Gelabale Returns from Idaho

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The Sonics recalled Mickael Gelabale from the Idaho Stampede Tuesday and will have him available Wednesday, when they host the Utah Jazz in their pre-All-Star finale. The recall was on schedule, as the Sonics planned all along to have Gelabale play six games in Idaho and return before the D-League's All-Star break.

In six games, Gelabale averaged 17.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He shot an impressive 59.7% from the field and 7-of-20 (35.0%) from three-point range.

"Gelly was way more good than bad, just kind of stuck out - which he should, somebody who's better than the players in that league," said Sonics Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo. "That's good. He had a couple of games where he had a really good half and a fair half. You'd like to see him go down and put two halves together all six times, but particularly the first game that's probably hard to do. I think in general he went down and acquitted himself very well."

While the Sonics already have a crowded rotation, Carlesimo said the Sonics want to make sure they get Gelabale in the mix at some point during the second half of the season to get a better look at him at the NBA level.

Mouhamed Sene is also on his way back to Seattle, but just for the All-Star break. The Sonics are pleased with the progress Sene is making playing for the Stampede. Sene has averaged 11.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 18 games, shooting 55.3%.

As for the Stampede, the team saw its D-League-record 18-game winning streak snapped by Los Angeles on Saturday and then lost against Monday at Utah. Still, Idaho goes into the All-Star break as the league's top team by three games at 23-7. Stampede Head Coach Bryan Gates, who worked as an assistant for the Sonics during summer-league play, will coach in Saturday's D-League All-Star Game in New Orleans.

In other news from Sonics practice, Carlesimo indicated it was possible center Robert Swift might move into the rotation at some point after the All-Star break, which could be a natural break in the schedule.

"When we come back," said Carlesimo, "maybe start over and say we've got to make some changes."

Carlesimo was generally pleased with the way his team responded to comming back to practice this week after taking the weekend off.

"We actually had two pretty good practices considering the days off," he said. "It was a little slow starting, but I think today was good."