Seven All-Americans Among 32 Top Preps Set To Compete In 2007 USA Basketball Mens Youth Development Festival
By Jenny Maag // USA Basketball // June 19, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 19, 2007) – USA Basketball today announced the addition of seven standout athletes and the withdrawal of four players from the 2007 USA Basketball Men’s Youth Development Festival. Highlighted by 2007 Parade Magazine All-America third team selections Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall H.S. / Chatsworth, Calif.) and Greg Monroe (Helen Cox H.S. / Gretna, La.), both of whom were named as their respective state’s Gatorade Player of the Year, the 2007 USA Basketball Men’s Youth Development Festival invitees roster now lists 32 participants. The Men’s Youth Development Festival will be held June 20-24 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Junior Development Committee, chaired by Don Showalter, head coach at Mid-Prairie High School (Iowa).
Recently accepting invitations to the Youth Development Fesitval were: Isaiah Armwood (Montrose Christian / Baltimore, Md.); Brennan Cougill (Bishop Heelan H.S. / Sioux City, Iowa); Ferrakohn Hall (Memphis University School / Memphis, Tenn.); Deshawn Painter (Booker T. Washington H.S. / Norfolk, Va.); Jordan Theodore (St. Patrick’s H.S. / Elizabeth, N.J.); Kemba Walker (Rice H.S. / Bronx, N.Y.); and Storm Warren (Richwood H.S. / Monroe, La.).
Withdrawing from the Festival were: J’Covan Brown, Anthony Crater, Nate Miles and Andrew Steele.
In addition to Holiday and Monro, included among the seven who earned All-America honors for their play in 2006-07 were Parade Magazine All-America fourth team selections Tyreke Evans (American Christian / Aston, Pa.) and Delvon Roe (St. Edward H.S. / Lakewood, Ohio). EA Sports listed Roe as its 2007 National Junior of the Year and Lance Stephenson (Lincoln H.S. / Brooklyn, N.Y.) earned the 2007 National Sophomore of the Year title. Additionally, both Roe and Stephenson, along with Ed Davis (Benedictine H.S. / Richmond, Va.); Drew Gordon (Archbishop Mitty H.S. / San Jose, Calif.), Holiday and Monroe were all on the 2007 EA Sports All-America second team.
Seventeen invitees were ranked in the The Sporting News Top 99 for 2008, including the No. 1 ranked athlete, Monroe. In addition: Davis listed No. 2; Roe No. 6; Evans No. 7; Holiday No. 8; Devin Ebanks (St. Thomas More H.S., Conn. / Queens, N.Y.) No. 9, Willie Warren (North Crowley H.S. / Fort Worth, Texas) No. 11; Gordon No. 20; Malcolm Lee (John W. North H.S. / Moreno Valley, Calif.) No. 23; Travis Releford (Bishop Miege H.S., Kan. / Kansas City, Mo.) No. 28; Yancy Gates (Withrow H.S. / Cincinnati, Ohio) No. 30; Jerime Anderson (Canyon H.S. / Anaheim, Calif.) No. 33; Scotty Hopson (University Heights Academy / Hopkinsville, Ky.) No. 35; Tony Woods (Rome H.S. / Rome, Ga.) No. 36; Korie Lucious (Pius XI H.S. / Milwaukee, Wis.) No. 45; and Kemba Walker was No. 62.
Rounding out the list of 2007 USA Festival participants are: Al-Farouq Aminu (Norcross H.S. / Norcross, Ga.); DeMarcus Cousins (Erwin H.S. / Birmingham, Ala.); Leslie McDonald (Briarcrest Christian / Memphis, Tenn.); Reeves Nelson (Modesto Christian / Modesto, Calif.); Andy Poling (Westview H.S. / Portland, Ore.); Dexter Strickland (St. Patrick’s H.S. / Elizabeth, N.J.); JT Thompson (Forrest Hills H.S. / Kings Mountain, N.C.); Erving Walker (Christ the King H.S. / Brooklyn, N.Y.); and Jamil Wilson (Horlick H.S. / Racine, Wis.).
The USA Basketball Men’s Youth Development Festival is held to give young players the opportunity to compete for USA Basketball under international rules and against international talent. In its ninth installment, the 2007 Festival looks to continue to build on the success of the past eight Festivals and will feature three U.S. teams, Red, White and Blue, as well as a Junior National Team from Brazil competing in a round-robin format tournament June 22-23. Semifinal games will be played June 23, and the gold medal will be contested on June 24. The athletes and coaches will be assigned to teams by the USA Junior Development Committee after the first training session.
The coaching staff for the Festival includes: Larry Brown (Osceola H.S., Fla.); Antwan Harris (Washburn H.S., Minn. [associate head coach] / AAU Howard Pulley Panthers); John Olive, (Torrey Pines H.S., Calif.); Emanuel Richardson (AAU New York Gauchos [director of basketball operations]); Luther Riley (Provine H.S., Miss.); and Terry Tippett (Evangelical Christian School, Tenn.).
USA Basketball Men’s Junior Development Committee
In addition to Showalter, the USA Basketball Junior Development Committee includes AAU appointees William Anderson (head coach, AAU YMOCA Team Memphis, Tenn.), William Brown and Rod Seaford (head coach, AAU Charlotte Royal, N.C.); National Federation of State High School Associations appointees Todd Buller (head coach, Pacific Grove High School, Calif.) and Eric Flannery (head coach, St. Edwards High School, Ohio); as well as athlete representatives Kermit Holmes (1999 USA Pan American Games Team and 1997 USA Tournament of the Americas Team) and Jimmy Oliver (1998 USA World Championship Team).
2007 USA Basketball Men’s Youth Development Festival Coaching Staff
Larry Brown, Osceola High School (Fla.)
Antwan Harris, Washburn High School (Minn. / associate head coach) / AAU Howard Pulley Panthers
John Olive, Torrey Pines High School (Calif.)
Emanuel Richardson, AAU New York Gauchos (director of basketball operations)
Luther Riley, Provine High School (Miss.)
Terry Tippett, Evangelical Christian School (Tenn.)
