CHICAGO (July 25, 2022) – Aher Uguak (Edmonton, Alberta/Harry Ainlay/New Mexico), who played the last four seasons on the men's basketball team at Loyola University Chicago, has signed a professional contract for the 2022-23 season with the Chemnitz Niners in Germany. The 6-foot-7 forward, who was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive Team selection during his career, joins former teammate Ryan Schwieger, who signed a contract with Rasta Vechta in Germany earlier this month.
 
Chemnitz went 22-12 in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) during the 2021-22 season.
 
Uguak, who worked out for the NBA's Orlando Magic this spring, has spent the summer playing for his hometown Edmonton Stingers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Through 18 games, he is producing 9.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point land. 
 
After transferring from the University of New Mexico following his freshman season in 2016-17, Uguak sat out the 2017-18 campaign when Loyola made a magical run to the NCAA Final Four. Beginning with the 2018-19 season, he became a mainstay in the Ramblers' starting lineup and established himself as one of the top defenders in the Missouri Valley Conference. 
 
Uguak had a breakthrough season in 2020-21, helping Loyola reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. He emerged as a true two-way threat and averaged 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, while connecting on 61.9 percent of his field goal attempts, on his way to capturing Third Team All-MVC, MVC All-Defensive Team and MVC Most Improved Team recognition. In a non-conference win over eventual NCAA tournament team North Texas in January 2021, he erupted for a career-best 26 points.
 
His best season from a production standpoint came in 2021-22 when he contributed 8.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.7 apg, while scoring in double figures on 14 occasions, as the Ramblers went 25-8 overall and reached the NCAA tournament for a second straight season. Uguak improved by leaps and bounds as a three-point shooter as his career went on and he buried a career-best 24 triples in 2021-22, six more than he had drained in his first three years at Loyola.
 
Uguak is the third player from Loyola's 2021-22 squad to sign a professional contract, joining Lucas Williamson (Los Angeles Clippers) and Ryan Schwieger (Rasta Vechta – Germany).