Several Oregon men’s basketball players, fresh off a 29-win season and an Elite Eight appearance, finalized summer plans recently and will compete against international competition in the coming months, hoping to take their games to another level.
Senior-to-be Bryce Taylor said Thursday he and fellow senior Maarty Leunen will receive the chance to try out for the USA Basketball team, which will compete at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 13 through July 29. Taylor and Leunen will be among about 30 athletes trying out in Philadelphia from July 12-14 for coach Jay Wright of Villanova.
Taylor said he expects to see some stiff competition, but believes he has the ability to be among the final dozen players that make the team.
“We got invited and we figured it’s a good opportunity to see where we stand up against the best players in the country,” Taylor said. “I saw the list and it’s all the top players at my position in the country. So it’s a pretty good gauge for me to see where I stand and see what I need to work on for next year.
“I feel like I’m as good as anybody else at my position but I just need to continue to get better and work on my weaknesses: ball-handling, shooting off the dribble and stuff like that.”
Other Oregon players who will compete this summer are sophomore guard Tajuan Porter, who was one of 20 players invited to compete for a spot on the USA Basketball Under-19 World Championship Team. Porter will try out alongside 11 other collegians who recently completed their freshman season, six completing their final year of high school, and two others who will be entering their senior year of high school in 2007-08.
The 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championships will be held July 12-22 in Novia Sad, Serbia.
Senior centers Mitch Platt and Ray Schafer were announced as part of the Athletes in Action earlier this month. Both will train together at the AIA facilities in Ohio before Platt heads to Berlin, Germany to compete, while Schafer will play against Australian National Basketball League teams in Sydney and Perth, Australia.
Last summer, Oregon traveled to the Bahamas to take part in a tournament, an experience coach Ernie Kent said really brought the team together. Taylor said they couldn’t do the same thing this summer, and instead will try to improve their own set of skills.
“You’re only allowed to have one of those (trips) every few years. I think its an NCAA rule and I’m sure it’s expensive,” Taylor said. “I think this summer we’ll focus more on individual improvement. And when we get back, I’m sure we’ll get back on the track around August and get in shape for next year.”
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