Bradley Beal
Photo by Steven Maikoski/USA Basketball
After dominating the FIBA Americas U16 Championship last summer with a gold-medal showing in Argentina, USA Basketball's Developmental National Team is taking on the world.
USA Basketball is bringing together 19 of the nation's top high school players for a training camp June 18-24 in advance of the FIBA U17 World Championship For Men. The competition will be held July 2-11 in Hamburg, Germany.
The United States was placed in Group A along with Argentina, China, Egypt, Lithuania and Serbia. Australia, Canada, Germany, Poland, South Korea and Spain comprise Group B.
“Everybody has a good team when you get to the World Championship,” Developmental National Team head coach Don Showalter said. “You look at our side of the draw and we’ll play a pretty familiar team in Argentina. I know Lithuania has had a lot of success as well and we’re hoping to scrimmage them ahead of time, so that will give us a look at them.
"China won the gold medal in the Asian tournament, and pretty easily it seems from looking at their scores. Egypt will certainly be a force and Serbia always has good players. It looks to be a very competitive group. Obviously we’re happy to be playing in the (U17) World Championship, but at the same token, we’re going to go over there with the idea that we want to win the gold medal.”
The training camp will be held at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Under Showalter's direction, the team will hold two practice sessions per day, June 19-24.
Michael Gilchrist
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Highlighting the roster is St. Louis, Mo., rising senior
Bradley Beal, the top scoring threat last summer as the United States went 5-0 in Argentina, averaging 113 points per game. Led by 26 from Beal, the Red, White and Blue beat the host country in the final, 101-87.
Top 2011 talent Michael Gilchrist of New Jersey was not part of that team but will join the player pool in San Antonio. Gilchrist, along with Seattle standout Tony Wroten Jr., received his first look with the team in October, 2009 at a mini-camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Oakland, Calif., forward Brandon Ashley is the only completely new addition to the National Team.
“Brandon is one of those players who will add a lot to our training camp. He’s an aggressive and physical player who possesses a lot of skills," Showalter said. "He can post up and face the basket which you look for in international basketball."
The United States opens the U17 World Championship July 2 with a rematch against Argentina. A July 5 showdown with China is the highlight of preliminary-round action.
Developmental National Team Training Camp Roster
Player, School (Hometown)
Justin Anderson, Montrose Christian (Montross, Va.)
Kyle Anderson, St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)
Bradley Beal, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.)
Kyle Caudill, Brea Olinda (Brea, Calif.)
Angelo Chol, Hoover (San Diego, Calif.)
Quinn Cook, DeMatha (Bowie, Md.)
Andre Drummond, St. Thomas More (Middletown, Conn.)
Sterling Gibbs, Seton Hall Prep (Scotch Plains, N.J.)
Michael Gilchrist, St. Patrick (Somerdale, N.J.)
James McAdoo, Norfolk Christian (Norfolk, Va.)
Johnny O'Bryant, East Side (Cleveland, Miss.)
Tony Parker, Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.)
Norvel Pelle, Price (Long Beach, Calif.)
Chasson Randle, Rock Island (Rock Island, Ill.)
L.J. Rose, Second Baptist (Houston, Texas)
Marquis Teague, Pike (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Adonis Thomas, Melrose (Memphis, Tenn.)
Tony Wroten Jr., Garfield (Seattle, Wash.)
