University of Minnesota Athletics
Sampson Invited to USA Under-19 Team Tryout Camp
5/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Minnesota center Ralph Sampson III is among 17 players invited to participate in the tryout for the USA under-19 men's national team that will compete this summer in New Zealand.
Sampson, who recently completed his freshman year with the Gophers, will take part in the three-day tryout camp from June 16-18 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The final roster will consist of 12 players and compete in the world under-19 junior championships in New Zealand from July 2-12.
The selections will be made on the final day of the camp by the USA junior national team committee, which is chaired by Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. Training camp for the selected finalists will begin June 19 and the team will depart for New Zealand on June 25. The USA squad will be coached by Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon and assistant coaches Matt Painter from Purdue and Chris Lowery of Southern Illinois.
Sampson is one of two Big Ten players invited to the camp, along with Northwestern’s John Shurna. The Duluth, Ga. native played in all 33 games and made 24 starts as a freshman, averaging 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 50.3 percent from the field and 75.8 percent from the free throw line. Sampson ranked second on the team in rebounding and was second on the team with 50 blocked shots.
2009 USA Men’s U19 World Championship Team Trials Roster
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
Kenny Boynton, Florida
Darryl Bryant, West Virginia
DeAngelo Casto, Washington State
Dominic Cheek, Villanova
Seth Curry, Duke
Drew Gordon, UCLA
Gordon Hayward, Butler
Darius Miller, Kentucky
Arnett Moultrie, Texas-El Paso
Ralph Sampson III, Minnesota
John Shurna, Northwestern
Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas
Howard Thompkins, Georgia
Klay Thompson, Washington State
Kemba Walker, Connecticut
Terrico White, Mississippi
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh
Assistant Coach: Chris Lowery, Southern Illinois
Assistant Coach: Matt Painter, Purdue
