UNO in the Pros: Privateers Excel at the Next Level
Video: Kyndall Dykes Competing in Slam Dunk Contest
SIBIU, Romania - Former University of New Orleans and Warren Easton standout Kyndall Dykes was selected to start in the Romanian Basketball Federation All-Star Game scheduled for April 9th.
A member of U Mobitelco Cluj, Dykes was selected as a starter as the result of a fan vote conducted through the Romanian Basketball Federation's web site. Entering this weekend's All-Star Game, Dykes is ranked fourth in Romania's top division in points (20.7) and seventh in steals (2.1).
U Mobitelco Cluj finished the regular season last week with a 24-6 record, tying with Ploiesti for the best record in the league. By virtue of tiebreaker, Dykes' team is the second seeded squad in the playoffs that get underway Apr. 13 with the quarterfinals against CSU Sibiu.
Earlier this season, Dykes was named EuroBasket.com's Romanian League Player of the Week. In his first season in Romania, Dykes joined the team with 20 games remaining, averaging 12.9 points and 2.5 rebounds a game.
Prior to his arrival in Europe, Dykes was a 2009 All-Louisiana first team selection following a campaign in which he also earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors. The forward finished second in the SBC in scoring during his senior year with 17.3 points per game and ranked in the top 20 in steals, rebounding and field goal percentage for head coach Joe Pasternack.
PRIVATEERS IN THE PRO NOTES...
Bo McCalebb, UNO's all-time leading scorer in men's basketball, recently returned to action after recovering from injury. McCalebb, who prepped at O. Perry Walker, helped his Italian Ligue squad Montepaschi Siena into the 2011 EuroLeague Final Four. The Final Four is the most prestigious tournament in European club basketball. The squad will face Greece-based Panathinaikos BC on May 6th in Barcelona, Spain. Last year, McCalebb was named an All-EuroLeague selection as he led Serbian-based Partizan Belgrade to the 2010 EuroLeague Final Four.
Johnny Giavotella continued his rise in professional baseball, earning a spot on the Omaha Storm Chasers' roster this spring. Giavotella earned the promotion to the Triple-A club after batting .322 with 168 hits, 92 runs and 65 RBIs last season for Northwest Arkansas. The Privateer All-American and one-time Jesuit standout participated in the Arizona Fall League last fall with former UNO teammate Joey Butler, a member of the Texas Rangers organization.
