Khyle Marshall Invited To USA Basketball Trials

Butler forward Khyle Marshall is among five players who have been added to the list of invited participants for the 2011 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team training camp, June 17-24 at the U. S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.  A total of 21 players will be competing for a spot on the 12-member team that will represent the United States at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship in Latvia.

Marshall, who helped Butler to the 2011 NCAA National Championship game, was extended an invitation by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim.  Also added to the original list of invited players were Jahii Carson (Mesa High School/Arizona State), Javon McCrea (Buffalo), Scott Wilbekin (Florida) and Cameron Wright (Pittsburgh).

“It’s a great honor and opportunity for Khyle to be invited to try out for the U19 team,” said Butler head coach Brad Stevens, who also will be participating in USA Basketball this summer as an assistant coach for the USA Men’s Team at the World University Games in China.  “We are excited for him.”

Previously invited players who will be competing at the training camp are Keith Appling (Michigan State), Melsahn Basabe (Iowa), James Bell (Villanova), Anthony Brown (Stanford), Trevor Cooney (Sanford School/Syracuse), Allen Crabbe (California), Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Michigan), Joe Jackson (Memphis), Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut), Meyers Leonard (Illinois), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Travis McKie (Wake Forest), Tony Mitchell (North Texas), Richard Solomon (California), Josiah Turner (Quality Education Academy/Arizona) and Patric Young (Florida).

Recently named George Mason University head coach Paul Hewitt will coach the USA U19 World Championship Team, and Randy Bennett of St. Mary’s College and Cliff Warren of Jacksonville University will serve as assistant coaches.

Marshall played in all 38 games for the 28-10 Bulldogs, who captured Horizon League regular season and tournament championships, won the NCAA Southeast Regional and advanced to the NCAA title game for the second consecutive season.  He was Butler’s leading scorer (5.8) and rebounder (3.8) off the bench, while shooting 51.1% from the field.  The 6-7 freshman came off the bench led the Bulldogs in rebounding in NCAA Tournament wins over Pittsburgh (6) and VCU (9), and he wound up as Butler’s third-leading rebounder during the six-game NCAA Tournament run.

The 21 invited players will participate in four training sessions, June 17-19, after which the USA U19 Team finalists will be announced.  Team training will begin on June 19 and continue through June 23.  The 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship will be held in Valmiera, Liepaja and Riga, Latvia, June 30-July 10.

Marshall is the third Butler player in three years to participate in the USA U19 Trials.  Former Butler players Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack earned a spot on the 2009 USA U19 Team and helped the United States to its first gold medal at the World Championships since 1991.