FIBA Americas - 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship awarded to San Antonio

PUERTO RICO/COLORADO SPRINGS (FIBA Americas U18 Championship) - FIBA Americas today announced that USA Basketball and San Antonio Sports have been awarded the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men. The U18 Championship will take place at the Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas, from June 26-30.

The 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship will feature eight national teams, only athletes born on or after Jan. 1, 1992 are eligible. The top four finishing teams will earn qualifying berths for the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men.

FIBA will decide the host for the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men during its Central Board Meeting in Puerto Rico on 17 April 2010. Canditates are France Latvia and Lebanon.

The awarding of the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men marks the second time USA Basketball and San Antonio Sports have joined forces to hold the event in the Alamo City. The event was also held in San Antonio in 2006.

Teams in addition to the United States that will participate in the 2010 U18 tournament include: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The tournament format calls for the eight teams to be divided at a later date into two preliminary round groups consisting of four teams each. Preliminary round play will be held June 26-28, each team plays the other three teams in its preliminary group. The top two finishing teams in each preliminary round group will then advance to the June 29, medal round semifinals and play for 1st-4th places. Teams placed third and fourth in each preliminary round group will advance to the consolation semifinals and play for 5th-8th places. The FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men gold and bronze medal games, and the 5th/6th place and 7th/8th place games will be conducted on June 30.

“FIBA Americas is pleased that USA Basketball is the organizer of this event which features our elite players from 18 years or younger. San Antonio is a first class city with a lot of basketball tradition and all the players will be very happy to be able to play there,” said FIBA Americas Secretary General, Alberto Garcia. “Our experience in 2006 was extraordinary and we are sure that this time around USA Basketball and the local organizing committee will surpass our expectations again.”

“We’re excited to again join efforts with San Antonio Sports to host this prestigious event,” said USA Basketball CEO/Executive Director Jim Tooley. “When we worked together and held the U18 championship in San Antonio in 2006 it was a success at every level and one of the best U18 Championships ever. I’m confident it will again be a tremendous international basketball event.

“The 18 and under age group is an exciting level of competition and this tournament will not only feature some of FIBA Americas best U18 men’s national teams but it will also showcase some of the top young basketball talent from North, South and Central Americas as well as the Caribbean.”

“San Antonio Sports is excited to partner with USA Basketball to bring this prestigious tournament back to the Alamo City,” said Dr. Susan Blackwood, Executive Director of San Antonio Sports. “These young men are the future stars of NBA and international basketball and we promise to deliver a wonderful experience that neither they nor their coaches will forget. We also look forward to giving San Antonians of all ages the opportunity to enjoy a fun, affordable and inspiring international tournament in one of our city’s premier basketball facilities – Greehey Arena at St. Mary’s University.”

Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the tournament has been held since 1990. USA men’s teams boast of a sensational 33-2 overall record in the U18 championships and have won gold in 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2006, while capturing a silver medal in 2008 and the bronze in 2002.

Sites of prior FIBA Americas U18 Championships for Men include Formosa, Argentina in 2008; San Antonio in 2006; Isla Margarita, Venezuela in 2002; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in 1998; Santa Rosa, Argentina in 1994; and Montevideo, Uruguay in 1990.

Notable members of other national teams who have competed in the U18 Championship include Leandro Barbosa (Brazil) 1994; Jose Barea (Puerto Rico) 2002; Gregory Echenique (Venezuela) 2008; Juan Fernandez (Argentina) 2008; Todd MacCulloch (Canada) 1994; Jamal Magloire (Canada) 1994; Peter Ramos (Puerto Rico) 2002; Luis Scola (Argentina) 1998; Tiago Splitter (Brazil) 2002; and Jesse Young (Canada) 1998.

Some of the top players who have represented the United States in the past U18 tournaments include Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1994); Carmelo Anthony (2002); Michael Beasley (2006); Chris Bosh (2002); Dee Brown (2002); Nick Collison (1998); Jonny Flynn (2006); Spencer Hawes (2006); Grant Hill (1990); Allan Houston (1990); Andre Iguodala (2002); Stephon Marbury (1994); Mike Miller (1998); Quentin Richardson (1998); Kyle Singler (2006); Kemba Walker (2008) and Deron Williams (2002).

Other major international events USA Basketball has hosted include the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship for Men (Olympic qualifier) (Las Vegas, Nev.); 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men (San Antonio, Texas); 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women (Colorado Springs, Colo.); 2002 FIBA Men’s World Championship (Indianapolis, Ind.); 1992 FIBA Americas Tournament of the Americas / Olympic Qualifier (Portland, Ore.); 1985 FIBA Women’s Junior World Championship (Colorado Springs, Colo.); and the first COPABA Women’s Junior World Championship in 1977 (Squaw Valley, Calif.).

For a complete version of the USA Basketball press release please go to www.usabasketball.com