Coyotes' Reichel heads to Japan

Cal State San Bernardino graduate David Reichel, who set a men's basketball season record for three-point field goal percentage in 2006-07, has signed a contract to play for the Oita Head Devils in the Basketball Japan League.

Reichel, a 6-8 forward, caught the attention of league officials during a three-day tryout staged by the league in Las Vegas in July.

"I did pretty well, averaging 18 points in three games," Reichel told the Ventura County Star newspaper.

The Camarillo resident will head for Japan soon in order to get ready for a 52-game season that begins Oct. 11.

Reichel played for the Los Angeles Lightning in a pro development league during the spring and early summer.

"It's pretty much a dream come true," Reichel told the Ventura County Star. "I've always wanted to get paid to play basketball. I'm grateful to have the opportunity."

He told the newspaper that the credit for him being noticed goes to his agent, Greg Foster, a former NBA player, for bringing Reichel to the attention of international leagues.

"I'll get a car. They will pay for my housing, which will allow me to sock away everything I earn," he told the Ventura newspaper.

Reichel was a key player in the Coyotes' run to a NCAA Division II West Region title in 2006-07, advancing to the NCAA national semifinals. He averaged 5.6 points per game, shooting 54.5 percent from the field and a team record 50 percent (39 of 78) from three-point range on a team that went 26-6.

A hand injury limited Reichel to an average of 10 minutes per game in 15 games for the Coyotes in 2007-08 as they won a CCAA conference co-championship.

He received his bachelor's degree in business with an emphasis in management and a minor in real estate finance.

"I didn't want a normal job, at least not yet," Reichel told the Ventura newspaper.