Ellis Chosen To Play For U.S.A.

Twenty-one of the nation's top young prep athletes have been named to the 2009-10 USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team, USA Basketball announced today. Six-foot-eight Heights High incoming sophomore, Perry Ellis, who led the Falcons to the Class 6A state title this past March, is one of them.

The 2009 USA U16 National Team and 2010 USA U17 World Championship Team, should the U.S. qualify for the U17 Worlds, will be comprised of USA Developmental National Team members. Athlete invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team Committee.
 

The USA Developmental National Team will first look to capture the gold medal at the inaugural 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, slated to be held June 17-21 in Mendoza, Argentina, and qualify for the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship. In order to be eligible for these age-based events, an athlete must be a U.S. citizen born on or after January 1, 1993.
 

The invited athletes will train June 6-12 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 12-member team that will represent the U.S. this summer will be announced prior to the USA's June 13 departure for Argentina.
 

Included on the 2009-10 USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team are:Justin Anderson(Montrose Christian School, Md. / Montross, Va.);Kyle Anderson(Paterson Catholic School / Fairview, N.J.);Brad Beal(Chaminade College Prep H.S. / St. Louis, Mo.);K.C. Caudill(Brea Olinda H.S. / Brea, Calif.);Angelo Chol(Herbert Hoover H.S. / San Diego, Calif.);Quinn Cook(DeMatha H.S. / Bowie, Md.);Andr Drummond(Capitol Preparatory Magnet School / Middletown, Conn.);Perry Ellis(Wichita Heights H.S. / Wichita, Kan.);Sterling Gibbs(Seton Hall Prep / Scotch Plains, N.J.);Brandan Kearney(Southeastern H.S. / Detroit, Mich.);James McAdoo(Norfolk Christian H.S. / Norfolk, Va.);Johnny O'Bryant(Eastside H.S. / Cleveland, Miss.);Tony Parker(Miller Grove H.S. / Lithonia, Ga.);Norvel Pelle(Dominguez H.S. / Long Beach, Calif.);Chasson Randle(Rock Island H.S. / Rock Island, Ill.);L.J. Rose(Second Baptist School / Houston, Texas);Mike Shaw(De La Salle Institute / Chicago, Ill.);Marquis Teague(Pike H.S. / Indianapolis, Ind.);Adonis Thomas(Melrose H.S. / Cordova, Tenn.);Kevin Ware(Rockdale County H.S. / Conyers, Ga.); andAnthony Wroten, Jr.(Garfield H.S. / Renton, Wash.).
 

"I think we've got a very talented group of guys," said 2009-10 USA Developmental National Team head coachDon Showalterof Mid-Prairie High School (Iowa). "Everyone I've talked to at the major college level, the scouting services and from the kids I've seen personally, pretty much agrees that these are the top kids in the under 16 age group. They're all going to be high major college players. It'll be a great chance for them to play together and see how they stack up against the best kids in their grade.