Curtis Withers has been invited to the team trials for the U.S. U21 National Team, which will competet at the 2005 FIBA World Championships in August. |
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Charlotte's Curtis Withers Invited to USA Basketball's U21 National Team Trials
June 20, 2005
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Charlotte 49ers rising senior Curtis Withers is among 21 of the country's top basketball players 21-years-old and younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1984) that have accepted invitations to attend the July 21-23 USA Basketball Men's U21 National Team Trials in Dallas, Texas. Trials will be used to select the final 12-member U.S. U21 squad that will look to defend the USA's gold medal at the 2005 FIBA U21 World Championship in Mar de Plata, Argentina, Aug. 5-14. Athlete selections were made by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse University (N.Y.) head coach Jim Boeheim.
Withers started for the 2004 USA U21 World Championship Qualifying Team, that won a gold medal by going unbeaten at the qualifying tournament in Halifax, Canada, and earned the United States its berth to this year's U21 Worlds.
Withers averaged 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds and shot .636 from the field for the 2004 USA U21 World Championship Qualifying Team.
This past collegiate season, Withers garnered his second straight first-team all-Conference USA honor as the 49ers earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Withers averaged a team-high 18.0 points and 8.1 rebounds with nine double-doubles. He was named an honorable mention all-America by Sports Illustrated.com. He also earned an ESPN.com National Player of the Week Award after averaging 30.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in a pair of C-USA wins in February.
In addition to Withers, athletes expected to compete for spots on the 2005 USA U21 National Team include: Josh Boone (Connecticut / Mt. Airy, Md.); Aaron Brooks (Oregon / Seattle, Wash.); Shannon Brown (Michigan State / Maywood, Ill.); Rodney Carney (Memphis / Indianapolis, Ind.); JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State / Pleasant Grove, N.C.); Glen Davis (Louisiana State / Baton Rouge, La.); Jared Dudley (Boston College / San Diego, Calif.); Nick Fazekas (Nevada / Arvada, Colo.); Rudy Gay (Connecticut / Baltimore, Md.); C.J. Giles (Kansas / Seattle, Wash.); Justin Gray (Wake Forest / Charlotte, N.C.); Taj Gray (Oklahoma / Wichita, Kan.); Malik Hairston (Oregon / Detroit, Mich.); Adam Morrison (Gonzaga / Spokane, Wash.); Allan Ray (Villanova / Bronx, N.Y.); J.J. Redick (Duke / Roanoke, Va.); Terrence Roberts (Syracuse / Jersey City, N.J.); Rajon Rondo (Kentucky / Louisville, Ky.); Darius Washington, Jr. (Memphis / Winter Park, Fla.); and Marcus Williams (Connecticut / Los Angeles, Calif.).
Of the 13 athletes boasting of prior USA Basketball experience, Justin Gray, Morrison and Withers were members of the 2004 USA U21 World Championship Qualifying Team that captured gold and earned the United States its berth to this year's U21 Worlds. Redick was a member of the 2003 USA Junior World Championship Team that finished fifth with a 7-1 record; Brooks helped the 2002 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team earn a bronze medal, and Gay and Hairston were on the USA Junior National Select Team that downed a World Select Team 99-79 in the 2004 Hoop Summit. Additionally, Brown (2002 North), Curry (2002 and 2003 South), Fazekas (2002 West), Hairston (2003 North), Redick (2000 and 2001 East), Roberts (2002 East), Washington (2003 South) and Marcus Williams (2002 West) all got their start in USA Basketball at a Youth Development Festival and Carney participated in the 2004 USA Men's National Team Trials.
In addition to 2005 consensus all-America J.J Redick's national accolades, which include Associated Press (A.P.), Sports Illustrated.com, Dick Vitale's All-Rolls Royce, College Insider.com and Rivals.com first team honors, Redick was also a finalist for the 2005 John R. Wooden Award.
Also receiving All-America accolades were Morrison, a College Insider.com first team and Sports Illustrated.com third team. The A.P. named Morrison as an All-America honorable mention along with Boone, Dudley and Fazekas; Dudley, Fazekas, Marcus Williams and Withers were Sports Illustrated.com All-America honorable mentions; while Fazekas and Morrison earned All-America honorable mention from Rivals.com.
