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Orlando Vega

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Orlando Vega Smith
Personal information
Born (1968-06-16) June 16, 1968 (age 56)
Brooklyn, New York
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High schoolOak Hill Academy
(Mouth of Wilson, Virginia)
PositionShooting guard / small forward
Career highlights and awards
Orlando Vega
Medal record
Representing  Puerto Rico
Men's Basketball
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 1993 Ponce, Puerto Rico Team Competition
Goodwill Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Saint Petersburg, Russia Team Competition
Tournament of the Americas
Gold medal – first place 1995 Tucuman and Neuquen, Argentina Team Competition
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Winnipeg Team Competition

Orlando Vega Smith (born June 16, 1968) is a retired basketball player from Puerto Rico.

High school basketball

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A 6' 4" shooting guard / small forward, Vega played for Oak Hill Academy, finishing the 1987–88 season with an average of 30.6 ppg, the highest single season scoring average in school history. Vega's highlights during that season included scoring 48 points against New Hampton School.[1] For his performance that year, Vega was named the school's MVP. Also, during the 1988 Dapper Dan Roundball Classic, one of the nation's premier showcases for high school basketball talent, Vega earned the MVP trophy, beating out teammates, and future notable NBA players Alonzo Mourning, Chris Jackson, Billy Owens and Shawn Kemp. The opposing squad featured LaPhonso Ellis and Anthony Peeler.[2] After the 1987–88 season, Vega was recruited by The University of Arizona and later transferred to Providence but never played. Instead, he returned to Puerto Rico and became a star on the island's professional circuit.

National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico

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In 1988 he made his debut on the National Superior Basketball League of Puerto Rico (BSN), playing for the Quebradillas Pirates. Vega quickly became an impact player, completing his rookie season with a respectable average of 18.7 ppg. Two seasons later, during the 1990 tournament he led the league in scoring, averaging 29.9 ppg along with 8.3 rpg while shooting 40% from three-point range. He played a total of 18 seasons in Puerto Rico with the Quebradillas Pirates, Caguas Creoles, Ponce Lions, Isabela Fighting Cocks, and the Arecibo Captains, finishing with career averages of 19.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg and a 36% effectiveness in 3pt field goal attempts.[3] Vega signed a free-agent contract with the L.A. Clippers during the 1994 preseason, but did not make the roster.[4]

International career

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He played in the 1994 and 1998 FIBA World Basketball Championship.[5] He was also a member of the gold winning Puerto Rican National Basketball Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games held in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Vega won the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games while also playing in the 1993 and 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games, the 1995(where the team won the gold medal) and 1999 FIBA Americas Championship, and in the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games.[6] Vega has played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), Turkey, Venezuela, Cyprus and in Spain's Liga ACB, where he joined Caja Cantabria during the 1998 season, averaging 18.4 ppg.[7]

References

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  1. ^ OAK HILL BASKETBALL. Dave Iannone.2007.INDIVIDUAL HIGH SCORING GAMES. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from "Individual High Scoring Games - Oak Hill Basketball - Oak Hill Academy". Archived from the original on May 4, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  2. ^ Chris Dufresne. "Finding Release With Clippers : After Serving Time in Prison, Free Agent Orlando Vega Tries to Revive Basketball Career". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1994.
  3. ^ "ESTADÍSTICAS JUGADOR" (in Spanish). VICOM. 2007. Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from http://www.bsnpr.com/jugadores/jugador.asp?id=1759&e=
  4. ^ Chris Dufresne. "Finding Release With Clippers : After Serving Time in Prison, Free Agent Orlando Vega Tries to Revive Basketball Career". Los Angeles Times. October 17, 1994.
  5. ^ Chris Young. "Miller time for Dreamers in usual romp". Toronto Star. August 11, 1994. D4.
  6. ^ "ESTADÍSTICAS JUGADOR" (in Spanish). VICOM. 2007. Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from http://www.bsnpr.com/jugadores/jugador.asp?id=1759&e=
  7. ^ "ESTADÍSTICAS JUGADOR" (in Spanish). VICOM. 2007. Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Retrieved 24 July 2011 from http://www.bsnpr.com/jugadores/jugador.asp?id=1759&e=
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