Hancock Basketball's Lucas Signs with University of Saint Mary

Hancock Basketball's Lucas Signs with University of Saint Mary
May 30, 2019

Guard Diego Lucas has officially become the sixth member of the 2018-19 Allan Hancock College men's basketball team to sign with a four-year university. Lucas, who came to Hancock from Pordenone, Italy where he played on the Under-19 Italian National Team, signed with the University of Saint Mary, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) program in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Lucas averaged 7.8 points and 3.0 assists per game his sophomore year at Hancock. He shot .842 from the free-throw line and .373 from 3-point range. Lucas scored 10 or more points in 11 games, including a career-high 17 points in a win over L.A. Southwest. Lucas poured in 12 points during the Bulldogs' first-round playoff victory over San Diego Miramar.

The 5-foot-11 guard led the Bulldogs with a 44.5 percent from 3-point range his freshman season. A native of Pordenone, Italy, Lucas averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 assists a game as a freshman.  Lucas finished his Hancock career 53-for-131 from 3-point range with a .405 3-point shooting percentage.

The University of Saint Mary men's basketball team competes in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) under sixth-year head coach Troy Brown. The Spires are coming off a 13-17 season, after winning at least 17 games in Brown's previous four seasons as head coach. The Spires will be looking to secure their first conference title and NAIA Tournament appearance since 2012-13.

Lucas was a key member of a Hancock program that won 23 games and advanced to the state playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Lucas is at least the sixth member of the 2018-19 team to officially commit to a four-year university, joining Spirit Ricks (Norfolk State), Gabrys Sadaunykas (Humboldt State), Glenn Jordan (University of Mary), Mitch L'Allier (Holy Names University), and Trenton Mitchell (Chico State).

The latest signing up the total number of Bulldog men's basketball players who have signed with four-year institutions since Tyson Aye took over the program in 2013 to 31.