USA calls 13 to training camp for February World Cup Qualifying games

COLORADO SPRINGS (USA) – Heading into the final two qualifying games for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, USA Basketball are bringing thirteen players to training camp in Miami to contend for the competition roster against Panama and Argentina.

 The USA team will train February 15-19 at the University of Miami and will continue its training on February 21  and 24 in Greensboro, North Carolina, site of second round games.

Four of the players have previously taken the court in qualifying games for the Americans. Five have NBA regular season experience.

 Reggie Hearn, Xavier Munford, Cameron Reynolds, and Travis Trice have all featured for USA. Hearn has suited up in four of the five prior World Cup Qualifying windows, starting in four of the seven games he has played in while averaging 10.7 points and 3.7 rebounds a game. His commitment and success with the national team led to his being honored as USA Basketball’s 2018 Male Athlete of the Year.

Xavier Munford, USA

 Munford and Trice have competed on two prior USA World Cup Qualifying teams. Munford, who was a key player on the gold medal FIBA AmeriCup team in 2017, returns averaging 13.3 points and 3.8 assists a game in his four World Cup Qualifying games. In his four previous games, Trice has averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 assists a game. Reynolds brings the experience of playing in the November/December 2018 window, which included away games at Argentina and Uruguay.

Travis Trice drives against Panama in a  78-48 USA win last September

 "It’s obviously helpful to have four players returning who have previous World Cup Qualifying game experience and I’m also looking forward to working with our new players," said head coach Jeff Van Gundy, who has led the USA to an 8-2 record in FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifying action, which has already earned the United States a qualifying berth for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China.

 First time call-ups are NBA G League players Josh Adams, Kyle Casey, Chris Chiozza, Charles Cooke, Michael Frazier II, D.J. Hogg, Tanner McGrew,  Chinanu Onuaku, and Emanuel Terry.

Whether it is demonstrated by the players who have returned, or the eagerness of the new players to represent the United States, I’ve really been struck by the commitment and the excitement our players have shown in being part of the process of qualifying the USA for the 2019 FIBA World Cup. - Jeff Van Gundy

 Assisting Van Gundy again will be former University of Georgia head coach Mark Fox and former Georgetown University head coach John Thompson III.

 The five U.S. players who have NBA regular season experience include Cooke (13 games with New Orleans Pelicans); Hearn (three games with the Detroit Pistons); Munford (20 games with Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies); Onuaku (six games with Houston Rockets) and Terry (two games with the Phoenix Suns).

 USA Training Camp Roster for February WCQ Window

Josh Adams	Kyle Casey	Chris Chiozza	Charles Cooke
Michael Frazier II	Reggie Hearn	D.J. Hogg	Tanner McGrew
Xavier Munford	Chinanu Onuaku	Cameron Reynolds	Emanuel Terry
Travis Trice

 The USA will face Panama (3-6) on February 22 and Argentina (9-1) on February 25. Both games will be held at the home of the NBA G League Greensboro Swarm – the Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

"Beginning in July 2017 with the AmeriCup and including the entire World Cup Qualifying process that started back in November 2017, this has been an incredible journey and we are now focused on completing the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifying with a pair of home games against two very well coached national teams," said Van Gundy. "We look forward to the challenge of playing Panama and Argentina and doing so in Greensboro on our home court and in front of our fans."

 The Americans defeated Panama 78-48 in September last year while suffering their second loss – the first was on the road in Mexico (78-70) in June 2018 – against Argentina 80-63 last November 29.

FIBA