ROANOKE, Va., January 16, 2002 – Roanoke Dazzle center Lorenzo Coleman underwent eye surgery today to repair damage he suffered in a National Basketball Development League game last Friday at Huntsville.

Coleman, who leads the NBDL in field goal percentage (.596), had outpatient surgery performed by Dr. Chad Albright in Roanoke. The Dazzle’s 7-foot center received two stitches in his right eyeball. He also will wear corrective goggles to aid recovery from a muscle contusion that has caused some double vision.

Coleman was injured when he took an accidental fingernail in the eye from Flight forward Shelly Clark in the first quarter of Roanoke’s January 11 loss at Von Braun Center. Coleman has missed the last two games and is questionable for the Dazzle’s home date Friday against Columbus. He will be listed day-to-day thereafter and will wear corrective goggles when he returns to action.

Coleman has started 22 Dazzle games, and is averaging 7.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg.

Roanoke (11-16), which has won two in a row, returns to action Friday with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against Columbus (13-12), the first of back-to-back Roanoke Civic Center dates with the Riverdragons. The teams also meet in the Star City on Thursday, January 24, at 7 p.m.