University of North Texas Athletics
Mitchell First NT Player On Team USA Roster
6/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - North Texas forward Tony Mitchell will become the first Mean Green basketball player to represent his country on the international stage. On Thursday, the former Dallas Pinkston star was named to the final USA Basketball 12-man roster that will look to defend its title at the FIBA U19 World Championships in Latvia.
A veteran of the U18 Team USA squad that won gold at the FIBA Americas Championships last summer, Mitchell is one of five players selected with previous Team USA experience. The No. 12 ranked high school player in the nation in 2010 averaged 8.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game at the FIBA Americas Championship.
"We are excited about Tony having the opportunity to represent our country at the U19 World Championships," said North Texas head coach Johnny Jones. "I think it speaks volumes to his abilities that he was chosen among the select few."
The team will complete its domestic training Thursday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and then depart for Europe on June 24. The USA squad will train June 25-28 in Lithuania. The Americans will face the Lithuania U20 National Team in an exhibition game on June 26 in Panevrzys, Lithuania, and then meet the Lithuania U19 National Team on June 28 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
"I like the depth and versatility of this team, in particular our big guys. I think our big guys are a great presence around the basket and do an excellent job of screening," said head coach Paul Hewitt, also the head coach at George Mason. "Defense will have to be a staple for this team and we have work to do. I'm not happy with where we are defensively. I think we made steps, we're doing some good things, but in order to compete for the gold medal we have to get better."
The 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men is being held June 30-July 10 in Valmiera, Liepaja and Riga, Latvia. The U.S. squad's preliminary round slate opens with a June 30 contest against Egypt, followed by Serbia on July 1, and the USA squad will conclude preliminary play July 2 versus China.
USA men's teams are 62-11 in the U19/Junior World Championships, and have won four gold and three silver medals, most recently earning the gold medal for the first time since 1991 with a 9-0 record in 2009.
2011 U19 USA Basketball Roster
Keith Appling (Michigan State/Detroit, Mich.)
James Bell (Villanova/Orlando, Fla.)
Anthony Brown (Stanford/Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Jahii Carson (Mesa High School/Arizona State/Phoenix, Ariz.)
Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Michigan/Miami, Fla.)
Joe Jackson (Memphis/Memphis, Tenn.)
Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut/ Norcross, Ga.)
Meyers Leonard (Illinois/Robinson, Ill.)
Khyle Marshall (Butler/Davie, Fla.)
Doug McDermott (Creighton/Ames, Iowa)
Tony Mitchell (North Texas/Dallas, Texas)
Patric Young (Florida/Jacksonville, Fla.)