College Insider.com and Rivals.com recognized Davis, Gay, Hairston and Washington as Freshman All-Americans and Curry was a Rivals.com Freshman All-America honorable mention.
Further, nine athletes were named by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to their respective all-district squads, including Boone, Dudley, Fazekas, Justin Gray, Taj Gray, Morrison, Ray, Redick and Washington.
The 21 athletes represent 17 NCAA Division I schools and 10 collegiate conferences, with Connecticut and the Big East leading the charge with three and five representatives, respectively.
2005 USA U21 World Championship Team Trials Saint Joseph's University (Pa.) head coach Phil Martelli has been named as the USA team's head coach and acting as his assistants will be collegiate head coaches James `Bruiser' Flint from Drexel University (Pa.) and Dennis Felton from the University of Georgia.
Collegiate head coaches Jeremy Cox of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Mike Dunlap of Metropolitan State College of Denver (Colo.) and Paul Patterson of Taylor University (Ind.) will serve as court coaches at the 2005 USA Basketball Men's U21 National Team Trials.
Trials will be conducted at the Dallas Mavericks practice facility inside the American Airlines Center and the first Trials session will be held on Thursday, July 21 at 10:00 a.m. (all times local), followed by a 5:00 p.m. session that night. July 22 and 23 will again feature two-a-days with starting times at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Team finalists will remain in Dallas for the USA's July 24 - Aug. 1 training camp, which will feature a July 24 practice at the Dr. Pepper Star Center in Frisco, Texas, near Dallas. The training camp will conclude with a pair of daily practices at the Dallas Mavericks practice facility at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on July 25 and July 26. The U.S. squad will then compete in the July 27-31 Global Games at the Dr. Pepper Star Center. The eventual 12-member USA team will be announced during the training camp.
Following one more practice session on Aug. 1 (site and time TBD), the American team will travel to Argentina for its final practices before tipping off play at the 2005 FIBA U21 World Championship on Aug. 5.
Contested Aug. 5-14 in Cordoba and Mar del Plata, Argentina, the 2005 FIBA Men's U21 World Championship will consist of 12 national teams split into two groups for preliminary round-robin play. The top four teams in each group will advance to the medal quarterfinals, while the 5th and 6th place finishing teams in each group will compete for 9th-12th place.
The U21 World Championship draw took place March 10 in Argentina and the USA (Americas No. 1) will compete in Mar del Plata in preliminary round Group B, opening up Aug. 5 against China (Asia No. 2). Facing Lithuania (Europe No. 3) on Aug. 6, the United States will go up against Puerto Rico (Americas No. 2) on Aug. 7, before closing out the first round against Nigeria (Africa No. 1) on Aug. 9 and Slovenia (Europe No. 1) on Aug. 10. Group A, which will compete in Cordoba, includes Argentina (Americas No. 3 & host), Australia (Oceania No. 1), Canada (Americas No. 4), Greece (Europe No. 4), Iran (Asia No. 1) and Israel (Europe No. 2).
Initiated in 1993 as the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship, the USA captured gold in the inaugural tournament with a perfect 8-0 record. In 1997, the Americans compiled a 5-2 record and finished fifth. Most recently in 2001, with the event known as the FIBA World Championship For Young Men and Martelli assisting on the sidelines, the USA was impressive, rolling to an unblemished 8-0 mark to capture gold.
The USA men are not only defending FIBA World Champs at the U21 level, but the U.S. squad last summer dominated its FIBA Americas competition in striking gold with a 5-0 record. Overall, in the three previous FIBA World Championships for this age group, the USA has won gold twice and compiled a 22-2 record.
