Miners make six selections in 2007 CBA Draft, pick Indiana G Earl Calloway in first round
September 26, 2007 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
East Kentucky Miners News Release
PIKEVILLE, KY. - In the company of numerous hoops hungry fans, the East Kentucky Miners professional basketball organization selected six players Tuesday night in the 22nd Annual CBA Draft during a draft party held at Applebee's.
East Kentucky Coach Kevin Keathley drafted a versatile group of players. The Miners took 6-3 guard Earl Calloway from Indiana with their first pick in the opening round. Calloway, who averaged 9.6 points, 4.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game as a senior for tradition-rich Indiana, was the draft's third overall pick. East Kentucky also drafted Marcus Heard (6-7, F, DePaul, Second Round), Zach Malvick (6-2, G, Winona State, Third Round), Dwight Jones II (6-3, G, Houston Baptist, Fourth Round), Andrew Preston (6-10, C, Belmont, Fifth Round) and Lukasz Obrzut (7-2, C, Kentucky, Sixth Round). Each of the players drafted will have the opportunity to come into training camp and earn a spot on the East Kentucky roster.
The CBA Draft, originating from the Holiday Inn Parkway East in Pittsburgh, was carried live on Web Television Network. Fans in attendance at Applebee's were made aware of East Kentucky's draft picks as they happened. Various members of the Miners organization and the Diamond Girls Dance Team were also in attendance.
"The draft party went really well," Keathley commented late Tuesday night. "The Diamond Girls Dance Team came out and really got the crowd into it. "Obviously, we did our homework, getting guys who can come into training camp and compete for a spot. Enough credit can't be given to Brandon Paquin, our Director of Basketball Operations. He put in a lot of hard work in the office everyday, evaluating talent, watching tapes and making phone calls."
The CBA Draft consisted of six rounds as a total of 60 players were drafted. The expansion Oklahoma Cavalry made the first selection in the 22nd annual draft, selecting Caleb Green, a 6-8 forward from Oral Roberts. Each pick was shown live on Web Television Network. The CBA Draft was open to all players who had exhausted their college eligibility and were eligible for the NBA Draft this past June. Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Truax served as the moderator for the CBA Draft with CBA Director of Scouting Mark Argenziano and Director of Player Personnel Jeff Argenziano providing commentary. Rio Grande Valley preceded East Kentucky in the draft out of the second slot. The Texas team picked Ivan Jenkins, a six-foot guard from Lambuth. Atlanta (4), Pittsburgh (5), Butte (6), Great Falls (7), Minot (8), Albany (9) and Yakama (10) followed in the draft order.
East Kentucky has training camp set for early-November. "It's an exciting time for the entire East Kentucky Miners organization," Keathley added. "Right now, we're looking at holding a veterans-only camp at the end of October." East Kentucky is scheduled to open its inaugural season in the CBA Friday, Nov. 16 on the road versus Pittsburgh. The Miners are slated to host Pittsburgh Sunday, Nov. 18 in their home debut at the East Kentucky Expo Center.
EAST KENTUCKY MINERS 2007 CBA DRAFT SELECTIONS
(1st round, 3rd pick) - Earl Calloway (6-3, Guard, Indiana): For its first pick in the 22nd Annual CBA Draft, East Kentucky ventured to neighboring Indiana. The Miners selected 6-3 guard Earl Calloway (Indiana) with the third pick of the first round. In two seasons at Indiana, Calloway left a lasting impression on the Hoosier program and the rest of the Big Ten Conference. "As an organization, we're really excited about the selection of Earl Calloway," said East Kentucky Coach Kevin Keathley. "In Earl Calloway, you have a player who comes from Indiana, a well-respected college basketball program. His size at 6-3 and quickness make him an even more complete player. He can lead a team as its point guard as he has demonstrated. He knows how to play the point and execute offensively." Calloway played two seasons for Indiana. The 6-3 guard averaged 9.6 points, 4.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Hoosiers as a senior during the 2006-07 season. The Atlanta native played an average of 27.9 minutes per game during his senior season, which featured several tough matchups versus fellow Big Ten teams. As a junior, after entering the Indiana program from Georgia Perimeter College via the juco ranks, Calloway averaged 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Keathley is optimistic about East Kentucky's chances at getting Calloway into training camp in just over one month. "In talking with Earl Calloway's agent, things look good in terms of being able to move forward following his selection," Keathley confided. The East Kentucky Miners are one of four expansion teams headed into their first season in the CBA.
(2nd Round,13th pick) - Marcus Heard (6-7, Forward, DePaul): The East Kentucky Miners selected DePaul forward Marcus Heard in the second round of the 22nd Annual CBA Draft held Tuesday night. East Kentucky chose Heard with its second pick. The former DePaul Blue Demon was the 13th pick overall. Heard (6-7, 235) averaged 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a senior for the Blue Demons. As a junior, Heard also helped the DePaul program depth-wise, averaging 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. He played for DePaul Coach Jerry Wainwright. "Marcus is a guy who had the full endorsement of Jerry Wainwright, his college coach," East Kentucky Coach Kevin Keathley confided. "He's a hard worker who is getting better every year. It won't be a big learning curve for him to get adjusted to the pro level. Through his progression, he's shown the ability to adjust. Hopefully we'll have a contract from him by the end of the week." Heard showed improvement throughout his collegiate career. Playing in the challenging Big East, Heard had an opportunity to face some of college basketball's premier players and teams. Heard is a Springfield, Ill. native.
