May 3, 2001

TEMPE, Ariz. - Former Runnin' Rebel Kaspars Kambala made his post-collegiate debut at the 2001 Nike Desert Classic in Tempe, Ariz., playing for the Desert Classic Central team. The Central team picked up a 95-83 victory over the Midwest team.

Coming off the bench, Kambala scored five points on 5-of-8 free throws. He also grabbed four rebounds in twelve minutes of play.

The Nike Desert Classic is a pre-draft tournament, allowing college seniors to showcase their skills for NBA scouts and general managers.

Kambala is joined on the Classic Central team by Damon Thornton (NC State), Isiah Victor (Tennessee), Eric Chenowith (Kansas), Earl Watson (UCLA), Kyle Hill (Eastern Illinois), Damone Brown (Syracuse), Casey Calvary (Gonzaga), Darren Kelly (Texas), Rashad Phillips (Detroit) and Brian Wardle (Marquette).

The 2001 Nike Desert Classic continues over the weekend with teams playing at 6:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. each night.