KERAVA, Finland - Former USC Aiken men's basketball standout Kingsley Oguchi signed a professional contract with Kereven de Energia in Finland this week.

Oguchi joins former Pacer teammate Brian Egwuatu, who signed with Kereven de Energia in September of 2009.

The two Houston, Texas natives have accomplished an extremely rare feat with Oguchi signing with Kereven de Energia. Oguchi and Egwuatu were teammates in high school at George Bush High School in Houston. The two were reunited at USC Aiken when Egwuautu joined the program after first playing at NCAA Division I Texas Southern.

The two close friends being reunited in the professional ranks means that they have been teammates in high school, college and professionally.

Oguchi is the fifth Pacer from the highly successful 2007-09 era to ink a professional contract in the past few months. Jeremy Fears signed during the offseason with DEKE of the Hungarian A Division. Cody Ballard is playing for the Columbus Crush of the American Basketball Association (ABA) presently.

Former USC Aiken men's basketball All-American Chris Commons signed a professional contract with BSV Wulfen of the Basketball Regionalliga in Germany earlier this week.

"We are really thrilled about all the great things happening with our basketball program," said USC Aiken head coach Vince Alexander. "We have been blessed to have some great players in our system during our time here. This just continues to prove the quality of the type of individuals who have chosen to come to USC Aiken."

Oguchi was a four-year starter at USC Aiken. He concluded his career in the top six in school history in total points with 1,112 in his career. Oguchi is USC Aiken's all-time leader in steals with 162.

Oguchi and Egwuatu are part of a Pacer resurgence that has seen USC Aiken become a national power. The duo were both members of the 2007-08 and 2008-09 Pacer squads.

The Pacers won a school record 52 games during the two years with the 2007-08 USC Aiken men's basketball team winning the Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship and the 2008-09 Pacer men's basketball team advancing farther than any other squad in program history to the NCAA Division II "Sweet Sixteen."