2005 USA Basketball U21 World Championship Team Trials & Training Schedule Thursday, July 21 10:00 a.m. Team Trials Mavericks Practice Facility 5:00 p.m. Team Trials Mavericks Practice Facility Friday, July 22 10:00 a.m. Team Trials Mavericks Practice Facility 5:00 p.m. Team Trials Mavericks Practice Facility Saturday, July 23 10:00 a.m. Team Trials Mavericks Practice Facility 5:00 p.m. Team Trials Mavericks Practice Facility Sunday, July 24 2:00 p.m. Training Dr. Pepper Star Center Monday, July 25 10:00 a.m. Training Mavericks Practice Facility 45:00 p.m. Training Mavericks Practice Facility Tuesday, July 26 10:00 a.m. Training Mavericks Practice Facility 45:00 p.m. Training Mavericks Practice Facility 2005 Global Games @ the Dr. Pepper Star Center Wednesday, July 27 1:00 p.m. USA vs. Ukraine Thursday, July 28 8:00 p.m. USA vs. Team Texas Select Friday, July 29 8:00 p.m. USA vs. Slovenia Saturday, July 30 8:00 p.m. USA vs. Lithuania Sunday, July 31 4:00 p.m. Finals TBD Monday, August 1 TBD Training TBD Depart for competitionNOTE: It is expected that finalists for the `05 U.S. squad will be announced following the July 21-23 USA Team Trials. The final 12-member roster will be announced prior to the team's Aug. 1 departure for Argentina. The Dallas Mavericks practice facility is inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, while the Dr. Pepper Star Center is located in Frisco, Texas, just outside of Dallas
2005 USA Basketball U21 World Championship Team Trials Roster NAME POS HGT WGT DOB YOG SCHOOL/HOMETOWN Josh Boone F 6-10 237 11/21/84 2007 Connecticut / Mt. Airy, Md. Aaron Brooks G 6-0 160 01/15/85 2007 Oregon / Seattle, Wash. Shannon Brown G 6-3 200 11/29/85 2007 Michigan State / Maywood, Ill. Rodney Carney F 6-7 205 04/05/84 2006 Memphis / Indianapolis, Ind. JamesOn Curry G 6-3 190 01/07/86 2008 Oklahoma State / Pleasant Grove, N.C. Glen Davis F 6-9 310 01/01/86 2008 Louisiana State / Baton Rouge, La. Jared Dudley F 6-7 220 07/10/85 2007 Boston College / San Diego, Calif. Nick Fazekas F 6-11 225 06/17/85 2007 Nevada / Arvada, Colo. Rudy Gay F 6-9 220 08/17/86 2008 Connecticut / Baltimore, Md. C.J. Giles C 6-10 220 09/23/85 2008 Kansas / Seattle, Wash. Justin Gray G 6-2 185 03/31/84 2006 Wake Forest / Charlotte, N.C. Taj Gray F 6-9 238 03/14/84 2006 Oklahoma / Wichita, Kan. Malik Hairston G 6-6 200 02/03/87 2008 Oregon / Detroit, Mich. Adam Morrison F 6-8 205 07/19/84 2007 Gonzaga / Spokane, Wash. Allan Ray G 6-2 200 06/17/84 2006 Villanova / Bronx, N.Y. J.J. Redick G 6-4 190 06/24/84 2006 Duke / Roanoke, Va. Terrence Roberts F 6-9 228 08/14/85 2007 Syracuse / Jersey City, N.J. Rajon Rondo G 6-1 171 02/22/86 2008 Kentucky / Louisville, Ky. Darius Washington, Jr. G 6-2 195 12/06/85 2008 Memphis / Winter Park, Fla. Marcus Williams G 6-3 205 12/03/85 2007 Connecticut / Los Angeles, Calif. Curtis Withers F 6-8 230 08/02/84 2008 Charlotte / Charlotte, N.C.
2005 USA U21 National Team Trials Athletes by Conference Atlantic Coast Conference *Jared Dudley Justin Gray J.J. Redick
Atlantic 10 Conference *Curtis Withers
Big East Conference Josh Boone Rudy Gay Allan Ray Terrence Roberts Marcus Williams
Big 10 Conference Shannon Brown
Big 12 Conference JamesOn Curry C.J. Giles Taj Gray
Conference USA Rodney Carney Darius Washington, Jr.
Pacific-10 Conference Aaron Brooks Malik Hairston
Southeastern Conference Glen Davis Rajon Rondo
Western Athletic Conference Nick Fazekas
West Coast Conference Adam Morrison
* Boston College will compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and Charlotte will compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference starting in the 2005-06 season.
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