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Jeffers makes NBA debut UTAH JAZZ SIGN EX-FLAMES STAR March 9, 2010
When the Utah Jazz take the floor at the United Center against the Bulls, the former UIC star will be on the Jazz’s bench for his second NBA game. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound swingman was signed to a 10-day contract late last week and made his debut in Utah’s 107-85 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Jeffers scored his first career NBA basket on a layup in the final 2 minutes of the game. He finished with two points, a rebound and an assist. Jeffers became the first former Flames player to see action in a regular-season game since Sherell Ford was the Seattle Sonics in the 1995-96 season. He was playing with the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League and averaged 14.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest this season after playing briefly in Italy. He was also a D-League All-Star with Iowa last season, averaging 21.0 points and 9.0 rebounds. Jeffers played for two seasons at UIC (his sophomore and junior seasons) before transferring to Robert Morris (Chicago) where he was the Sporting News’ NAIA Player of the Year. He was First-Team All-Horizon League as a junior after averaging 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds. As a sophomore, he became the first and only player in UIC history to win a Newcomer of the Year award. Jeffers is the cousin of Flames’ great and current assistant coach Mark Miller and played his high school basketball at Hubbard on Chicago’s Southwest side.
The 6-foot-7 forward was traded from the Austin Toros on Feb. 28 after averaging 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in parts of three seasons with the team. In his first five games with the Skyforce, Bowen has averaged 13.0 points and 4.4 rebounds. He is a teammate with former Loyola star David Bailey in Sioux Falls.
Banks, who is currently playing with Entente Orleans 45 in France, was one of 25 players selected. The list includes several players who have made the NBA, such as J.J. Barea, Kyle Korver, Courtney Lee, Kevin Martin, Eric Maynor, Rodney Stuckey and Jason Thompson. San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates and former Butler guard A.J. Graves also made the cut. Banks is averaging 17.0 points per game for Entente this season. 2010-11 SCHEDULE NEWS: UIC will play in the 2010 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in a field that includes Illinois, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Texas as headliners. Other teams in the tournament are Charleston, Louisiana Tech, Navy, Rhode Island, Seattle, Toledo, and UC-Irvine. The Flames are also slated to play the Fighting Illini at the United Center. 2010 HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE TUESDAY, MARCH 2 OPENING ROUND (at campus sites) #3 Green Bay 81, #10 Youngstown State 67 #7 Detroit 89, #6 Valparaiso 82 #4 Milwaukee 73, #9 UIC 67 #5 Cleveland State 80, #8 Loyola 66 FRIDAY, MARCH 5 SECOND ROUND (at Butler) #7 Detroit 62, #3 Green Bay 53 #4 Milwaukee 82, #5 Cleveland State 75 SATURDAY, MARCH 6 SEMIFINALS (at Butler) #2 Wright State 69, #7 Detroit 50 #1 Butler 68, #4 Milwaukee 59 TUESDAY, MARCH 9 CHAMPIONSHIP (at Butler) #2 Wright State (20-11) at #1 Butler (27-4) |
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