The Bowling Green Hornets have announced the signing of 6-10 center A’Darius Pegues to their roster. A Fayetteville, N.C. native, Pegues originally was a member of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers’ Men’s Basketball program from 2006 to 2008; however, a pair of medical injuries forced him to miss his first two seasons under former head coach Ken McDonald.
Ultimately, after transferring to various smaller schools to gain valuable playing experience, Pegues’ final stop landed him in Campbellsville where he completed his only season for the Tigers during this past 2013-2014 campaign. As one of only three seniors on the team, Pegues became a leader on the court for the Tigers, averaging 8.4 points, 5.0 rebounds , and 1.3 blocks per game in 29 games this season.
The Hornets hope that Pegues’ intimidating 6-10 frame and extended wing-span, paired with the dominating presence of Trevecca Nazarene’s John Paul Nyadaro (6-10) and Western Kentucky’s O’Karo Akamune (6-7), can create match-up problems for opponents inside in the paint as the team makes its post-season run.
In order to satisfy league requirements of not exceeding a 14-man roster, the Hornets released former Hilltopper, Marcus Vasquez from the roster to make room for Pegues. He is expected to make his debut for the Hornets (2-3) on Friday, April 18 at home in Russellville against the Chattanooga Rail Runners (4-1). Furthermore, the Hornets are scheduled to play their final home game versus the Fort Wayne Flite on Saturday, April 26 at the Biggers Sports Center on the campus of Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky.; which is approximately twenty miles south of Campbellsville.
As the first Tiger to ever play with the Hornets, it may be a homecoming of sorts for Pegues on that day, as local Campbellsville fans will have a realistic opportunity to view him in action for the first time in a professional basketball environment.
With players striving to obtain opportunities to advance their professional careers overseas, the Hornets and the Central Basketball Association (CBA) are providing the perfect means to achieve their aspirations. Last season, the Hornets gave the platform for former Hilltoppers Jamal Crook and Teeng Akol, to sign international contracts in Canada and Luxembourg, respectively. Last week, former Hornet and Hilltopper Kahlil McDonald received an international contract to play in Australia.
With a track record of helping former NCAA Division-I, NCAA Division-II, and NAIA players advance to the next level, the Hornets and the CBA are quickly becoming popular across the United States as the fastest-growing professional basketball league in the nation behind the NBA and the NBA D-League, as evidenced through their national recognition from the Associated Press last month. In the last year, the Hornets have had four of their own players sign their first overseas contracts, while also having nine former players with international-playing experience participating on their own roster during that span.
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