Travis Peterson
Encyclopedia
Travis James Peterson is an American
professional international basketball
player. The 6 foot 10 inch and 225 lbs. center/power forward is a former NCAA Division 1 collegiate athlete. He played five seasons (2003–2008) at Samford University
under head coach, Jimmy Tillette
, mostly playing the center position. He graduated from Samford in 2008. He attended Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, Arizona which is where he was born and raised. He currently plays professionally for the Eurochallenge League contenders, Lukoil Academic, located in Pravets, Bulgaria.
. He began his career playing the point guard position until he underwent a six-inch growth spurt late in his career. He shot 55 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the charity stripe throughout his prep career. He was awarded All-State Team member and First-Team All-Northwest Region as well as the MVP of the Region as a senior and was selected to play in the Arizona Prep Showcase that featured the top-40 high school players in the state.
under Head coach, Jimmy Tillette
. As a sophomore (2005–06), Peterson averaged 29 minutes per game and finished 3rd on the team in 3-point percentage at .409. He was named to the 2009 OVC
All-Tournament Team. He also led the OVC in assist/turnover ratio (2.88) and was ranked fourth in the conference in blocks per game with 1.1. He averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. His Junior season (2006–07) he led his team in rebounds with 159 at an average of 5.0 per game. He was named to the Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference team. He averaged 32.4 minutes per game and 11.3 points per game that season. He also had 78 assists and a team-high 36 blocks. He was ranked second in the OVC in blocks with 1.1 per game. He averaged 12.2 points and 4.9 rebounds during OVC play. He ended this season as Samford's career leader in points (723), rebounds (286), and assists (179). He was also named to the OVC All-Tournament team.
as well as the Bulgarian National League. He proved himself to be a serious threat in these leagues. He was awarded Most Valuable Player of the Balkan League in 2009 and was listed on Eurobasket.com as the Balkan League Import player of the year, Center of the year and Player of the year. He also led Rilski to the 2009 Balkan League Championship. He played with Rilski Sportist for 2 consecutive seasons (2008–2010), where he continued to dominate the league as the leading rebounder and finished 3rd in scoring. He was awarded MVP of the Balkan league for the second season in a row and led his team to a 2nd place finish for the National Cup. For the 2010-2011 season he signed with Lukoil Academic, who was a Euro Cup qualifying team. They are currently competing in the Eurochallenge league.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional international basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. The 6 foot 10 inch and 225 lbs. center/power forward is a former NCAA Division 1 collegiate athlete. He played five seasons (2003–2008) at Samford University
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
under head coach, Jimmy Tillette
Jimmy Tillette
Jimmy Tillette is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Tillette has been the head coach of the Bulldogs team since 1997, and is the school's winningest coach...
, mostly playing the center position. He graduated from Samford in 2008. He attended Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, Arizona which is where he was born and raised. He currently plays professionally for the Eurochallenge League contenders, Lukoil Academic, located in Pravets, Bulgaria.
High School Career
Peterson averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game under head coach Drew Tutt at Mountain Ridge High SchoolMountain Ridge High School (Glendale, Arizona)
Mountain Ridge High School is a public high school in the Deer Valley Unified School District .-Sports:Fall Sports* Swimming* Cross Country* Football* Spiritline* Golf* Badminton * Volleyball * Marching Band...
. He began his career playing the point guard position until he underwent a six-inch growth spurt late in his career. He shot 55 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the charity stripe throughout his prep career. He was awarded All-State Team member and First-Team All-Northwest Region as well as the MVP of the Region as a senior and was selected to play in the Arizona Prep Showcase that featured the top-40 high school players in the state.
Collegiate career
Peterson earned a full athletic scholarship to play basketball at Samford UniversitySamford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
under Head coach, Jimmy Tillette
Jimmy Tillette
Jimmy Tillette is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Tillette has been the head coach of the Bulldogs team since 1997, and is the school's winningest coach...
. As a sophomore (2005–06), Peterson averaged 29 minutes per game and finished 3rd on the team in 3-point percentage at .409. He was named to the 2009 OVC
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
All-Tournament Team. He also led the OVC in assist/turnover ratio (2.88) and was ranked fourth in the conference in blocks per game with 1.1. He averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. His Junior season (2006–07) he led his team in rebounds with 159 at an average of 5.0 per game. He was named to the Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference team. He averaged 32.4 minutes per game and 11.3 points per game that season. He also had 78 assists and a team-high 36 blocks. He was ranked second in the OVC in blocks with 1.1 per game. He averaged 12.2 points and 4.9 rebounds during OVC play. He ended this season as Samford's career leader in points (723), rebounds (286), and assists (179). He was also named to the OVC All-Tournament team.
Pro career
Peterson entered his rookie season in 2008 with Rilski Sportist who plays in the International Balkan LeagueBalkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
as well as the Bulgarian National League. He proved himself to be a serious threat in these leagues. He was awarded Most Valuable Player of the Balkan League in 2009 and was listed on Eurobasket.com as the Balkan League Import player of the year, Center of the year and Player of the year. He also led Rilski to the 2009 Balkan League Championship. He played with Rilski Sportist for 2 consecutive seasons (2008–2010), where he continued to dominate the league as the leading rebounder and finished 3rd in scoring. He was awarded MVP of the Balkan league for the second season in a row and led his team to a 2nd place finish for the National Cup. For the 2010-2011 season he signed with Lukoil Academic, who was a Euro Cup qualifying team. They are currently competing in the Eurochallenge league.