(3rd Round, 23rd pick) - Zach Malvick (6-2, Guard, Winona State): One of college basketball's winningest players over the past two years was selected by the East Kentucky Miners in the third round of the 22nd Annual CBA Draft held Tuesday night. The Miners selected 6-2 guard Zach Malvick (Winona State) with the 23rd overall pick. In his junior season, Malvick, arguably one of the top guards in NCAA D-II history, led Winona State to the 2006 national championship. Winona State finished as the national runner-up during Malvick's senior campaign. Known as a playmaker, Malvick scored 1,971 points during his college career. "Zach Malvick is a proven winner, losing only one game in two seasons while leading Winona State to an NCAA Division II national championship and runner-up finish,": said East Kentucky Coach Kevin Keathley. "He's a proven scorer who can fill it up. He's very comparable to former Kansas guard Rex Walters. I'm excited about what Zach brings to the table." As a senior, Malvick averaged 16.8 points, 4.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds. He averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per outing during his junior season.
(4th Round, 33rd pick) - Dwight Jones (6-3, Guard, Houston Baptist): The East Kentucky Miners selected Houston Baptist guard Dwight Jones II (6-3) in the fourth round of the 22nd Annual CBA Draft held Tuesday night. Jones was the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Player of the Year in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. He was named NAIA All-America both seasons. Jones averaged 20.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.9 steals while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor during his senior season. In two seasons, Jones averaged 18.8 points and 5.2 rebounds at Houston Baptist, leading the Huskies to back-to-back RRAC championships and NAIA Tournament appearances. He is the son of former NBA player Dwight Jones. "Dwight Jones II is a very talented 6-3 combo guard," said East Kentucky Miners Coach Kevin Keathley. "He's definitely got the pedigree. His father Dwight Jones played 10 years in the NBA after a successful college career and a stint with the U.S. Olympic team. We're excited about Dwight Jones II. He played for an outstanding program at Houston Baptist and knows how to score." The elder Jones played 10 seasons (1973-1983) in the NBA. Dwight Jones suited up for Atlanta, Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles. Dwight Jones was a 6-10 power forward/center, averaging 8.1 points per outing in 766 regular-season games.
(5th Round, 43rd pick) - Andrew Preston (6-10, Center, Belmont): East Kentucky selected a Kentucky native with one of its six picks in the 22nd Annual CBA Draft held Tuesday night. The Miners picked 6-10 Belmont center Andrew Preston in the fifth round of this year's draft. Preston grew up in the Central Kentucky city of Winchester. He attended George Rogers Clark High School. The Miners made the Clark County native the 43rd pick overall. Preston was a leading contributor for the Belmont men's basketball team, averaging six or more points in each of his last three seasons played as part of a four-year stint. As a senior, Preston averaged 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He averaged 18.1 minutes per game as a senior while helping to lead the Bruins to the NCAA Tournament. "Andrew Preston is a Kentucky kid who can play the game of basketball," said East Kentucky Coach Kevin Keathley. "He came on really strong during his senior season, especially in an NCAA Tournament game against the Georgetown Hoyas. He's very good around the basket."
(6th Round, 53rd pick) - Lukasz Obrzut (7-2, Center, Kentucky): Fans in attendance at the CBA Draft Party Tuesday night inside Applebee's offered up woos not boos during the sixth round. The East Kentucky Miners drafted a Kentucky Wildcat with their sixth and final pick in this year's CBA Draft, selecting Lukasz Obrzut, known affectionately as "Woo" to most all Kentucky basketball fans. A Gilwice, Poland native, Obrzut played in 33 of Kentucky's 34 games during his senior season, making two starts for the Wildcats. As a junior at Kentucky, Obrzut started 16 games for the Wildcats, shooting 53.7 percent from the field. He pulled down a career-high nine rebounds during 30 minutes of playing time versus rival Louisville. "Lukasz Obrzut is a player who has a lot of untapped talent," commented East Kentucky Coach Kevin Keathley. "The Kentucky coaches have talked about how he's coming in and working hard in hopes of playing professionally. Kevin Mackey, a scout for the Indiana Pacers, has said he's working hard in the Pacers camp. We wanted to go ahead and reserve Lukasz's rights. I hope Woo can stick with the Pacers. If not, I would love to get him in a Miners uniform." As a sophomore, Obrzut played in 28 games for the storied Kentucky men's basketball program. During the 2003-04 season, his freshman campaign with the Wildcats, Obrzut played in 31 games.
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