By CASEY OLSON, The Mirror
Roberto Bergersen has been solid in the early season for the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League.
The 1994 Decatur High School graduate is averaging 15.8 points over the first 10 games. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard has started all 10 games and is also averaging three assists and 3.7 rebounds. Idaho is currently 5-5 on the season and sits in second place in the West Division behind Los Angeles.
Playing for the Stampede is a homecoming for Bergersen, who starred at Boise State University during his collegiate career. Bergersen was inducted into the Boise State University Athletic Hall of Fame last month.
This isn’t Bergersen’s first stint with the Stampede. The Idaho franchise was 51-21 during Bergersen’s two prior stints as the team’s starting shooting guard. He played with the Stampede 1999-2001 and again during the 2003-04 season.
Bergersen averaged 7.7 points and 2 assists per game in 1999-2000 and played in the All-Rookie game. The following year, he averaged 14.6 points, four rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. In 2003-2004, he averaged 16.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, three assists and 1.3 steals per game while leading the team to the Continental Basketball Association Finals.
Bergersen also played with Dodge City of the United States Basketball League in 2004, averaging 17.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steal per game and helping Dodge City to the USBL Semifinals. Bergersen was named to the USBL All-Star team that season. He has also played overseas with the Boca Juniors of Argentina, Cholet (France), Dongbu (Korea), Palma Aqua (Spain), Karsiyaka (Turkey) and Melilla (Spain). While with Karsiyaka, Bergersen made the Turkish League All-Star team. He his averaging 13.5 points per game in his European career. He played last season in South Korea.
During his playing days at Boise State (1996-99), Bergersen was honored as a First-Team All-Big West Conference selection in both 1998 and 1999, and was chosen as the Big West Conference Player of the Year in 1999. Despite playing only three seasons after transferring from the University of Washington, Bergersen still poured in 1,485 points for fifth on the all-time list, averaging 17.3 points from 1996 to 1999.
He was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and played in the NBA Summer League with both Portland and Sacramento and was also on the Milwaukee Bucks roster briefly.
Other College Basketball News:
• Federal Way High School grad Terrell Smith is playing his freshman season at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. The 6-4 small forward has played in 11 games and is averaging 1.5 points a game and 1.3 rebounds. He is playing 7.5 minutes a game.
“Terrell is probably the most athletic player on our team,” said Pacific head coach Bob Thomason. “He runs, jumps, he’s very fit, he shoots the ball well and he can score. He is one of the few players that can make difficult shots. He is really a guard, but we’re going to play him at the three spot. We expect him to compete for the starting three position. I think he’s going to be a tremendous player.”
Pacific is currently 8-3 on the season and are led in scoring by Kent-Meridian graduate Steffan Johnson.
• Federal Way grad Pooh Williams is playing his freshman season at Utah State University. He redshirted last year. The 6-4 forward is averaging 2.5 points and has started three games.
“(Williams) has excellent ability and athleticism,” said head coach Stew Morrill. “This season will be a huge adjustment after sitting out last year. Needs to mature as both a person and basketball player and his practice habits are critical for his development.”
Utah State is currently 7-5 overall.
• Federal Way High School grad Salena Dickerson is now playing at Washington State University after red-shirting last year at Gonzaga University.
Dickerson, a 5-10 wing, is averaging 8.2 points a game and 3.6 rebounds for the Cougars. She is the team’s second-leading scorer. Dickerson is playing 23 minutes a game for the 3-6 Cougars. Dickerson had a career best 15 points in a loss to North Carolina State on Nov. 23.
• Decatur High School graduate Travis Wagner is playing his sophomore season on the Green River basketball team. Wagner is a 6-4 forward. Wagner is averaging seven points and 4.4 rebounds a game. Green River is 3-4 on the season.
• Federal Way grad Josh Broussard and Decatur grad Stedman Richardson are playing at Highline Community College. Broussard is a sophomore guard and Richardson is a freshman guard. Highline is currently 5-5 on the season.
• Beamer grad Whitney Lynch is playing her freshman season at Highline Community College. Lynch is a 5-8 guard/forward. Highline is currently 3-3 on the season.
• Jefferson grad Kalei Frank and Federal Way grad Christine Kim are playing their first seasons at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore. Frank played the last two seasons at Tacoma Community College and Kim played at Highline. Both are junior guards and have started all six of Pacific’s games. Frank is averaging 8.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. Kim is averaging 8 points and leading the team in assists. Pacific is 1-5 on the season.
• Federal Way grad Marcus Wright is playing his first season at Evergreen State College in Olympia. Wright played the last two years at Green River. Wright is averaging five points and three rebounds.
• Federal Way grad Marques Hollins is entering his freshman season at Seattle University. Hollins is a 6-0 guard and is redshirting this year.
• Federal Way grad Nate Sanchez is playing his junior season at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. The 6-8 Sanchez averaged 13.7 points and six rebounds last year. This year he is averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. Westminster College is 8-2 on the season.
• Decatur High School grad JaRon Brown is averaging 17 points at Shoreline Community College. Shoreline is currently 6-4 on the season.
Sports editor Casey Olson: 925-5565, sports@fedwaymirror.com
