Deivon Smith Among Finalists at USA U19 Trials

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THE FLATS – Deivon Smith, who recently transferred to Georgia Tech and joined the Yellow Jackets for summer practice, is among seventeen finalists for the 2021 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team that were announced Monday night, following four practice sessions over two days at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas.

The list of finalists includes 10 players who completed their first collegiate season in 2020-21 and seven players from the high school class of 2021.

Named as finalists were: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Hamilton H.S./Sussex, Wis.); Kendall Brown (Sunrise Christian Academy /Cottage Grove, Minn.); Kennedy Chandler (Sunrise Christian Academy/Memphis, Tenn.); Jonathan Davis (Wisconsin/La Crosse, Wis.); Caleb Furst (Blackhawk Christian School/Fort Wayne, Ind.); Jordan Hall (Texas A&M/Wildwood, N.J.); Chet Holmgren (Minnehaha Academy/Minneapolis, Minn.); Harrison Ingram (St. Mark’s School/Dallas, Texas); Jaden Ivey (Purdue /South Bend, Ind.); Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton/St. Louis, Mo.); Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Louisiana Tech/Port Arthur, Texas); Mike Miles (TCU/Lancaster, Texas); Adam Miller (Louisiana State/Chicago, Ill.); Trey Patterson (Villanova /Somerset, N.J.); .); Deivon Smith (Georgia Tech/Loganville, Ga.); Jabari Walker (Colorado/Inglewood, Calif.) and Peyton Watson (Long Beach Poly Tech H.S./Long Beach, Calif).

A four-star point guard prospect in high school, Smith averaged 5.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists across 33 games last season at Mississippi State, who went 18-15 overall and reached the championship game of the NIT. The 6-1 Loganville, Ga., native compiled a 97/56 assist/turnover ratio, shot 33.9 percent from the floor, 27.9 percent from three-point range and 61.5 percent from the foul line. He was better in SEC games, averaging 5.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in helping MSU go 8-10 in conference. Smith scored double figures in five games, with a high of 17 with three rebounds and three assists in the NIT championship game loss to Memphis.

Smith could become the first Georgia Tech-affiliated player to play on the U19 team since current Minnesota Timberwolves player Josh Okogie, who played most recently in 2017.

 

Selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee. Athletes eligible for this team must be 19 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 2002.)

“We not only had a lot of very talented players at this training camp, but the group to a man worked extremely hard which made for a competitive four practices and some difficult selection decisions,” said Matt Painter, USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee chain and Purdue University head coach.

“Every one of the 26 players here put in a lot of effort and showcased high level skill sets for the committee to consider which is what made things so difficult. The 17 finalists we identified offer coach Dixon and his coaching staff outstanding athleticism and versatility, and it puts us in excellent position to name the best possible USA team for the FIBA U19 World Cup.”

The finalists will continue training twice a day in Fort Worth and the final 12-member USA U19 World Cup Team will be announced prior to the team’s June 28 departure for Latvia, with the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup taking playing from July 3-11.

Smith could become the first Georgia Tech-affiliated player to play on the U19 team since current Minnesota Timberwolves player Josh Okogie, who played most recently in 2017.

TCU head coach Jamie Dixon will lead the USA U19 World Cup Team with assistance from Stanford University head coach Jerod Haase and Yale University head coach James Jones. Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton, University of North Texas head coach Grant McCasland and Towson University head coach Pat Skerry have been serving at the U19 World Cup training camp as court coaches.

Featuring U19 teams from 16 nations, the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup is scheduled to be held July 3-11 in Riga and Daugavpils, Latvia. In addition to the USA and host Latvia, teams that will take part in this summer’s U19 World Cup include Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Japan, Lithuania, Mali, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Spain and Turkey.

The USA was drawn into Group D, alongside Australia, Mali and Turkey for the July 3-6 FIBA U19 World Cup preliminary round. The USA will open play against Turkey on July 3, followed by Mali on July 4 and close preliminary play against Australia on July 6.

Reigning FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist, USA men’s teams have won seven gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal while compiling a 99-14 overall record in U19 World Cup play since the event was launched in 1979. Even more impressive, the USA has won four of the past six U19 golds since 2009.

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