June 13, 2005
FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Forward Deng Gai (Sudan) appeared in all three games of the 2005 NBA Pre-Draft Camp competition last week, two of which came as a member of the starting lineup. Gai helped his team post three victories in as many outings.
The Pre-Draft Camp took place at Moody Bible College in Chicago from June 7-10. The final statistics showed Gai was an instrumental player in the team's three victories.
Gai opened the tournament as the starting center, playing 21 minutes in a 98-88 victory. He made two of four shots for four points, and registered four defensive regbounds with a blocked shot. He followed up that performance with two points on one of three shooting from the field, and added five rebounds with two rejections in a 95-72 victory.
Gai finished up the three-game series by playing 18 minutes as a reserve, hitting two of four shots from the field and one of two free throw attempts for a personal-high five points which made him co-scoring leader off the bench. He also added five rebounds with one blocked shot before fouling out.
For the three-day event, Gai averaged 3.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. He participated in the event for the second straight season, averaging just under three points and three rebounds per game in three games during the 2004 camp.
Gai finished the 2004-05 campaign as the nation's leading shot blocker, averaging 5.5 rejections per contest. His career average of 4.44 blocks per game places eighth all-time in Division I history, while his 444 career blocks ties him for sixth all-time (Ken Johnson '01, Ohio State).
The forward received the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Defensive Player of the Year award for the third time in his four-year career following the 2004-05 campaign. He averaged 13.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, which helped him finish 13th all-time at Fairfield with 1,268 points and 11th all-time with 699 rebounds.
The Fairfield University men's basketball team, under head coach Tim O'Toole, finished 2004-05 with a 15-15 overall record and placed third in the MAAC regular-season standings.
