Ensign helps injured UNLV star Dickel

Jace Radke and Steve Addy

Tuesday, May 16, 2000 | 11:31 a.m.

Former UNLV point guard Mark Dickel fell and cut his head Monday afternoon while playing basketball and received emergency aid from U.S. Senate candidate John Ensign after he stopped breathing.

Dickel went down at about 1 p.m. while practicing at the Sporting House, 3025 Industrial Road. Ensign, a veterinarian and former two-term Republican congressman, was running on a nearby treadmill.

"I went over and calmed the crowd and noticed that he had gone into a seizure" Ensign said. "A paramedic or EMT was in the Sporting House, and when Dickel stopped breathing, we gave him mouth to mouth."

Dickel was taken to University Medical Center where he was treated and released after receiving 10 stitches.

UNLV assistant coach Dave Rice spoke to Dickel about 5 p.m. and said his former player was pretty scared when he woke up in the ambulance.

"Mark said when he went up to block a shot, his legs went out from under him and he landed on his head," Rice said. "Mark said he was scared because when he woke up in the ambulance, he couldn't feel his legs. He's OK, and is extremely relieved.

"For four years, we never saw Mark get hurt. If he did, he always popped right back up. So it's scary anytime this happens to someone as tough as Mark is."

The 23-year-old, 6-feet 2-inch Dickel is regarded as one of the toughest players in Rebel history. He led NCAA Division I in assists last season with 280 in 31 games, an average of nine a game. He averaged 13 points and averaged 36.6 minutes out of 40 per game.

Dickel has used up his college eligibility and is preparing to play for New Zealand in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He participated in the first of three NBA pre-draft camps last month but injured his foot, didn't play well and wasn't invited to the second camp.

He is hoping to be invited to the final camp in mid-June in Chicago.