Sept. 20, 2005

Former University of New Mexico men's basketball player Alfred Neale was taken with the eighth overall pick in the first round by the Sioux Falls SkyForce in the CBA Draft tonight. Neale was an honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference performer for the Lobos last season and earned a spot on the MWC All-Tournament team.

Neale, an explosive athlete with an excellent outside touch, averaged 10.3 ppg and 4.4 rpg for New Mexico last season. He shot 52.7% from the field and 40.7% from 3-pt. range, helping the Lobos to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999. Neale was best know for his high-flying alley-oop dunks that excited The Pit crowd over the last two seasons. Neale graduated in May with a degree in University Studies and is looking forward to starting a career in professional basketball.

"It is exciting," stated Neale. "It is going to be a lot of fun getting paid to play basketball. It is something I have always wanted to do and I am grateful for the chance to go play. I wasn't expecting to get drafted that high, but I feel confident that I can compete and help my team win games."

Sioux Falls posted a 31-17 record last season and won the 2005 CBA title, defeating the Rockford Lightening, 3-1, in a best-of-five series. With Neale heading to the CBA, all three of the Lobos 2005 senior class will pay professional basketball next season. Danny Granger was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA Draft in June and Troy DeVries signed with BG Karlsruhe in the German League.

Lobos Men's Basketball

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