Lobo basketball notebook: Big man Buljan arrives, Pons hits more 3s and Summer League starts

Jul.

5There will be no Nelly Junior Joseph student visa flashback for the Lobos this year.While the former Lobo center from Nigeria didn't arrive in Albuquerque until the night before UNM's first exhibition game in 2023 as processing his student visa was held up until late October, forcing him to miss all of the team's summer and fall offseason and preseason practices this year's Lobos got some very welcome news on Friday.Tomislav Buljan, the 22-year-old, 6-foot-9 forward from Croatia, had his student visa processed and he arrived in Albuquerque on Friday night.The big man casually posted on his Instagram account a picture taken of him standing inside the Pit the same night.There was nothing posted on the update other than a pin-drop locator icon next to "Albuquerque, New Mexico."Buljan can begin working out with the Lobos, though the team is still waiting for a final ruling from the NCAA on how much, if any, eligibility he will have as a Lobo.

He played his most recent seasons in a professional league in Croatia, on a team that he's been a part of, at the academy level, since he was a teenager.Buljan, like nearly 100 other international players planning to play in the NCAA this season who have played in professional leagues overseas, must first have the NCAA clearinghouse determine how much eligibility they have remaining in college based on how much money they made in those professional leagues that went beyond what is the allowable amount deemed necessary for travel, lodging and maintaining health to compete (trainers, gym work, etc.).He is allowed to practice for up to 45 days without an NCAA ruling.

If the NCAA hasn't ruled prior to that 45 day period expiring, he must sit out of practices until a ruling is made.

There is no timetable on when a ruling might be made, though UNM and Buljan have submitted all necessary paperwork.Asked by the Journal in May how playing at that level in both Croatia and Spain might affect his playing in college for the first time, Buljan was optimistic that it prepared him well."Playing at a high level in Croatia and Spain has been extremely beneficial for my development," Buljan said.

"Additionally, representing the Croatian national team has been a great honor.

Competing against older, experienced players has prepared me to adapt quickly and perform effectively in any basketball system."Three more 3sFuture Lobo guard Timeo Pons, the 6-foot-8 freshman-to-be from France, scored a game-high 15 points on Saturday in a 76-71 win over Mali in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup.Pons, who added four rebounds, a block and an assist, has hit at least one 3-pointer in five consecutive games for France after being held scoreless in the team's opener in group play against Cameroon.

Sunday, as he did against Team USA earlier in the event, Pons hit three 3-pointers.In six games, Pons is 10-of-25 (40.0%) from 3-point range.

The rest of the France roster is shooting 32-of-134 (23.9%) from 3-point range in the World Cup.Team France faces Serbia in the consolation bracket today at 9:30 a.m.

MST.Pons, who will still need to finalize his student visa application after the World Cup concludes, is expected to joint the Lobos later this month in Albuquerque.The boys of summerWhile the main NBA Summer League starts in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 10, the four-team Salt Lake City Summer League and four-team California Classic Summer League in San Francisco got underway on Saturday.While the local connections on the court were scarce, there were a couple of Albuquerque ties on the sidelines in Salt Lake.La Cueva High School graduate and former UCLA Bruin Bryce Alford is an assistant coach on the Oklahoma City Thunder Summer League team and Volcano Vista graduate and former KOB television reporter Lauren Green is beginning her second season as the sideline reporter and studio host for the Utah Jazz.Saturday had two games televised one on ESPNU and one on ESPN in which Green served as the on-air sideline reporter.In the California Classic, a pair of former New Mexico State Aggies hit the court for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 89-84 loss to the Golden State Warriors.Texas graduate and former NMSU Aggies star Sir'Jabari Rice shot just 1-for-10 for Lakers and finished with three points, two rebounds, two steals, an assist and a turnover.Dajuan Gordon, who played one season for NMSU in addition to stints at Kansas State, Missouri and UT Arlington, had seven points, two rebounds and three turnovers in the loss..

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