Billikens in the Pros: Basketball (Part 1)
By Paul Lamb
As stated in last week’s article, I’ll be covering what life’s like after SLU for former stars across all sports. This week’s feature: basketball (part 1, due to length). Broken down player by player, we see how far Billikens are traveling, and what they’ve accomplishing, chasing their dream.
Kevin Lisch: 2005-2009; 6th on all-time scoring list; 2-time all-conference (3rd team)
In what you’ll see to be a common theme, Lisch signed with NBL (Australia) franchise Perth Wildcats after graduating from SLU, and being unable to garner NBA interest. Just as he did at SLU, Kevin made an immediate impact. In 2009-2010, he brought the Wildcats a championship, and got himself some hardware too: Finals MVP. He continued that success for three more season in Perth, with two more championship appearances (’12,’13), two NBL 1st team nods (’12,’13), and an NBL MVP trophy in the 2012 season. More recently, Lisch has been playing summers in Puerto Rico, for Piratas de Quebradillas, whom he won a 2013 BSN championship with, while also being named Finals MVP. For the 2013-2014 season, Kevin won the French Cup with JSN Nanterre. This spring, he signed with CAI Zaragoza in Spain.
More from St. Louis Billikens
- Saint Louis Billikens’ Miller Hogan selected by Brewers in MLB Draft
- Saint Louis Billikens award final scholarship to Aaron Hines
- Saint Louis Billikens add Seton Hall transfer Rashed Anthony
- USF Transfer Luis Santos Commits to Saint Louis Billikens
- Austin Gillmann Withdraws from Saint Louis Billikens Basketball Program
Below: Highlights from Kevin Lisch’s NBL MVP season
Brian Conklin: 2008-2012; tied-3rd all-time games played; All-conference in 2012 (1st team)
Continuing the theme, Conklin traveled to the land down under after his SLU years. Initially signing with the Southland Sharks of the New Zealand NBL. With 22 points and 9 boards per game in 2012-13, Conklin lead the Sharks to their first ever title. The next season, Brian made the jump to the Australian NBL, with the Townsville Crocodiles. Both seasons with Townsville saw him placed on the NBL 1st team, with this past 2014-2015 season being his most successful. Averaging 19 points and 6 boards, Conklin earned the league MVP trophy. This summer, he’ll be playing with Canrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico.
Below: Highlights from Conklin’s NBL MVP season
Cory Remekun: 2009-2013; tied-3rd all-time blocks; highest single-season FG pct. (61%)
Things started with a bang for Remekun, although he’s now starting to learn the difficulties of life overseas. Cory joined the Rhondorf Dragons in Germany in 2013, and became the premier defensive player in the league. Averaging 2.6 blocks per game was enough to be named defensive player of the year by eurobasket.com. He added 13 points and 8 boards that same season. The following year, Remekun had an unsuccessful 10-game stint with Nea Kiffism in Greece, where his average plummeted to only two points and one rebound per game. From there, he left for Bosnia, and BC Siroki, where he would up his number to 7.5 points per game, with 6 rebounds.
Below: Cory Remekun’s 2013-2014 season with Rhondorf
Rob Loe: 2010-2014; 6th all-time games started; 4th most blocks (single season)
Loe only has one season of pro basketball under his belt, but hasn’t wasted time trying to make his mark. Immediately following graduation, Loe competed with New Zealand in the FIBA World Cup. Although not seeing extensive minutes, Rob put together 3 points/rebounds per game over 6 contests. Professionally, he joined KAOD in Greece. 20 minutes per game there gives him the chance to impress coaches and scouts. With 7.3 points, and 5 rebounds per game, he’s on his way to a nice career, and will likely, at some point, make the trip to the NBL like 2 of the 3 previous Bills have done.
No video of Loe playing, so here he is doing the New Zealand HAKA before a FIBA game (#14 on left):
Ian Vougioukas: 2003-2007; 1st all-time career blocks; 2006 all-conference (1st team)
Born in Greece, Vougioukas went home after graduation and joined Olympiacos Piraens in 2008, and then Panathinaikos the following season. He joined at the height of Panathinaikos’ success. In 2009, the club brought home a Euroleague title and Greek Cup in 2011, and another Greek Cup in 2012. Since then, he’s jumped around, traveling from Russian Club Unics Kazan (to Galatasaray Liv Hospital in Turkey, and most recently Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. Through all these seasons, he’s maintained a steady average of 10 points and 4 boards per game.
Below: Highlights from Ian’s time with Panathinaikos
Part 2 will be coming within the next few days. Featured players will include Willie Reed, Mike Mccall Jr., and Jordair Jett.