Sports stats



Riverdragons Allocated Two Players for Upcoming NBDL Season

September 24, 2002 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga., September 24, 2002 – The Columbus Riverdragons have been allocated 6-foot-1 point guard Sean Peterson of Georgia Southern University and 6-foot-8 forward Carl Mitchell of Northern Kentucky University, it was announced today by Karl Hicks, Executive Director of the NBDL.

The NBDL allocated two players to each of the league's eight teams today and will allocate two additional players to each team in the near future. Each NBDL team will enter its respective training camp in November with four allocated players.

"I am very excited about picking up Sean and Carl," said Riverdragons head coach Jeff Malone. "Sean is a natural point guard who could make us very deep at that position in tandem with Saul Smith. I have also heard very good things about Carl and look forward to seeing what both of these guys can do at training camp."

Mitchell and Peterson will join the Riverdragons for the first time when the team opens training camp this November in Columbus.

Mitchell, who turned 23 last Wednesday, was born in Columbus and is the first player in team history to hail from the Riverdragons hometown. Mitchell was raised and attended high school in nearby Dothan, Alabama.

In his two seasons (2000-01 - 2001-02) at Division II contender Northern Kentucky, Mitchell led NKU in rebounding (6.4 rpg), averaged 12.6 points and blocked 101 shots in 60 games. The Norse posted a 46-15 record with Mitchell, including a trip to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament.

As a junior, Mitchell posted a career-high 28 points against Shawnee State and went on to lead the Norse in rebounding (6.1 rpg) while playing in 33 games. Mitchell started in 23 of 27 games as a senior, once again leading the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and was named to the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference second team.

Peterson, 23, is considered one of the finest point guards in Georgia Southern University history. The Pompano Beach, Florida native started in all 58 games he played over his two seasons (2000-01 - 2001-02) with the Eagles. Over his career at GSU, Peterson averaged 15.2 points, 6.4 assists and 2.1 steals and ranks fifth in assists (373) and seventh in steals (124) in the GSU record book.

Peterson enjoyed a breakthrough season as a senior (2001-02), leading the Eagles in scoring (16.9 ppg) and assists (6.6 apg) and was tied for the team lead in total steals with 52. On his way to earning a first-team selection on the Southern Conference Coaches all-conference team, Peterson made his mark on the national level, finishing 11th in the country in assists (6.6 apg).

Peterson also captured headlines when he erupted for a GSU Division I record 17 assists against Western Carolina (1/21/02), a mark which held on to be the NCAA single game season-high for assists for the 2001-02 campaign. The Eagles leading scorer 11 times, Peterson dropped a season-high 28 points on Wichita State (11/24/02) and Furman (2/4/02) to further highlight his senior year.

Prior to attending Georgia Southern, Peterson starred for two seasons at Pasco-Hernando Junior College in New Port Richey, Fla., where he was named Suncoast Conference Player-of-the-Year as a sophomore. As a senior in high school, Peterson led Mount Dora High School to the Florida 4A state championship.

The Columbus Riverdragons open the 2002-03 NBDL season Friday, November 15, 2002 against the defending champion Greenville Groove at the BI-LO Center in Greenville. The Riverdragons home opener is slated for Friday, November 22 against the Roanoke Dazzle at the Columbus Civic Center. Riverdragons season tickets are currently on sale and start as low as $96. For information, call (706) 225-1100 or visit columbusriverdragons.com.

The NBDL, the NBA's minor league, includes the Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), North Charleston Lowgators (S.C.), Huntsville Flight (Ala.), Mobile Revelers (Ala.), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.), Columbus Riverdragons (Ga.), Greenville Groove (S.C.), and Asheville Altitude (N.C.).

The league offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella. Ten NBDL players and three NBDL coaches have been called up to the NBA since the start of the league's inaugural season in November 2001.

Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the NBDL serves as a source of on-court talent for the NBA's 29 teams and as a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and its teams by training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales and marketing positions.

• Discuss this story on the NBA G League message board...

NBA G League Stories from September 24, 2002


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central