Davante Makes first Cut

[Nukem2]

http://www.twitter.com/TeamCoachBuzz

[IWB]

Sixteen Finalists Named For 2013 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (June 26, 2013) - Following three days of training camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., that kicked off on June 24 with 26 of the nation's top collegiate athletes, the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee today announced 16 finalists for the 2013 USA Basketball Men's World University Games Team.

Training camp will continue in Colorado Springs through June 30, and the 12-member roster will be announced prior to the team's departure for Russia on July 1. The 2013 World University Games (WUGs) men's basketball competition will be played July 7-16 in Kazan, Russia.

Named as finalists were: Spencer Dinwiddie (Colorado/Woodland Hills, Calif.); Yogi Ferrell (Indiana/Indianapolis, Ind.); Davante Gardner (Marquette/Suffolk, Va.); Treveon Graham (Virginia Commonwealth/Temple Hills, Md.); Jerian Grant (Notre Dame/Bowie, Md.); Luke Hancock (Louisville/ Roanoke, Va.); Tyler Haws (BYU/Alpine, Utah); Rodney Hood (Duke/Meridian, Miss.); Cory Jefferson (Baylor/ Killeen, Texas); Sean Kilpatrick (Cincinnati/Yonkers, N.Y.); Alex Kirk (New Mexico/Los Alamos, N.M.); Doug McDermott (Creighton/Ames, Iowa); Adreian Payne (Michigan State/Dayton, Ohio); Chasson Randle (Stanford/Rock Island, Ill.); Will Sheehey (Indiana/Stuart, Fla.); and Aaron White (Iowa/Strongsville, Ohio).

Additionally, P.J. Hairston (North Carolina/Greensboro, N.C.) suffered an injury to his back during the evening session on June 25 and was not able to continue his participation.

"The effort of this group was unbelievable, and it was very tough to get down," said Jim Boeheim (Syracuse University), chair of the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee. "Usually, it's pretty easy to get down to 16. It was not easy with this group. It was very difficult. Guys were very, very close in a two-day tryout. Another day, and it might have been a couple of different guys in there, but you have to take the guys that played the best, and those 16 played the best.

"I think we have the nucleus of a really good team. We've got good big guys, we've got good wing players, we've got scorers, we've got shooters, so I think it's a balanced team. That's what you hope for on these teams."

Davidson College's Bob McKillop will lead the USA, with assistant coaches John Beilein of the University of Michigan and Frank Martin of the University of South Carolina.

[TheSultan]

In looking at the roster here:

http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/worlduniversity/roster.html

They aren't going to keep three centers. I am reasonably certain they will keep Alex Kirk with his size and length. That leaves Aaron White. White had a real good freshman year for Iowa last year. Mirrors Davante's game in many ways. Will be tough.

But I guess they could decide to go with only one center, but I guess we will have to see.

[IWB]

Or they could decide Davante is a power forward?

[TheSultan]

A lot of good power forwards on that roster though...

[TedBaxter]

Aaron White is more of a power forward.

[2013UnleashTheBeast]

Gotta help that Boeheim had a front row seat when Davante went off at the BC earlier this year

[Nukem2]

Andy Glockner favors Alex Kirk over Davante because he is a better outside shooter and US will probably face zones in the Games. ( see SI.com ).

[TulsaWarrior]

Gardner's weight may tip the scales in his favor.

[warriorfan4life]

Huge fan of Aaron White's game, but he's more of an inside-outside 4 man (not a great perimeter shooter, but can drive from the perimeter to the basket). Alex Kirk improved greatly during his redshirt year, but he is still a bit soft. Despite Kirk's height edge, I would argue that Gardner plays just as big (and Cory Jefferson can be the main interior defender).

[Nukem2]

:cool:...................
Gardner's weight may tip the scales in his favor.