Diallo Makes USA Basketball Cut
26 hopefuls arrived in Colorado Springs on Tuesday to try-out for the USA Basketball 18-and-under team.
The group included 18 rising high school seniors and 8 rising college freshmen including former five-star prospects Markelle Fultz (Washington), Miles Bridges (Michigan State) and Jarrett Allen (Texas).
The trials were led by USA Basketball's u18 head coach Shaka Smart (Texas), assistant coaches Kevin Ollie (UConn) and Mark Turgeon (Maryland), and a number of other high-major head coaches who were serving as part of the selection committee including Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, Washington's Lorenzo Romar, Davidson's Bob McKillop, Purdue's Matt Painter and Xavier's Chris Mack.
Putnam Science Academy guard Hamidou Diallo was the lone New England player to be selected for the trials and after three days of compeition, he was named one of the team's 18 finalists.
Diallo has become known for his athleticism and even amidst the best players in the country, his explosiveness was still on a level unlike any other. He was able to get loose for some of his trademark dunks, but he was also utilizing his physical tools to make plays on the defensive end of the floor and the offensive glass.
The USA U18 National Team will compete in the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 19-23 in Valdivia, Chile. Not only is a gold medal at stake, but the top four finishing teams will earn a qualifying berth in the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.
The USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team training camp will continue through June 18 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Following a break, the 18 finalists will resume training July 11-15 in Houston, and the final 12-member team will be announced prior to the team departing for Chile. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).
Other finalists included: Jarrett Allen (St. Stephen's Episcopal School/Round Rock, Texas); Mohamed Bamba (Westtown School/New York, N.Y.); James Banks (La Lumiere School, Ind./Decatur, Ga.); Miles Bridges (Huntington Prep, W.Va./Flint, Mich.); Matt Coleman (Oak Hill Academy/Norfolk, Va.); Markelle Fultz (DeMatha Catholic H.S./Upper Marlboro, Md.); Quade Green (Newmann-Goretti H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.); Kevin Huerter (Shenendehowa Central H.S./Clifton Park, N.Y.); Brandon McCoy (Cathedral Catholic H.S./Sacramento, Calif.); John Petty (J.O. Johnson H.S./Huntsville, Ala.); Michael Porter Jr. (Father Tolton Catholic H.S./Columbia, Mo.); Lonnie Walker (Reading H.S./Reading, Pa.); M.J. Walker (Jonesboro H.S./College Park, Ga.); Paul ‘P.J.’ Washington (Findlay Prep, Nev./Frisco, Texas); Kris Wilkes (North Central H.S./Indianapolis, Ind.); Cassius Winston (University of Detroit Jesuit H.S./Detroit, Mich.); and Trae Young (Norman North H.S./Norman, Okla.).
Hamidou Diallo