Zoller update

Trying to do what so many Penn basketball players in the recent future have done -- Eric Osmundson, Tim Begley, Jeff Schiffner, Michael Jordan, Ugonna Onyekwe, Koko Archibong to name a few since 2000 -- Mark Zoller has taken his first steps toward starting a basketball career overseas.

Zoller participated in a camp in Italy a couple weeks ago, preceded by the four-day, four-game, eight-team Union of European Leagues of Basketball summer league there. In the league starting June 28, Zoller's Euroleague Basketball squad fought to a 3-1 record and a fifth-place finish.

In case you weren't following his every move, Zoller scored 49 points in the four games, playing a total of 87 minutes. In all, he did pretty well, averaging 21:45 minutes (out of 40), shot 20-for-41 from the field (3-for-11 from three), averaged 12.25 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.75 steals, 2.25 turnovers and two fouls.

The only players I immediately recognized playing against Euroleague Basketball were former Indiana forward Marco Killingsworth and ULEB Cup's Osmundson, who played against Zoller in the final game. Oz had a disappointing finale, shooting 4-for-13 in the loss. And yes, he still shoots as many threes as twos. He went an impressive 14-for-22 from inside the arc, and 3-for-18 outside of it.

So, now, Zoller will wait and see what offers come his way. He says he will likely hear from some teams in the next few weeks, so by the beginning of August he should know where he's going.