Spanish reporter says Michigan State basketball is an Elite 8 team

Spanish journalist Gerard Sole had some high praise for Michigan State basketball after watching the Spartans dominate Valencia.

Watching Michigan State basketball in Spain over the past week has been a treat even though the Spartans had to sweat out a win over Madrid.

A few days after that Madrid win, Michigan State dominated Valencia from start to finish, winning 105-59. It was one of the most dominant wins that some who follow the Spanish all-star teams have seen.

One Spanish reporter was so impressed by Michigan State’s performance on Sunday that he dubbed the Spartans “an Elite Eight team” noting their skill, maturity, and physicality.

This is an Elite Eight team. They have the skills, the maturity and they are incredibly physical in both rims.

What they did today is unbelievable. We were completely crushed. And it was a similar team from the Madrid one that got a close game.

— Gerard Solé (@gsole14) August 18, 2024

While this may not seem like much of an endorsement because Gerard Sole watches these Spanish teams almost exclusively as a journalist, it’s actually incredibly high praise because he has been watching games like this against college teams from the US for 10 years.

And he said that Michigan State was one of the “top three teams” he’s ever watched on these tours and that includes Virginia the year before it won the national title (the Cavaliers earned a No. 1 seed that year).

I have been organizing games for college teams for more than ten years.

I’ve never watched this physicality and killer instinct. They wanted to destroy us after the Madrid game and they got that.

— Gerard Solé (@gsole14) August 18, 2024

It’s interesting to hear this type of praise from someone in the know in Spanish basketball. Sole also said that the Madrid team that Michigan State beat was one of the best that had been assembled in his time covering these games. He also said that Valencia was on a similar level and yet Michigan State was able to win by nearly 50. That caught his attention.

“I’ve never watched this physicality and killer instinct” is some high praise for a reporter who has covered these games for a decade.

As if Michigan State basketball fans needed any more reason to be excited about the 2024-25 season, Sole made sure to pour us all a nice glass of green Kool-Aid and the Spartans were also boosted to the favorites to win the Big Ten according to Caesar’s Sportsbook.

I’m all in.