
Two Viper Stars selected in USHL Draft
By PSR Staff | Mon, 05/16/2011 - 22:24

Pittsburgh, PA – One current and one former member of the Pittsburgh Viper Stars hockey club, were selected by United States Hockey League (USHL) clubs in the 2011 USHL Entry Draft.
Alexander Baskakov, a junior at Canon MacMillian Hich School, was drafted with the ninth pick in the 15th round by the Chicago Steel, while former Viper Star Noah Batis was selected by the Muskegon Lumberjacks as the sixth pick of the 19th round.
Baskakov, a 6’1”, 178 lbs. defenseman scored 63 points in 66 games (11 goals and 52 assists) for the 18U AAA Pittsburgh Viper Stars this past season. In North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) play he tallied 28 points (6 goals and 22 assists) in 30 league games.
The Ufa, Russia native will have an opportunity to skate next season for new coach/general manager Scott McConnell. The Steel finished the 2010-2011 campaign in eighth place in the USHL Eastern Conference.
Batis, a 5’10”, 160 lbs., forward, was a member of the 2009-2010 Pittsburgh Viper Stars U16 AAA team (current member of the Buffalo Regals Selects. He scored 76 points (34 goals, 42 assists) for the U16 AAA Regals this past season.
During the ‘09-‘10 campaign, the Latrobe native led the 16U Viper Stars to a 37-24-12 record as a freshman. Batis will have an opportunity to skate next season for head coach Kevin Patrick. The Lumberjacks finished the 2010-2011 campaign in fifth place in the USHL Eastern Conference.
The 16-member United States Hockey League is the sole USA Hockey sanctioned Tier I Junior A league.
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