GER – Next crop of US stars playing at Albert Schweitzer event

MANNHEIM (Albert Schweitzer Tournament) - Don't be surprised if many of the players on the United States team at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament have their thoughts back home.

It is March Madness time in the U.S. and four of the players in the American team are recruits already making plans to attend universities that are playing in the NCAA Tournament that is currently underway.

A couple of others are heading off to the champions of the past two years, Florida, who failed to make the NCAA field this season but are among the favorites in the National Invitation Tournament.

The U.S. team will definitely have a different look at the biennial under-18 16-team event in Mannheim, Germany, which runs from March 22-29.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Lionel Hollins will be in charge of the Americans. He replaces Dick McCann, who led Team USA since 1975 and coached such budding super stars as Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan and Vince Carter.

This year's class of Americans includes New York point guard talent Irving Walker, who will be attending Florida next season along with Boston area power forward Erik Murphy.

San Diego high school center Jeffree Withey (2.16m) will be rooting for future college Arizona in the NCAA tournament; while Jacksonville, Florida wing Wally Judge will have an eye on his future team, the Kansas State Wildcats.

Los Angeles shooting guard Oscar Bellfield will also be following his future team-mates at UNLV.

Perhaps the best chances of going to an NCAA-winning program belong to Kansas City small forward Travis Releford, who will play for the Kansas Jayhawks - the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional.

The other nations at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament are reigning champions France, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, hosts Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.

FIBA