Oklahoma State University Athletics
Smart Finalist for USA Basketball U18 Team
June 08, 2012 | Cowboy Basketball
June 8, 2012
Stillwater, Okla. — Marcus Smart, an incoming freshman for the Oklahoma State Cowboy Basketball team, is one of 14 finalists for the USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team, it was announced today by USA Basketball.
Smart, a graduate of Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas, has spent the past three days in Colorado Springs, Colo., as one of 23 players invited to compete for 12 spots on the squad. The 14 finalists will continue to train through June 11 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The official 12-man 2012 USA Men's U18 National Team will be selected prior to the team's June 12 departure for Sao Sebastiáo do Paraiso, Brazil. The team will be competing in the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, June 16-20.
"This trials has been very difficult," said Jim Boeheim, USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee chair. "You had 23 guys who are all really good players, there wasn't a bad player here. To get down to 12 is going to be difficult, but I think we're going to end up with a really good athletic team that is going to be very well coached. We've got guys that have won, been winners, won state championships, and I think they'll represent USA Basketball extremely well in this tournament."
