Release Date: 7/1/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FORMER MANSFIELD BASKETBALL STANDOUT OMARI PEARSON TO TAKE PART IN PRO SUMMER LEAGUE

MANSFIELD- Omari Pearson (York/UNLV) will take part in the Philadelphia 76ers summer league as part of the Sixers 15 man roster starting tomorrow.

Practice for the summer league begins July 2 and will conclude on July 5 before the players depart for Minneapolis to take part in the six team summer league. 

Among those participating in the league are the Sixers No. 1 draft choice and nine overall in the NBA 2004 draft Andre Iguodala (Arizona), along with Samuel Dalembert (Seton Hall), Willie Green (Detroit Mercy), Kyle Korver (Creighton) and John Salmons (Miami).

Pearson, a three-year letter winner at UNLV before transferring to Mansfield this past season, led the PSAC in scoring this season averaging 19.7 points per game.

The 6-9 forward also ranked second in the conference in rebounding (11.3 rpg) while ranking sixth in free throw shooting percentage (82.1%) and seventh in field goal shooting percentage (54.7%). He led the PSAC in double-doubles with 16 on the season and scoring in double figures in all 26 games he appeared.

Pearson capped off his outstanding season by being named to the 2004 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball All-America Team.  He became the first player in Mountaineer history to make the Daktronics All-America Team. 

Pearson is the only player from the PSAC to be named to Daktronics All-America honors, allowing him to become one of just 15 players nationwide to be named to the All-America team.