The Glasgow Rocks have Re-Signed North Carolina big man, and fan favourite, Mike Copeland for the 2010/11 BBL Season. The 6ft7 forward will join Sterling Davis and EJ Harrison as the Rocks squad begins to take shape.
Copeland, who was a graduate of the 2008-09 NCAA National Champions, University of North Carolina, first came to Glasgow last season after Rocks Player/Coach Sterling Davis unearthed him at the annual Las Vegas Summer Camp. Copeland spent four years at the University of North Carolina, of the Atlantic Coast Conference, but his career there was hampered with injuries preventing him from really breaking into the rotation.
Despite these setbacks, Rocks player/coach Sterling Davis believed in Copeland’s abilities and in his debut BBL Season he went on to post some impressive figures, including an average of 13.1 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game. Coach Davis is looking forward to spending another successful season with Mike, and will be hoping to get even more out of him during the 2010/11 BBL season.
“We are very excited about getting Mike back. He established himself as not only a very good player but also a fan favourite here at the rocks. He is a very approachable guy that everyone instantly took a liking to. It’s always good to have guys around who can show recognition to the fans just as they do week after week for us on the court.”
With one season safely under his belt, Davis is hoping that Copeland will be ready to take that next step and be recognised as one of the more prolific inside players in the BBL.
“The season ended too soon for Mike last year. I feel he was just getting used to the level of play and expectations on a nightly basis and really coming in each game better prepared; and that was on and off the court. Young guys just out of university sometimes don’t understand that your body is your lively-hood and it needs to be taken care of. Once Mike understood that, those efforts he put in paid off for him. I expect bigger things from Mike this season with one under his belt now.”
Copeland will make the trip back to the UK at the end of this month, when the Rocks begin their Pre-season training.
Source: www.bbl.org.uk
