Drive Sign Former Kansas Jayhawk Jeff Graves

March 16, 2012 - Premier Basketball League (PBL)
Central Illinois Drive News Release


Bloomington, IL, 3/16/12 - The Central Division Champion Central Illinois Drive, presented by Sonic, have signed former University of Kansas forward Jeff Graves. Jeff had been playing for the Erie Bay Hawks of the NBA-D League this season and will be finishing his rehabilitation assignment with the Central Illinois Drive for the remaining season and playoff push. Graves was born just outside of Kansas City, MO and played for the Jayhawks during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. The previous two years he attended Iowa Western. In 2003 Kansas made it all the way to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game where they fell 81-78 to the Syracuse Orange. The next year Kansas lost to Georgia Tech in the Elite Eight.

During his senior season Graves averaged 6.4 points per game and 4.9 rebounds. He started 14 of the 31 games he played that season. Graves heated up down the stretch scoring in double figures in five of the last eight games of the season. When he played his former team, Iowa State, Graves had a season-high 12 rebounds. In the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament, Graves had a season-high 14 points vs. Missouri. He registered 14 points again in the semifinals against Texas and had 8 rebounds. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament he recorded 12 points and 7 rebounds against Pacific. Graves had 13 points and 8 rebounds against UAB in the Sweet Sixteen.

In his junior season Graves averaged 6.0 points per game and 6.8 rebounds. That year he started 25 of the 38 games he played. Graves scored in double figures six times. Each was a double-double. He registered first career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds vs. UMKC. In the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament he had 16 points and 12 rebounds against Iowa State. Graves scored 13 points and had 15 rebounds against Arizona in the Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament. In the National Championship Game he notched 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds against Syracuse.

At Iowa Western Graves averaged 16.6 points per game and 8.2 rebounds his sophomore year. He shot 65.8 percent from the field. Graves missed seven games that year due to arthroscopic surgery on his knee. He earned Honorable Mention All-American honors. His freshman year he averaged 9.7 points per game and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 62.8 percent from the field.



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