Alex Herrera will need to travel farther to fulfill his professional basketball dream than he did his college basketball aspirations.
The former Fort Lewis College and Ignacio High School star center signed with KTP Basket in Finland on Tuesday, but terms of the deal were not disclosed.
KTP Finland plays in the Finnish Korisliiga and has won six league championships since its inception in 1957.
Kotka, where the team is based, sits on Finland’s southwestern coast and is an hour and a half drive from the country’s capital city of Helsinki.
The team finished first in the league last season with a 29-11 record and made the semifinals of the league’s postseason tournament.
The team also qualified for the EuroChallenge, where it finished 1-5.
Former Metro State star Brandon Jefferson led KTP in scoring last year at 18.5 points per game, but he left the club after one season.
Herrera currently is the only American, tallest player and only center listed on KTP’s roster.
He has experienced international basketball before, starring with the South West Metro Pirates in Australia during the summer before his senior year at FLC.
Next season will be his first year as a professional, though.
During his time at FLC, Herrera set seven school records and was named an All-American.
He’s the school’s all-time leader in blocks and set the single-season scoring and rebounding records last year.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
