Khyle Marshall Named To USA U19 Team

Khyle Marshall will represent Butler University and the United States at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship.  Marshall, who completed his freshman season at Butler, was among 12 players selected by USA Basketball for this year’s USA U19 World Championship team.

    Marshall, a 6-7 forward from Davie, Fla., was the top freshman scorer (5.8) and rebounder (3.8) on Butler’s 2010-11 squad, which reached the NCAA Division I national championship game.  The 28-10 Bulldogs won Horizon League regular season and tournament championships, captured the Diamond Head Classic title and won the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional.  Marshall tied a school single season record by playing in 38 games.

    “I’m excited for Khyle.  It’s a tremendous honor to represent the United States and Butler University on a world stage, and this is a great opportunity for him,” said Butler men’s basketball coach Brad Stevens.  “The goal is for this experience to continue to aid in his growth both on and off the court and prepare him for his sophomore year.”

    Named, along with Marshall, to the 2011 USA U19 World Championship squad were Keith Appling (Michigan State), James Bell (Villanova), Anthony Brown (Stanford), Jahii Carson (Mesa High School/Arizona State), Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Michigan), Joe Jackson (Memphis), Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut), Meyers Leonard (Illinois), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Tony Mitchell (North Texas) and Patric Young (Florida).  The U.S. team will depart for Europe on June 24.  The 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men is being held in Valmiera, Liepaja and Riga, Latvia.

    “I like the depth and versatility of this team, in particular our big guys,” said George Mason head coach Paul Hewitt, who will guide the U19 team.  “I think our big guys are a great presence around the basket and do an excellent job of screening.  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 have made steps, we’re doing some good things, but in order to compete for the gold medal we have to do better.”

    The team will train in Lithuania, June 25-28.  The American squad 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 in a second exhibition contest on June 28 in Vilnius, Lithuania.  The FIBA U19 World Championship begins on June 30.

     The USA will be looking to defend the gold medal won at the 2009 U19 World Championship held in Auckland, New Zealand.  Among the players leading the U.S. to the 2009 world title were Butler standouts Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack.  Hayward finished as the third-leading scorer on the 2009 U. S. squad, while Mack served as the team captain.

    Sixteen nations will battle for the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship.  The United States has been placed in Group D, along with China, Egypt and Serbia.  The 12 remaining 19-and-under national teams are Brazil, Poland, Russia and Tunisia (Group A), Argentina, Australia, Latvia and Taiwan (Group B) and Canada, Croatia, Lithuania and South Korea (Group C).