Former Corban men's basketball player Eric Fiegi had a two-day tryout with the Portland Trail Blazers following the conclusion of his '06 senior season as a Warrior. (Photo courtesy of bjphotography.com)
Corban Spotlight: Warriors in the Pros
SALEM, Ore.– In the second installment of Spotlight: Warriors in the Pros, Corban's Sports Information office, in conjunction with the athletic department, will take a look at the 2007-08 season for former men's basketball players Eric Fiegi (Medford, Ore.) and Jeff Dunn (Dallas, Ore.).
Over the past four years, Corban's men's basketball team has had the privilege of having a trio of former men's basketball players further their careers at the pro level. The aforementioned duo of Dunn and Fiegi, along with former Western Baptist graduate Steve Ball (Spokane, Wash.), were members of the inaugural Salem Stampede, a member of the International Basketball League (IBL), during the summer of 2006.
Fiegi, a two-time NAIA All-American 1st team member, just concluded his third season overseas playing this time in Hungary with Kecskemeti Univer KSE of the Hungary-A Division. The 6-foot-9 center appeared in 24 games and averaged 19.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.
After completing his third season abroad, Fiegi will be looking to return to Europe for another season. His future in Hungary is up in the air since all European teams sign most players to a one-year contract.
Before heading overseas, Fiegi played one season with the IBL's Salem-based Stampede where he averaged a league-high 31.5 points per game in 18 games. The 6-foot-9 post-player was named as a 2006 IBL All-Star, but did not attend the festivities due to a prior commitment in the state of Washington with NBC Basketball Camps. During the 2006-07 season, Fiegi split time between JSF Nanterre in France and CS Otopeni in Romania.
After completing his collegiate eligibility at Corban, Fiegi was invited to a two-day tryout with the Portland Trail Blazers at their practice facility in Tualatin. Going head-to-head with NCAA Division I prospects, such as former UConn Husky and current New Jersey Net Josh Boone, Fiegi was commended for his work ethic and commitment to the game of basketball.
Dunn, a two-time NAIA All-American honorable mention selection, just completed his third season in the IBL as a member of the Edmonton Chill. The 6-foot-5 sharp-shooting guard began the '08 season with the Central Oregon HotShots before signing with the Chill during the final few weeks of the season.
At the conclusion of the 2008 season, Dunn ranked eighth in the league in scoring thanks to an average of 24.6 points per game. Dunn scored a team-high 23 points in the final regular season game to help lead the Chill into the West Division playoffs as the No. 3 seed. In the opening round of the West Division playoffs, Dunn helped Edmonton to a slim three-point victory, 127-124, over the Portland Chinooks thanks to 14 points in just over nine minutes of action.
In the West Division semifinals, Dunn chipped in with 13 points on 5-for-15 shooting from the field that included a 3-for-10 performance from beyond the arc. Unfortunately, Dunn and the Chill's season came to an end with a 129-101 loss to top-seeded Bellingham.
Dunn will look to continue his professional career with the Salem Stampede, who plan to return from a one-year hiatus for the beginning of '09 season.
Stay tuned to future Spotlight: Warriors in the Pros for updated information on both Fiegi and Dunn.