Ex-Canes file: The Heat spoke with ex-Clippers guard Guillermo Diaz, but he joined Charlotte's summer program instead. Miami rejected overtures from Darius Rice and Robert Hite, who both joined the Spurs' summer program.


(miamiherald.com)

Darius Rice signs with the Slingers – The attached newsletter provides details on the Slingers key signing of American Darius Rice.  A 6’10” small forward formerly from the University of Miami, Darius is a scoring machine who has put up big numbers wherever he has played.  He holds the scoring record in the NBA development League, NDBL, where he scored 52 points in the final in April, 2007.  His size and sweet shooting touch will pose some match up difficulties with NBL teams and give the Slingers a solid scoring option.

(aplink.wordpress.com)

BACOLOD -- This is one type of rice Purefoods has apparently had enough of.

The Tender Juicy Giants are dead set in letting go of the prolific Darius Rice within the next few days in favor of an import who can maximize the potential of the local roster for the rest of the Fiesta Cup eliminations.

The bigger news obviously is the decision of Purefoods to ship Rice out even if the reed-thin import is leading all-comers in scoring. Rice scored 56 points in his debut and looked like the perfect import for the Giants.

"He (Rice) might be the No. 1 in scoring, but majority of the touches on our offense are his," said the team source after the All-Star Game Sunday night at the West Negros University gym here.

"The team doesn't need a scoring champion, what the team needs is a team player who can bring out the best in the locals."

The Purefoods coaching staff and management finally decided on Rice's fate after the Giants became the first victim of sophomore squad Welcoat, which pounded out a 110-103 win on April 20.

(surfshop.net)

NOT even the collective effort of Magnolia proved enough to negate the individual explosiveness of Purefoods import Darius Rice.

The nephew of football legend Jerry Rice knocked in 56 big points in his Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) debut, including a coast-to-coast drive to the basket that lifted the Giants to a pulsating 127-126 double OT victory over the Beverage Masters in a thrilling 2008 Smart Fiesta Conference game Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-10 former University of Miami stalwart went 6-of-17 from three-point range, the last of which was a step-back trey in the final 1:40 of regulation play that tied the game at 101 and set the stage for the exciting finish.

The 56-point output of the 25-year-old Rice is the biggest individual score registered in a game in the league since former Best Import Derek Brown finished with 57 points for Sta. Lucia in a 99-120 losing cause to San Miguel Beer on April 25, 2004 in the inaugural Fiesta Conference.

“Darius Rice is as good as advertised,” were the first words uttered by a beaming Ryan Gregorio, the Purefoods coach, after the game that took 58 minutes to complete. “I’ve seen some amazing shots tonight, including a three-pointer that I think was a low percentage shot, but thank God, it went in.”

Rice already showed portent of things to come when he finished with 27 points at the half, though the Giants trailed, 45-54.

“That’s all?,” asked the sensational import when asked if he was aware of his final output, the second all-time highest output in the Fiesta Conference since Brown's 57 and the highest output by a debuting import since Jerod Ward had 61 for Mobiline in a 93-87 win over Barangay Ginebra in his first game in the 2001 Commissioner's Cup.

“Honestly, I was not thinking about my score. I’m just playing in there and trying to help the team win,” added the second cousin of former NBA hotshot Glenn Rice.

BUZZER-BEATER: Rice's 56 was also the first 50-point output in the league since Asi Taulava had a career-high 51 in a 131-105 win over Purefoods on May 16, 2004 also during the inaugural Fiesta Conference... No player has scored at least 60 points in a game since Askia Jones had that exact output for Shell on Nov. 4, 2001 in a 111-88 rout of Sta. Lucia in the Governors Cup. (FM)

(smb-mbm.blogspot.com)

Darius Rice, the 6-foot-10 former University of Miami standout tipped to be the yardstick among imports, finally makes his debut with Purefoods Tender Juicy against Magnolia in the 2007-08 Smart PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum today.

Reigning champion Alaska Milk and Philippine Cup titlist Sta. Lucia Realty clash in the other game both unveiling returning import like Magnolia.

Rice will be up against former Shell reinforcement Jameel Watkins while another ex-Shell import Wesley Wilson takes on former Talk n Text recruit Randy Holcomb.

