POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Diante Watkins
August 11, 2016
Two standouts from the Midwest Professional Basketball Association will be heading overseas to play in Germany this fall.
Diante Watkins (5'9''-PG-90, college: Robert Morris), who earned Playoff Most Valuable Player honors for the 2016 MPBA champion Chicago Blues, will suit up for Nuernberg Falcons BC of the German Pro A league. Watkins, a 5'11' guard from Robert Morris University, averaged 10.5 points and 4.8 assists per game for the Blues during the regular season and 23.0 points per game in the playoffs, including a 29-point effort in the Blues' 114-113 win in the title game.
"Diante was a joy to coach," said Rick Pryor , head coach for the Chicago Blues. "He is extremely talented and has a high basketball I.Q. He is a competitive player who loves to win, and has fun while doing so. I wish him will and appreciate the time he spent with us in the MPBA."
Also heading to Germany will be 2016 Defensive Player of the Year Connell Crossland (6'7''-F-91, college: TCU) of the Gateway Steam.
Crossland, a 6'7' forward from Texas Christian University, will play for BSV-Wulfen in the German Regionalliga. Crossland averaged 20.5 points on 57.7% shooting and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Steam in 2016. Crossland was also a unanimous First Team All-MPBA selection.
"Connell Crossland is a special kind of player," said Milton Stith , head coach for the Gateway Steam. "He has all the tools along with an extremely hard work ethic to be a dominant player on the professional level. I look to see him in the NBA D-League very soon."
The two signings brings to 46 the total number of advancements from the MPBA since the league began play in January 2015.
