USA Men's Senior National Team to Train June 27-29 and July 20-25 in Las Vegas
Colorado Springs, CO (PRWEB) May 22, 2008 -- USA Basketball and Las Vegas Events (LVE) announced today the domestic training plans for the 2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team, plans that include a mini-training camp June 27-29 in Las Vegas, Nev., as well as a July 20-25 training camp in Las Vegas that culminates July 25 with the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge that features the USA taking on Canada.
The USA's June 27-29 mini-training camp, featuring a smaller group of players from the senior program, will be utilized to determine the 12 members of the 2008 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team that will be nominated to the United States Olympic Committee to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The 2008 Summer Olympic Games are Aug. 8-24 with the men's basketball competition scheduled for Aug. 10-24.
"The June 27-29 mini-camp culminates three years of training by the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team in Las Vegas and continues the building a true national team program. It is a program that asked for commitments from each player and coach who ultimately became involved. It is a program that has emphasized character and pride, and respect for our opponents; a program that has worked to develop team work, camaraderie and familiarity over the three-year span. Every member of the USA Senior National Team program deserves recognition for their commitment and for showing dedication and genuine respect for the game," stated Jerry Colangelo, USA Senior National Team managing director.
"The 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge is the launch of the USA Senior National Team's 2008 tour. This will be the only domestic game played by the USA team in 2008 and promises to once again offer basketball fans a rare chance to see many of the best players in the world compete together and represent the United States," added Colangelo.
The selected USA players, following a three-week break, will reconvene in Las Vegas on July 20 to resume training. The USA team will train daily July 20-24, and cap the Las Vegas portion of its training on July 25 with the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge.
The USA will meet the Canadian National Team on July 25 (5 p.m. PDT) in the 2008 State Farm USA Basketball Challenge that will be held at Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets are on sale now and priced $35, $50 and $75 for plaza seating, $12 and $18 for balcony seating, and can be purchased by calling 866-388-FANS, or locally at 739-FANS, or on line at www.vegassummerhoops.com.
In association with Las Vegas Events (LVE), USA Basketball announced in 2006 a three-year agreement that designated Las Vegas as the official host of training camp for the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team.
"Our game versus Canada in the State Farm USA Basketball Challenge is the first of five exhibition games that we are relying on to help prepare us for this summer. It is our only game in the United States in 2008, and it is a critical and vital opportunity. Like the previous two State Farm USA Basketball Challenges, the 2008 game will offer basketball fans in the Las Vegas area an special opportunity to see these very talented players perform as a team in a meaningful competition," said USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
"We are proud to be the training site for the USA Basketball Men's National Team and associated with the State Farm USA Basketball Challenge," said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events. "This year's training camp and exhibition game is a culmination of a three-year partnership with USA Basketball, and we hope fans will enjoy the opportunity to see the USA's best take the court in Las Vegas."
The USA's opponent Canada, claimed at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship the Americas zone's final spot for the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament with a 4-4 record and a fifth place finish. Canada and the USA last met at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, a game the Americans took 113-73 (8/25/2007). Canada at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship was led by Philadelphia 76ers' 6'11" center Samuel Dalembert who posted averages of 10.6 ppg. and 9.4 rpg. Carl English, a 6'5" forward, added 10.1 ppg., and 6'2" guard Jermaine Anderson tossed in 9.1 ppg., a team leading 4.0 apg. and shot 39.5 percent (15-38) from 3-point.
USA Basketball's Men's Senior National Team currently consists of 33 players: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards); Shane Battier (Houston Rockets); Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz); Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs); Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets); Nick Collison (Seattle SuperSonics); Kevin Durant (Seattle SuperSonics); Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks); Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards); Shawn Marion (Miami Heat); Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings); Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies); Adam Morrison (Charlotte Bobcats); Greg Oden (Portland Trail Blazers); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics); Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); J.J. Redick (Orlando Magic); Luke Ridnour ( Seattle SuperSonics); Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).
The USA Senior National Team coaching staff is led by Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and also features assistant coaches Jim Boeheim from Syracuse University, New York Knicks head mentor Mike D'Antoni and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.
Following conclusion of the team's domestic training, the USA is slated to train July 28-Aug. 6 in China. Specific details of the USA's Asian training will be announced at a later date.
The U.S. team is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Aug. 6, and preliminary round play of the 2008 Olympics is scheduled for Aug. 10-18. The U.S. Men's Olympic Team will open preliminary play Aug. 10 against host China; then play Angola on Aug. 12; an opponent to be determined through the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Aug. 14; 2006 FIBA World Champion Spain on Aug. 16; and the USA will close out preliminary play Aug. 18 against another opponent to be determined through the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Olympic quarterfinals action takes place Aug. 20, semifinals play is slated for Aug. 22, and the men's Olympic finals will be held Aug. 24.
USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Program
Following a disappointing 5-3 finish and bronze medal showing at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, USA Basketball in 2005 set off in a totally new direction with its men's senior national team. Setting aside the old committee system used for selecting its senior teams, respected former Phoenix Suns chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo was selected to serve in the then newly created position of Managing Director of the USA Men's Senior National Team Program for 2005-2008.
Building a program that eventually consisted of 33 of this country's premiere players, and the very best coaches and support staff, Colangelo and USA Basketball proceeded to create a true Senior National Team program.
Through international competitions in 2006 (FIBA World Championship) and 2007 (FIBA Americas Championship), and an exhibition tour by the Senior National Team in 2006, the USA Senior National Team has logged a combined overall record of 23-1. Members of the Senior National Team program were together 42 days in 2006 (including the FIBA World Championship), and in 2007 the team was together for 24 days (including the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship).
In 2007, the USA Senior National Team rumbled over its opposition at the FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas, Nev., and finished 10-0 to win gold and capture one of the FIBA Americas zone's two qualifying berths for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In winning its 10 games in just 12 days, the USA averaged 116.7 ppg., the most by a USA Senior National Team since the 1994 USA World Championship Team scored 120.1 ppg.; and the USA defeated its 10 opponents by an average of 39.5 ppg., the largest margin by a senior squad since the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team defeated its opponents by 43.8 ppg. The USA team led the FIBA Americas Championship team statistical rankings in 13 of 17 categories. An astounding 61.7 percent of the team's made field goals were assisted on.
Members of the 2007 USA FIBA Americas Championship Team were: Anthony; Billups; Bryant; Chandler; Howard; James; Kidd; Mike Miller; Prince; Redd; Stoudemire; and Williams.
Statistically, there were plenty of impressive individual stat lines. Anthony led the team's potent scoring attack averaging 21.2 ppg., James posted 18.1 ppg., Bryant added 15.3 ppg., Redd averaged 14.4 ppg., while Stoudemire and Howard posted 11.1 ppg. and 10.0 ppg., respectively.
The 2006 FIBA World Championship, expanded to 24 teams, proved to be the most competitive and exciting ever. Spain emerged as the 2006 World Champions after defeating Argentina in the semifinals (75-74), then Greece (70-47) in the gold medal game. The U.S., after falling to Greece101-95 in the other semifinal game, rebounded to claim the bronze medal by beating 2004 Olympic champ Argentina 96-81 in the bronze medal game.
Finishing with an 8-1 overall record, as a team, the U.S. finished ranked among the top leading teams in almost every offensive statistical category at the 2006 World Championship. The USA finished ranked first in scoring offense (103.6), first in field goal percentage (.503), first in assists (18.78), first in free throws made (182), first in assist-turnover ratio (1.74), second in scoring margin (+20.4), third in rebounding margin (+5.6), fourth in offensive rebounding (13.11), fifth in 3-pointers made (82) and seventh in 3-point shooting (.369). On the defensive statistical side, the U.S. also ranked first in steals (10.78), second in turnover margin (+7.44) and second in blocked shots (4.89).
Carmelo Anthony led the team in scoring averaging (19.9 ppg., while Dwyane Wade added 19.3 ppg., and LeBron James contributed 13.9 ppg. Chris Paul led the U.S. in assists handing out 4.89 apg., James and Dwight Howard paced the USA effort on the glass snatching 4.8 rpg. And 4.7 rpg., respectively.
The USA World Championship Team was comprised of players who were part of the USA Senior National Team program. Opening training July 19 in Las Vegas, a team of 14 finalists went 5-0 in its pre-World Championship tour.
Selected for the 2006 USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team were: Anthony; Battier; Bosh; Brand; Hinrich; Howard; James; Jamison; Johnson; Brad Miller; Paul; and Wade.
Olympics
The USA men have participated in 15 Olympics and have medaled in every one. The USA has captured 12 gold medals, one silver medal and two bronze medals. The USA's overall record in Olympic action is 114-5 for a .958 winning percentage.
About Las Vegas Events, Inc.
Founded in 1983, Las Vegas Events, Inc. has grown with Las Vegas as the city has emerged as one of the world's top special event and resort destinations. A private, not-for-profit organization, LVE is funded by hotel room tax and serves as the exclusive major special events agency for the city. Since 1991, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 440 events, which have driven more than 3.8 million visitors to the area, resulting in an economic impact of more than $2.3 billion.
USA Basketball
Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions. www.usabasketball.com
*Opponents to be determined through the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament that takes place July 14-20 in Athens, Greece.
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