UAA Athletics

Seawolf forward Sjur Berg to miss 2017-18 men’s basketball season

The UAA men's basketball team will be without junior Sjur Berg for the 2017-18 basketball season.

Berg, a native of Nesoddtangen, Norway, is attending a personal family matter in his home country, UAA coach Rusty Osborne announced Tuesday. He's expected to return to the team for his senior season in 2018.

This marks the second time in the last three seasons that the 6-foot-7 forward will miss significant playing time.

In 2015, Berg was a starter before he suffered a season-ending elbow injury in the fourth game of the season. Berg has played in 58 career games for UAA, including nine starts, averaging 3.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, and shooting 52 percent from the field.

Osborne said he and Berg had several conversations about Berg possibly missing time to deal with a family matter.

"When he asked this summer if he could miss this school year, it did not come as a surprise," Osborne said in a press release. "We support him and look forward to his return in 2018."

With Berg's absence UAA is down to one player who logged minutes for last season's 21-8 squad.

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Sophomore forward Ryan Curtis of Australia played 71 minutes in 14 games last season, averaging 1.4 points and 1 rebound per game.

Most of UAA's 15-player roster is filled with 12 newcomers, including Division I transfers Maleke Haynes (guard), Jacob Lampkin (forward) and D.J. Ursery (guard), all from the University of the Pacific, and Malik Clements (guard, North Dakota State).

There are also five Alaska freshmen: Eric Jenkins (forward, Dimond), Kylan Osborne (guard, Dimond), Austin White (forward, Ninilchik), Alex Adams (forward, South) and Ryan Trailer (guard, Bartlett).

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