Wilson, a 6-foot-11 behemoth out of Georgetown U, will strut his stuff with the Realtors chasing a double-championship in the season. He averaged 28.6 points and 13.9 rebounds in 10 games with Shell in the 2005 Fiesta Cup.

Holcomb, who is two inches shorter, played for Talk n Text in 2004, averaging 25.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in six games.

The Giants went a game short of winning the All-Filipino crown but are excited with the prospect of going all the way to win the Fiesta Cup with Rice on their side.

"He's very impressive. We're happy with what we've seen although we know the ultimate test is playing actual game," said Gregorio.

(thephilippinestar.com)

If there is one thing Darius Rice can do best on the basketball court, it’s putting the ball inside the hoop. The 6′10″ 222-lb Rice is known as a dangerous offensive player with a knack for hitting shots from way beyond the three-point arc.

In the championship game in the NBDL last year, Rice put on one of the best, if not the best, scoring performances in league history. He exploded for 52 big points, highlighted by 11 triples - including one that sent the game into overtime with four seconds left. The Dakota Wizards went on to win the title after dominating the overtime period. Rice copped the finals MVP trophy.

It’s the kind of performance the Purefoods TJ Giants hope to see when Rice puts on the team jersey in the 2008 PBA Fiesta Cup. The team is in the midst of finalizing contract details with the ex-Miami Hurricane standout and if the negotiations pull through, the Giants will have in their hands, a certified scorer who can shoot the lights out in any given day. It will not be surprising if Rice goes on to average 60 points a game because that’s what he do best. With James Yap, Peter June Simon, and Rice, Purefoods will have the best perimeter weapons in town. Click here to continue reading...

The Magic, looking for wing players to add depth, could be interested in Darius Rice, a former University of Miami star. Rice, 6-10, has played for the Miami Heat and in the D-League. He is represented by Tony Dutt, Rashard Lewis' agent. . .

(orlandosentinel.com)

He’s been around the world, playing basketball wherever he can. The laundry list of pit stops includes Europe, China, Miami, Dallas, and New Jersey. But Darius Rice has yet to appear on an opening day roster. So why isn’t he playing in the NBA?

“I’m not a general manager,” said Rice, 24. “All I can say is it’s my third year and I’m just continuing to work hard … All I need is someone to give me one opportunity and hopefully this is the year.”

Rice can give a handful of reasons of why he should be in the NBA and then some. The list is headlined by his jaw dropping performance for the Dakota Wizards in the NBDL Championship game. Rice came off the bench to score a playoff record 52 points en route to victory. He also hit a playoff record 11 three pointers. Not too shabby for a 6‘10“ forward.

“In that 52 point game, the players were really looking at me,” Rice said. “I felt like everything was going to go in. I could have shot it backward and it would’ve gone in.”

LAS VEGAS, July 7, 2007 -- The destination hasn’t changed for Darius Rice, just the highway he has chosen to drive in order to get there.

When the 2007 regular season tips off, Rice wants to be on an NBA roster. And that is why he is in Las Vegas at NBA Summer League presented by adidas as a member of the Cavaliers.

Rice is willing to do whatever it takes to make it to the NBA in the fall. And his performance on Saturday against the Spurs was a good place to begin.

Getting the start at forward, Rice led all scorers with 19 points as the Cavaliers did something they couldn’t do in last month’s NBA Finals – beat the Spurs.

Anyone who has seen him play knows that he can flat out shoot the rock. Rice’s long-distance prowess was on display inside Cox Pavilion as he made 7-of-13 shots, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. He also pulled down five rebounds in his 25 minutes on the court.

Darius Rice scored 19 points against the San Antonio Spurs in the Cavaliers' first game of summer league action, and that was enough to get NBA front office people talking. Basketball News learned on Monday night that the Milwaukee Bucks are 'very close' to offering Rice a contract if the Cavaliers don't do so soon.

The Orlando Magic, who already have scouts in town, are sending an additional to Las Vegas on Tuesday to get a closer look at Rice, and if the Magic don't take care of business, the Heat are also interested in Rice, a graduate of Miami.

It looks like Rice will have an NBA contract soon.

(hoopsworld.com)