Former Aggies in Euro Basketball

By: Michael Teague

Posted: 7/7/08

It was obvious this past season that the Texas A&M men's basketball team was not the same without legend Acie Law at the point. The absence of Law overshadowed two more players that the Aggies missed: Marlon Pompey and Antanas Kavaliauskas.

Kavaliauskas was a solid defender in the middle and his finesse was a great complement to the banging of Joseph Jones. Kavaliauskas improved during his senior season as he averaged 11.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

His best performance came in the Aggies' heartbreaking loss to Memphis in the third round of 2007 tournament. Kavaliauskas led the team with 17 points and eight rebounds that game, adding two assists as well. A&M tried out many big men this past season, but none were able to fill the giant shoes of "AK."

Although not a huge threat offensively, Marlon Pompey provided the Aggies with the toughness that spurred their run to the Sweet 16. After starting 30 games in 2006, Pompey made a huge impact coming off the bench during his senior season.

After graduating from A&M, Kavaliauskas started his professional career in Europe with Panionios on Telecoms in Athens, Greece. Panionios did not fair well in 2007 going 5-5 in the Eurocup season and losing in the first round of the playoffs. Antanas averaged 3.5 points and 2.6 rebounds in three starts and eight appearances off the bench.

Panionios made a coaching change recently hiring Aleksandar Trifunovic from Kavaliauskas' home country of Lithuania, which may help the former Aggie. Kavaliauskas is also playing with former Syracuse star Gerry McNamara.

Before next season, Kavaliauskas will be playing for Lithuania at the Beijing Summer Olympics. The Lithuanians are picked by some to finish fourth at the games. Kavaliauskas won a gold medal with the U-21 Lithuanian national team in 2005.

Pompey is currently playing with the Cuxhaven Bascats, a Pro A team in Germany. Led by Pompey at center, the Bascats finished second in the standings this season and had the largest point differential in the league.

"To acquire such an outstanding player from a top college team is simply fantastic," said Cuxhaven Head Coach Vilmantas Matkevicius in a press release when Pompey was signed. "[He] fits magnificently into our team picture."

Pompey averaged 8.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in almost 27 minutes a game this past season. He also shot 51.8 percent from the field and blocked one shot a game.