College Coaches Swarm to USA U19 Trials
College coaches are swarming to the USA
By MATT WHITFIELD CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Immanuel Quickley and
Following recent terrorist incidents in Egypt, John Calipari initially had concerns about coaching the USA Basketball U19 team there next month but now says he’s comfortable with the security setup in Cairo.
“If I wasn’t comfortable I wouldn’t go,” Calipari said Tuesday on a conference call about the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup for Men, slated for July 1-9. “I’m very comfortable walking through the way we’ve done this. I’m very comfortable that we’re going to be fine.”
There have been several terrorist incidents in Egypt in recent months, including an ISIS attack in late May outside of Cairo that killed at least 29 Coptic Christians, including 10 children. The attack was the fourth to target Egypt’s Christian community since December.
Seven USA Basketball gold medalists, including four members of the 2016 USA U18 National Team that qualified USA Basketball for the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup for Men, headline 28 of the nation’s top 19-and-unders who have accepted invitations to attend the 2017 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team training camp June 18-25 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee. Athletes eligible for this team must be 19 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998) and U.S. citizens.
“We’re excited about the players who have accepted our invitation to attend the USA Men’s U19 training camp,” said Purdue University head coach Matt Painter, chair of the selection committee. “We have an outstanding group of players, some of whom have prior USA Basketball experience, some with outstanding collegiate experience and some of the best high school players in America. It will be very competitive in tryouts to make the 12-person U19 team.”
As the 2013 and 2015 FIBA U19 World Champion, the United States will look for a third-consecutive gold medal at the July 1-9 event in Cairo, Egypt.
FIBA is "strongly considering" moving the U19
If you needed any further proof that New York and New Jersey are loaded with young stars, look no further than this announcement from USA Basketball.
Cole Anthony (Archbishop Molloy H.S./New York, N.Y.); Bryan Antoine (Ranney School/Tinton Falls, N.J.) and Scottie Lewis (Ranney School/Hazlet, N.J.) were among 56 of the nation’s top high school players invited to the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Oct. 8-9.
All three are extremely talented and potential future pros.
It’s not hard to understand why Louisville’s Rick Pitino was expected at Molloy on Thursday for Anthony and his teammates, or why Kentucky’s John Calipari saw Lewis and Antoine last week at Ranney. Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon, Florida’s Mike White and assistants from Duke, Seton Hall, UConn, Stanford and Drexel are due Thursday night at Ranney.
Here’s the full release:
