July 17, 2001

Mike Mardesich saw his first action as a professional on Monday night in Boston, and Terence Morris played his fourth summer pro league game as the former Maryland center and forward continued into their first summers as pros.

Mardesich faces former Maryland teammate Laron Profit on Tuesday night when the Celtics face Profit, the Washington Wizards and the NBA's top draft pick, Kwame Brown. Tuesday night's game airs on ESPN at 8 p.m., as one of eight NBA summertime games to be televised.

Mardesich helped the Boston Celtics summer squad to a 72-65 win over the New York Knicks, at the University of Massachusetts-Boston campus. The 7-0 Mardesich played 11 minutes off the bench, adding a pair of rebounds and a blocked shot as the Celtics coasted to a 60-39 lead after three quarters.

Morris, at Long Beach State University as part of the Southern California Summer Pro League, started his fourth straight game for the Rockets despite being limited to his first game in single-digit scoring. Morris scored six points on just 3 of 10 shooting as Houston overcame a 56-53 halftime deficit to down the Memphis Grizzlies, 108-93. Averaging over 11 points through four contests, Morris added two rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Former Maryland forward Rodney Elliott joins Mardesich this summer as part of the Shaw's Summer League played in Boston. Elliott, however, did not play in the Indiana Pacers' summer league debut on Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Elliott and the Pacers meet San Antonio on Tuesday, prior to Mardesich's pro TV debut.

Morris and the Rockets concluded their LA Summer League schedule with a 2-2 record, and will play next in the Rocky Mountain Revue, beginning on Friday, July 20, at Salt Lake Community College. Morris and the Rockets will face another Terp, former center Obinna Ekezie, with the Dallas Mavericks.