July 28, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Notre Dame men’s basketball senior Tim Abromaitis (Unionville, Conn.) is one of 21 players set to participate in the 2011 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games Team Training Camp starting Friday, July 29, in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Abromaitis and 20 other collegiate players will participate in camp from July 29-Aug. 7 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, with hopes of making the 12-player roster that will represent the United States at the 2011 World University Games Aug. 13-22 in Shenzhen, China.
The squad will be coached by Purdue head coach Matt Painter. He previously assisted the 2009 USA U19 World Championship team to a gold medal. Joining Painter on the coaching staff for the games are Tennessee’s Cuonzo Martin and Butler’s Brad Stevens, while Tony Bennett (Virginia), Sean Miller (Arizona) and Shaka Smart (Virginia Commonwealth) will assist with the training camp.
“I’m excited to get to Colorado Springs and get our training camp started,” said Painter. “I love to coach the game of basketball and we’ve got a group of young men coming in whom I’m really looking forward to working with. This should be a fun and beneficial experience for everyone involved.”
The USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee, which is chaired by Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, is expected to announce finalists for the roster on July 31, with the final roster being announced at the conclusion of the camp and prior to the squad’s departure for China on Aug. 8.
In addition to Abromaitis, the group of players participating in training camp includes: Bradford Burgess (VCU), Marcus Denmon (Missouri), Kim English (Missouri), Yancy Gates (Cincinnati), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Draymond Green (Michigan State), JaMychal Green (Alabama), Scoop Jardine (Syracuse), John Jenkins (Vanderbilt), Orlando Johnson (UC Santa Barbara), Greg Mangano (Yale), Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), C.J. McCollum (Lehigh), Ray McCallum (Detroit Mercy), Khris Middleton (Texas A&M), Darius Miller (Kentucky), Tony Mitchell (Alabama), Aaric Murray (West Virginia),; Shabazz Napier (Connecticut) and John Shurna (Northwestern).
World University Games
The 2011 World University Games men’s basketball competition will be held Aug. 13-22 in Shenzhen, China. In all, 24 countries will compete in the international competition.
The USA has been slotted into Pool D, along with Finland, Hungary, Israel, Mexico and South Korea. The red, white and blue will open play against Mexico at 6:00 p.m. on Aug. 13 (all times listed are China Standard Time, which is +12 hours from Eastern Time) and will then play Hungary at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 14; South Korea at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 15; Finland at 6:00 p.m. on Aug. 17; and Israel at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 18.
Following the preliminary round, the top two teams in the standings from each pool will advance to the medal quarterfinals, which will be contested on Aug. 20. The semifinals are on Aug. 21, and the finals will be played on Aug. 22.
The World University Games are held every other year and are organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The World University Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women who are between the ages of 17 and 24 (born between January 1, 1987 and December 31, 1993), and is or has been within the past year, a student at a college or university.
The United States, which has claimed a medal in every World University Games since beginning play in 1965, has captured a record 13 golds, three silvers and three bronze medals in the 19 WUGs in which a USA Basketball squad has competed, and the U.S. owns a 131-8 record in the event. Most recently, the USA men earned the bronze medal after finishing 6-1 and suffering a one-point loss to Russia in the semifinals.
Eighteen players who have represented the USA in the World University Games have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games, including Ray Allen, Stacey Augmon, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Bill Bradley, Quinn Buckner, Tom Burleson, Ken Davis, Tim Duncan, Phil Hubbard, Allen Iverson, Mitch Kupchak, Karl Malone, Michael Redd, Mitch Richmond, Michael Silliman, Steve Smith and Jo Jo White.
2011 USA Men’s World University Games Team Training Camp Roster
NAME POS HGT WGT DOB YOG SCHOOOL HOMETOWNTim Abromaitis F/C 6-8 235 09/17/89 2011* Notre Dame Unionville, CTBradford Burgess G 6-6 225 04/29/90 2012 VCU Midlothian, VAMarcus Denmon G 6-3 185 03/20/90 2012 Missouri Kansas City, MOKim English G 6-6 200 09/24/88 2012 Missouri Baltimore, MDYancy Gates F 6-9 260 10/15/89 2012 Cincinnati Cincinnati, OHAshton Gibbs G 6-2 190 01/19/90 2012 Pittsburgh Scotch Plains, NJDraymond Green F 6-7 270 03/04/90 2012 Michigan State Saginaw, MIJaMychal Green F 6-8 225 06/21/90 2012 Alabama Montgomery, ALScoop Jardine G 6-2 190 08/09/88 2011* Syracuse Philadelphia, PAJohn Jenkins G 6-4 220 03/06/91 2013 Vanderbilt Hendersonville, TNOrlando Johnson G 6-5 205 03/11/89 2012 UC Santa BarbaraSeaside, CAGreg Mangano F 6-10 240 10/28/89 2012 Yale Orange, CTKendall Marshall G 6-4 180 08/19/91 2013 North Carolina Dumfries, VATrevor Mbakwe F/C 6-8 241 01/24/89 2012 Minnesota St. Paul, MNC.J. McCollum G 6-3 165 09/19/91 2013 Lehigh Canton, OHRay McCollum G 6-1 185 06/12/91 2014 Detroit Mercy Beverly Hills, MIKhris Middleton F 6-7 215 08/12/91 2013 Texas A&M North Charleston, SCDarius Miller G 6-6 185 03/21/90 2012 Kentucky Maysville, KYTony Mitchell F 6-7 210 08/07/89 2013 Alabama Swainsboro, GAAaric Murray C 6-11 265 07/03/89 2013 West Virginia Philadelphia, PAShabazz Napier G 6-0 170 07/14/91 2014 Connecticut Randolph, MAJohn Shurna F 6-8 210 04/30/90 2012 Northwestern Glen Ellyn, IL
Head Coach: Matt Painter, Purdue University
Assistant Coach: Cuonzo Martin, University of Tennessee
Assistant Coach: Brad Stevens, Butler University
Court Coach: Tony Bennett, University of Virginia
Court Coach: Sean Miller, University of Arizona
Court Coach: Shaka Smart, Virginia Commonwealth University
Team Physician: Brock Schnebel, University of Oklahoma
Athletic Trainer: Anthony Goenaga, New York Knicks
*Will graduate in 2011 with remaining eligibility.
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