June 4, 2007
Vanderbilt rising senior swingman Shan Foster is one of 30 of the nation’s top collegiate players to accept an invitation to participate in the USA Basketball Men’s Pan American Games Team Trials, July 12-14 at Haverford College in Haverford, Pa.
The Trials will determine the 12 finalists for the Basketball Pan Am Games squad that will look to capture the gold at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 13-29.
“It’s an honor and I appreciate the opportunity to try out for the squad,” Foster said. “There are a lot of great players around the country that didn’t even get this chance.”
“I realize it’s going to be very competitive due to the level of talent, but I’m going to bring the same attitude to this challenge that I took into last season.”
The three-day Trials at Haverford College include one session on July 12 and two sessions each on July 13 and 14. The selected USA team finalists will remain for the USA’s training camp, July 15-21.
Foster ranks as the Southeastern Conference’s third-leading returning scorer for the 2007-08 campaign after averaging 15.6 points last season. A Second Team All-SEC selection as a junior, Foster finished among the league leaders in 3-pointers per game (ninth at 2.18), field goal shooting (11th at 44.9 percent) and 3-point shooting (14th at 34.6 percent). The Kenner, La., native scored in double figures in eight of Vanderbilt’s 10 games against ranked opponents, averaging 16.7 points and 4.4 rebounds He helped lead the Commodores to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament highlighting a 22-12 season and second-place finish in the SEC Eastern Division.
Other players accepting invitations to participate in the 2007 USA Pan American Games Team Trials were:
Jon Brockman (Washington / Snohomish, Wash.); Brian Butch (Wisconsin / Appleton, Wis.); Josh Carter (Texas A&M / Dallas, Texas); Mario Chalmers (Kansas / Anchorage, Alaska); Sherron Collins (Kansas / Chicago, Ill.); Brandan Costner (North Carolina State / West Orange, N.J.); Eric Devendorf (Syracuse / Bay City, Mich.); Joey Dorsey (Memphis / Baltimore, Md.); Wayne Ellington (North Carolina / Wynnewood, Pa.); Randal Falker (Southern Illinois / St. Louis, Mo.); Shan Foster (Vanderbilt / Kenner, La.); Alonzo Gee (Alabama / Palm Beach, Fla.); James Gist (Maryland / Silver Spring, Md.); Richard Hendrix (Alabama / Athens, Ala.); Roy Hibbert (Georgetown / Adelphi, Md.); Maarty Leunen (Oregon / Redmond, Ore.); Chris Lofton (Tennessee / Maysville, Ky.); Derrick Low (Washington State / Honolulu, Hawaii); Wesley Matthews (Marquette / Madison, Wis.); Eric Maynor (Virginia Commonwealth / Fayetteville, N.C.); Jerel McNeal (Marquette / Chicago, Ill.); Tasmin Mitchell (LSU / Denham Springs, La.); Drew Neitzel (Michigan State / Grand Rapids, Mich.); DeMarcus Nelson (Duke / Elk Grove, Calif.); Ahmad Nivins (Saint Joseph’s / Jersey City, N.J.); Scottie Reynolds (Villanova / Herndon, Va.); Jon Scheyer (Duke / Northbrook, Ill.); Bryce Taylor (Oregon / Encino, Calif.); Kyle Weaver (Washington State / Beloit, Wis.); D.J. White (Indiana / Tuscaloosa, Ala.).
Villanova University head coach Jay Wright is leading the USA’s 2007 Pan American Games Team, while University of Alabama head mentor Mark Gottfried and Yale University head coach James Jones will serve as assistant coaches.
Trials selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.
Additional links:
http://www.usabasketball.com/men
http://www.usabasketball.com/men/2007/07_mpag_trials_roster.html
http://www.usabasketball.com/men/2007/07_mpag_trials_schedule.html
