One of Europe's best comes to PUC
casey brandon
Issue date: 9/21/09 Section: Sports
PUC will play host to one of Europe's premier basketball teams as they scrimmage the Mid West All-Stars 7 p.m. Sunday Sept. 27 in the fitness center. Partizan, from the Serbian and European basketball leagues, will be touring the United States as they prepare for their upcoming season and its first stop will be the Peregrines' home court.
Ex-NBA player Vlade Divac was a former player with Partizan and still sits on the team board. Divac is the chair person of Humanitarian Organization Divac and helped bring Partizan to the US.
Alex Dimitrijevic, director of HOD, said it would mark the first time a Serbian team traveled to the U.S. Northwest Indiana was chosen because of its large Serbian population, Dimitrijevic said.
"There's an excitement within the Serbian Community here," he said.
One of Partizan's premiere players, Czech Jan Vesely, is slated to be a lottery pick in the in the 2010 NBA draft, according to draftexpress.com. He is projected to play anywhere from a small forward to a center.
"He would make a good 6-11 swingman," Dimitrijevic said. "That's why we're expecting most of the NBA's scouting staff to come out and watch."
Confirmed attendees include personnel from the Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers.
Partizan made it to the Euro Basketball 2009 quarter finals, which earned it the chance to come to the U.S.
The Mid West All-Stars are a team made up of current and former overseas players and former NBA players, including Scott Pollard and Mateen Cleaves.
Pollard was drafted 19th overall by the Pistons in 1997. Pollard had an 11-year NBA career with the Pistons, Kings, Cavaliers, Pacers and Boston Celtics.
"I'm very excited to be part of this. I have great respect for Vlade and the Euroleague basketball," said 35 years old Pollard in a press release. "My only wish is that Vlade was playing too, so I wouldn't be the oldest guy on the court."
Divac is 41 years old.
Cleaves, drafted from Michigan State 14th overall in the 2000 draft by the Pistons, played with Pollard on the Sacramento Kings. He was a three time captain while playing for the Spartans and was named Outstanding Player for the NCAA tournament his senior year.
After team Partizan's stop at PUC, they will play a game in Michigan, then travel out west to play the NBA's Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.
Ex-NBA player Vlade Divac was a former player with Partizan and still sits on the team board. Divac is the chair person of Humanitarian Organization Divac and helped bring Partizan to the US.
Alex Dimitrijevic, director of HOD, said it would mark the first time a Serbian team traveled to the U.S. Northwest Indiana was chosen because of its large Serbian population, Dimitrijevic said.
"There's an excitement within the Serbian Community here," he said.
One of Partizan's premiere players, Czech Jan Vesely, is slated to be a lottery pick in the in the 2010 NBA draft, according to draftexpress.com. He is projected to play anywhere from a small forward to a center.
"He would make a good 6-11 swingman," Dimitrijevic said. "That's why we're expecting most of the NBA's scouting staff to come out and watch."
Confirmed attendees include personnel from the Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers.
Partizan made it to the Euro Basketball 2009 quarter finals, which earned it the chance to come to the U.S.
The Mid West All-Stars are a team made up of current and former overseas players and former NBA players, including Scott Pollard and Mateen Cleaves.
Pollard was drafted 19th overall by the Pistons in 1997. Pollard had an 11-year NBA career with the Pistons, Kings, Cavaliers, Pacers and Boston Celtics.
"I'm very excited to be part of this. I have great respect for Vlade and the Euroleague basketball," said 35 years old Pollard in a press release. "My only wish is that Vlade was playing too, so I wouldn't be the oldest guy on the court."
Divac is 41 years old.
Cleaves, drafted from Michigan State 14th overall in the 2000 draft by the Pistons, played with Pollard on the Sacramento Kings. He was a three time captain while playing for the Spartans and was named Outstanding Player for the NCAA tournament his senior year.
After team Partizan's stop at PUC, they will play a game in Michigan, then travel out west to play the NBA's Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.
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