LATROBE, Pa. (Aug. 18)- Recent Saint Vincent men's basketball graduate Jaden Gales signed a contract to play professional basketball for BC Raiffeisen Flyers Wels (BSL) in Wels, Austria

BC Raiffeisen Flyers Wels competes in the top professional league in Austria, which is known as the Osterreichische Basketball Bundesliga.

Gales now becomes the 20th player in the Saint Vincent men's basketball program history to sign a professional contract. He joins his teammate Mike Iuzzolino who signed to play professionally in Italy this past weekend.

"We couldn't be more proud of Jaden and all that he accomplished during his time here at Saint Vincent," Saint Vincent Athletic Director and Head Men's Basketball Coach D.P. Harris said. "Watching him grow as a player and young man has been rewarding and earning the opportunity to continue playing at the professional level is a testament to that hard work that he has put in. We wish (Jaden) nothing but the best in Austria and I know he will represent Saint Vincent and the Bearcat Basketball program the right way at the next level."

Gales put together a stellar Saint Vincent basketball career, earning the Presidents Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year and PAC Player of the Year award in back-to-back seasons. During his PAC Player of the Year campaign, he also was named to the D3Hoops.com All-Region Team as well as the NABC All-District team. Throughout his Saint Vincent career, he earned First Team All-PAC honors three different times, while he totaled 1,466 career points, which ranks ninth in the program's history. He also grabbed 677 rebounds (7.6 RPG) and played in 89 total games over the course of three and a half seasons with the Bearcats.

"You have to always remember why you started playing the game," Gales said. "Signing this contract is fulfilling only one step of completing my childhood dream. Making it to the (professional league) and getting the chance to change my future through a game I've loved to play since I was a kid is an opportunity that I'm glad I can say that I accomplished. However, the job it is not over, rather, it has just begun."