Former Clipper to join Rockford Lightning
December 11, 2004 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1)
Rockford Lightning News Release
Rockford, IL- Pending league approval, the Lightning have added a former NBA player to the roster. Keith Closs, Jr spent three seasons as a Los Angeles Clipper, from 1997 to 2000.
While with the Clippers, the 7-3 center hauled down 372 rebounds and blocked 163 shots in 130 games. He signed with the Clippers as a free agent on August 8, 1997, and in his first season with Los Angeles, he led the team in blocks 22 times during the year.
Before his pro career, Closs played two years of college ball at Central Connecticut State University. In his college career, he averaged 5.87 blocks per game, which shattered the previous NCAA Division I record of 5.2 blocks per game, held by Navy's David Robinson. In the 1995-96 season, Closs shattered another one of Robinson's records, averaging 6.36 blocks per game during the year.
"We needed a shot blocker, and Keith has a reputation of being one of the best shot blockers out there, says Lightning coach Chris Daleo. When he joins the team, Closs will be the tallest player in the CBA, three inches taller than Michigan's Kareem Poole and Yakima's Justin Rowe.
The Lightning's next game will be on the road as they travel to Birch Run, MI to take on the Great Lakes Storm on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. The Bolts are winless on the road, but hope to take their momentum of the victory over Sioux Falls with them to Michigan. The Bolts then return home on Thursday, December 16, to face the Storm at the Rockford MetroCentre at 7:05 p.m. For tickets, call the MetroCentre box office at 815-968-5222.
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