BA's Darius Garland named to USA Junior National Team
Brentwood Academy freshman Darius Garland was one of 27 players named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team on Thursday.
Garland, a 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 13 points, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 rebounds per game a season ago, helping lead Brentwood Academy to its first Division II-AA state championship since 2006.
The All-Midstate selection and Mr. Basketball finalist scored 12 points in the Eagles' thrilling come-from-behind finals win over previously unbeaten Christian Brothers.
"It will be a little different than playing high school," Brentwood Academy coach Hubie Smith said. "He'll be playing against some unbelievably talented kids, but I think he'll do fantastic. It would surprise me if he didn't make the team."
The final 12-player USA U16 National Team selection will be made in early June – prior to the squad's departure to Bahia Blanca, Argentina, where it will compete in the FIBA Americas U16 Championship from June 10-14.
"The only thing (Garland) has going against him is that he's still 5-11, 140 (pounds), but he'll probably be the most skilled player there," Smith said. "He's so incredibly skilled. He's quick and I think he'll be ahead of a lot of kids defensively. He understands how to guard the ball and how to play good team defense as well."
If the U.S. top four finishers in Argentina, it will then advance to next year's FIBA U17 World Championship.
"I know Argentina is going to be really good this year," USA Junior National Team coach Don Showalter said in a statement. "Not only are they hosting, but I've heard from their staff that this is probably one of their best U16 groups that they've ever had. So it's going to be a challenge from that standpoint, but I think size-wise and athletic-wise, we are probably as good as any group we've had over the past three U16s."
Other 2015-16 USA Junior National Team selections include Marvin Bagley III (Tempe, Ariz.); Michael Barber (Jackson, Miss.); Jordan Brown (Roseville, CA) Troy Brown Jr. (Las Vegas, Nev.); Marquis Brown (Chicago, Ill.); Wendell Carter Jr. (Fairburn, Ga.); Nojel Eastern (Evanston, Ill.); Carte'Are Gordon (St. Louis, Mo.); Jaylen Hands (Chula Vista, Calif.); Elijah Hardy (Oakland, Calif.); Markus Howard (Chandler, Ariz.); Brandon Johns (Lansing, Mich.); Montez Mathis (Baltimore, Md.); EJ Montgomery Jr. (Port St. Lucie, Fla.); Jaylen Nowell (Seattle, Wash.); Charles O'Bannon Jr. (Las Vegas, Nev.); Cameron Reddish (Norristown, Pa.); Nazreon Reid (Asbury Park, N.J.); David Sloan (Campbellsville, Ky.); Ja'Vonte Smart (Baton Rouge, La.); Gary Trent Jr. (Apple Valley, Minn.); Jarred Vanderbilt (Houston, Texas); Connor Vanover (Little Rock, Ark.); Kaleb Wesson (Westerville, Ohio); Austin Wiley (Hoover, Ala.); Robert Woodard (Columbus, Miss.).
Reach Michael Murphy at 615-269-8262 and on Twitter @Murph_TNsports.