daily Sports Writer Basketball is opening doors for three Michigan men's basketball players. Redshirt sophomore Zack Gibson took a nine-day trip to Tai- wan to compete with Athletes in Action in the Jones Cup. Sopho- mores K'Len Morris and DeShawn Sims will go to China with Sports Reach Tours in mid-August. For Morris, the opportunity was definitely something to be excited about. When, he was asked about the trip, set up by Michigan's coaching staff, his reaction was quick. "I was like 'China? Basket- ball? Yeah,' " Morris said. Although both trips were originally sched- uled to overlap, but Morris sod Sims ed to the Far East for a cou- ple of weeks scheduling issues, leav- ing Gibson to go first. Gibson aver- aged six points and fourrebounds per game to help the Mike Jarvis- coached Athletes in Action to a 5-4 record. Gibsonsaid the high quality of competition was the most surprising part of the trip. "Everybody's out there to win, so these were serious games," Gibson. Gibson, Michigan's only return- ing player list- ed as a center, used the com- petition as a chance to prepare for the upcoming season after sitting out last year as a transfer from Rutgers. He went up against Korea's 7-foot-3 center, Ha Seung-Jin, who played in 46 games for the Portland Trailblazers from 2004-06. Seung-Jin scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 20 minutes against Athletes in Action. Gibson made just 1-of-5 shots in 10 minutes that game. A couple of times, the team went to a night market for food. Gibson took the safe route, opting for kung pao chicken instead of snails. Ath- letes in Action, a branch of Campus Crusade for Christ, also spent time visiting an orphan- age during the trip,dwhich Gibsun said helped hint spiritually. Because the trips didn't coincide, Gibson can offer advice to Morris and Sims. The Athletes in Action players were given a list of things that were offensive in Asian culture that an American probably wouldn't think twice about. For example, showing someone the bottom of your feetwould be the equivalent of giving See ASIA, Page 12 A. By DAN FELDMAN Daily Sports Writer Maize and blue isn't much different from blue and gold on paper. But what the distinction in color combinations represents is pretty meaningful to Amanda Augustus. After just one year on the job as Michigan women's tennis coach, Augustus is leaving the Wolverines to become Califor- nia's coach, where she played from 1996-99. "Amanda enjoyed her coach- ing experience at Michigan," associate athletic director Bitsy Ritt said through the athletic department. "Yet, when your alma mater calls, it can be dif- ficult to say no." A telephone message left for Augustus wasn't immediately returned. Michigan hired Augustus, who served one season as Ritt's assistant, last July after Ritt retired. "I am very excited to step into this role and guide Michigan to new frontiers," Augustus said through the athletic department at the time. "I hope to mirror the longevity of Bitsy's respected (22-year) career." But if that happens, it will be in Berkeley, not Ann Arbor. In her season at the helm, Augus- tus guided the Wolverines to an identical record (17-8), place in Big Ten Tournament (second) and finish (second round of the NCAA Tournament) as the sea- son before. But the Michigan was No. 22 in the final FILA Collegiate Tennis Rankings, its highest ranking in 10 years. At California, Augustus will have to replace another main- stay, Jan Brogan, who coached the Golden Bears for 29 years, including taking them to the NCAA semifinals last season. A search for Michigan's next coach will begin immediately. "I am excited to carry on the program's great tradition and continue to strive for excellence through diversity," Augustus said through the California athletic department. "I look forward to guiding the young women to achieve both their athletic and academic goals. While I will be forever grateful for the support and kindness of the Michigan community, this opportunity allows me to return to California and be closer to my family." The last time a Michigan coach served for just one sea- son was in 2002, when baseball coach Chris Harrison wasn't retained after serving the year as interim coach.