Sitting inside a second-floor Mountain View Excessive Faculty classroom two days earlier than the beginning of winter break, Sveva Bernasconi’s broad smile represents a lot when she speaks about her first 4 months residing and attending college in the USA.
A bonus is taking part in basketball for the Thunder.
“It’s all going by so fast,” she stated.
Bernasconi is from Cantu, Italy. Basketball has taken the 5-foot-11 senior all around the world, which now consists of Vancouver because the Thunder’s main scorer.
Again in July, she performed on the Italian U17 girls’s nationwide crew that certified for the 2024 FIBA World Cup in Mexico.
Weeks later, she was on a airplane to the USA to start a year-long as an trade pupil.
Donning a game-day Thunder basketball jacket, Bernasconi smiles whereas relishing each alternative to not solely increase her recreation in the USA, but in addition increase life experiences 5,500 miles from residence.
“That’s always been one thing I had to do in my life,” Bernasconi stated of being an trade pupil. “It’s such an amazing experience; it changes you forever. It’s not only for school and a sports thing — it’s a life thing. It’s something you carry with you forever.”
Italian colleges don’t have education-based sports activities. Rising up, Bernasconi dabbled in all the things from basketball to swimming. Till two years in the past, she did ski racing.
“I used to do five sports at a time,” she stated.
Earlier than her center college years, Bernasconi performed on basketball groups with boys. That difficult surroundings pushed Bernasconi to enhance her talent set and to compete in excessive ranges of basketball.
She debuted on the Italian U15 girls’s nationwide crew in 2022, and in 2024, made the U17 crew that confronted New Zealand, Mali, Argentina, France, Finland and host Mexico at July’s World Cup.
Within the crew’s remaining recreation towards Finland on July 21, Bernasconi had 9 factors on 4-of-4 taking pictures and two steals. America topped Canada for the World Cup.
In August, the 17-year-old arrived in Vancouver.
Bernasconi’s host household consists of two teenage ladies, and one attends Mountain View.
After arriving in August, Bernasconi dove proper into the American highschool expertise. She tried out for volleyball, made the varsity crew and contributed in huge methods as an out of doors hitter.
She’s made an on the spot affect in basketball, too. Adapting to American highschool basketball with pals and classmates as teammates has been a welcoming change.
“They’re perfect; I love my teammates,” Bernasconi stated. “They make me feel comfortable playing. It’s like the joyfulness of playing and being happy while playing. They push me always and they’re always supporting me.”
First-year Thunder coach Chuck Knight raves Bernasconi’s motivation, drive, coachability and basketball IQ noting how she “really brings the whole package to the team.”
Her worldwide expertise is also highlighted in her versatility. Knight stated Bernasconi simply can play positions 1 via 5 on each ends of the ground.
At a current recreation towards Skyview on Dec. 16, Bernasconi scored on consecutive Mountain View possessions: a nook 3-pointer with two defenders on her, and a robust end off a low-post transfer with the protection collapsing. Later, she led the quick break off a steal.
“You can tell she’s had a lot of great coaching already,” Knight stated. “It’s a tribute to her that she incorporates that coaching into her game. … The game of basketball, anywhere she plays, I think, I think she’s going to be very successful at it.”
College students in Italy attend highschool for 5 years, so Bernasconi will return residence for her remaining 12 months of highschool and graduate in 2026. However she hopes this isn’t her final 12 months in the USA. She needs to attend faculty right here and likewise play basketball.
One other step in a basketball-filled journey all over the world.
“That’s the big dream,” she stated.
