Former Lion Woods To Play In Japan All-Star Game
Ricky Woods (pictured) is one of two former Lions ranked in the top five in scoring in the Japan bj-league
Former Southland Player of the Year one of two Lions in Japanese league
1/29/2010 3:07:03 PM
SENDAI, Japan – With the NBA All-Star game scheduled for Feb. 14 in Arlington, Texas, one former Lion will be making an All-Star appearance of his own half a world away on Saturday.
Former Southeastern letterwinner and New Orleans native Ricky Woods, a two-year letterwinner and 2005-06 Southland Conference Player of the Year, was selected as a reserve for the Western Conference in the Japan bj-league All-Star Game. Woods begins his first All-Star weekend experience in Japan when he participates in the Slam Dunk contest.
Woods, in his first year playing for the Oita Heatdevils, has been an offensive force averaging 23.6 points per game – fourth in the league. The former Lion scored 44 points in a win over Niigate Albirex BB on Saturday in a weekend series before returning the following day to score 40 in a win.
Woods, who has enjoyed a professional career that has included stops in Spain, Poland, Israel and Portugal, ranks among the league leaders in rebounds (6th, 11.8) and steals (8th, 1.9).
The former Carver High product is joined in the Japanese league by former Lion Michael Gardener (Takamatsu Five Arrows) and former LSU star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (Kyoto Hannaryz).
Gardener, who played at Southeastern from 2002-04, is currently second in the league in scoring (24.7) while leading the league in assists (7.0). Since concluding his career with Southeastern in 2004, Gardener has played professionally in Japan, Mexico and New Zealand.