(From our friends at USA Basketball)
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (Jan. 16, 2011) – Featuring four, two-time gold medalists and eight gold medal winners overall, USA Basketball today announced the 10 players and coaching staff for the 2011 USA Junior National Select Team, which will compete against the World Select Team in the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit at 7:00 p.m. (PDT) on Saturday, April 9 at the Rose Garden in Portland Oregon.
The Nike Hoop Summit, the country’s premier annual basketball game for high-school age boys, features America’s elite, young athletes playing against a World Select Team comprised of top international players 19-years-old or younger.
Leading the way for the USA will be four players who helped the USA to gold at both the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship, including 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship MVP Brad Beal (Chaminade College Prep/St. Louis, Mo.), Quinn Cook (Oak Hill Academy/Bowie, Md.), James McAdoo (Norfolk Christian/ Norfolk, Va.) and Adonis Thomas (Melrose H.S./Cordova, Tenn.).
The USA Junior National Select team also features 2010 USA U17 gold medalists Michael Gilchrist (St. Patrick H.S./Somerdale, N.J.), Marquis Teague (Pike H.S./Indianapolis, Ind.) and Tony Wroten (Garfield H.S./Seattle, Wash.), as well as Austin Rivers (Winter Park H.S./Winter Park, Fla.), who helped lead the USA to a gold medal in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
Rounding out the roster are USA Basketball newcomers Rakeem Christmas (Academy of the New Church/Philadelphia, Pa.) and Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter/Chicago, Ill.).
The USA will be led by Kevin Sutton, who is in his eighth season as head coach at Montverde Academy in Florida. Sutton has three times served as a USA assistant coach, including the 2009 USA U16 and 2010 USA U17 national teams. He owns a 15-3 record (.833 winning percentage) with the red, white and blue.
“I’m truly honored,” Sutton said. “I’ve been associated with USA Basketball for several years now. My most recent tenure was over the last two years with the U16 and U17 teams, so I’m very familiar with the players that have been selected for this team. USA Basketball really has strengthened the developmental program, and having several players back from those teams will enable us to build upon a camaraderie that’s already been established.
“I have watched past Nike Hoop Summits and I’ve seen a lot of international basketball the past few summers, and that has enabled me to be more of a student of the game,” Sutton continued. “I know that the game will feature a tremendous amount of talent, and it will be very competitive.”
Sutton will be assisted by first-time USA coach Kevin Boyle, who is in his 22nd season as head coach at St. Patrick High School (N.J.), where he currently features USA team member Gilchrist on his roster.
Tickets for the 14th annual Nike Hoop Summit are now on sale, with reserved courtside seats priced $25 and $50 and all other general admission tickets $6 in advance and $10 on game day. Tickets can be purchased through the Rose Quarter Ticket Office, by calling 877-789-ROSE (7673) or by visiting www.rosequarter.com. Additionally, the game will be broadcast nationally by Fox Sports Net and its regional affiliates.
