Three Chicagoans highlight USA U16 roster

USA Basketball finalized the 12-player roster for the 2011 under-16 National Team on Sunday.

The team consists of U.S. citizens born on or after Jan. 1, 1995 and will compete June 21-25 in Cancun, Mexico, at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship. The top three teams in that event advance to the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship.

"We have a lot of talent. It's a very talented and skilled team," head coach Don Showalter said. "I know it was really hard to choose 12 players out of the 27 we brought in, but I think that the 12 who were chosen will certainly represent USA Basketball on and off the court in a really great manner."

Chicago and the Upper Midwest stood out among the selections. Windy City preps Jahlil Okafor of Whitney Young and Simeon teammates Kendrick Nunn and Jabari Parker made the squad along with Larry Austin Jr. of Illinois and Tyus Jones of Minnesota.

As sophomores Nunn and Parker helped Simeon capture llinois' Class 4A state title over the winter and earn a Top 10 spot in the national rankings.

Powerhouse California high school programs supplied a pair of wing-forward-types in Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty) and Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei).

Other picks included Conner Frankamp of Wichita, Kan., Justin Jackson of Houston, Texas, Theo Pinson of Greensboro, N.C., Malik Price-Martin of Miami, Fla., and Jonathan Williams of Memphis, Tenn.

The United States is the reigning king in both the FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the FIBA U17 World Championship. College-bound stars like Brad Beal, Michael Gilchrist and James McAdoo led a dominant run through both competitions over the course of two summers.

The USA will open the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mexico against Brazil on June 21.

Complete Roster
Larry Austin Jr., 6-1, 161, Fr., G – Lanphier (Springfield, Ill.)
Conner Frankamp, 6-0, 152, So., G – North (Wichita, Kan.)
Aaron Gordon, 6-8, 208, So., F – Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Justin Jackson, 6-6, 171, Fr., G – HCYA North (Houston, Texas)
Stanley Johnson, 6-5, 217, Fr., F – Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Tyus Jones, 6-0, 171, Fr., G – Apple Valley (Minn.)
Kendrick Nunn, 6-1, 175, So., G – Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)
Jahlil Okafor, 6-8, 269, Fr., C – Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.)
Jabari Parker, 6-6, 225, So., F – Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)
Theo Pinson, 6-4, 176, Fr., G/F – Oak Ridge Military Academy (Oak Ridge, N.C.)
Malik Price-Martin, 6-9, 187, So., F/C – Monsignor Pace (Miami, Fla.)
Jonathan Williams, 6-7, 208, So., F/C – Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.)