USA - Parker headlines squad for reigning champs

COLORADO SPRINGS (FIBA U17 World Championship) - USA Basketball’s 2011 Male Athlete of the Year, Jabari Parker, headlines the United States squad that will be looking to defend its title at the FIBA U17 World Championship that tips off in Kaunas, Lithuania at the end of the month (29 June-8 July).

The USA won the inaugural FIBA U17 World Championship in 2010 in Hamburg, Germany.

As they look to successfully retain their crown, they are calling on seven players who took gold at last summer’s FIBA Americas U16 Championship.

Parker was the MVP at the 2011 continental tournament held in Cancun, Mexico. He will be one of the leaders of the USA team in Lithunia, where he once again will be teamed with fellow Chicago high school stars Kendrick Nunn and Jahlil Okafor.

The other returnees to the USA squad from last summer’s gold medal side are Conner Frankamp, Stanley Johnson, Tyus Jones and Johnathan Williams.

A big absence for USA coach Don Showalter’s team will be Aaron Gordon, who is out with a foot injury. The California native led the team in scoring, rebounding and shot-blocking while ranking second in assists and shooting 66 percent from the field at the U16 FIBA Americas tournament.

Showalter said one of the real strong points of the American team - who will play Australia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France and China in Group A play - is pressure defense.

"That's really a strong point of this team. That's kind of why we kept some of the players who we felt could really add to that defensive pressure. That's one very positive aspect of this team,” said Showalter.

“Rebounding is something else that's very much a plus for us. And then I really felt good about the progression we made offensively. Just after a couple of days we worked together and I think our offense has really come around, and I feel very comfortable about it."

Showalter said a big portion of the team knowing each other from last summer will be a big help to his side.

“I know they're a lot more familiar with each other both off the court and on the court. That helps to develop the team attitude that we need to take over to Lithuania,” said the coach.

The five new players to the USA squad are Beejay Anya, Joel Berry, Stephen Domingo, Dakari Johnson and Justise Winslow.

Before they arrive in Lithuania for the FIBA U17 World Championship, the Americans will have a final training camp in Gran Canaria, Spain (22-25 June) during which they will take part in the 2012 U17 International Invitational (24-25 June) which will include U17 teams from Australia, Latvia and hosts Spain.

USA team for FIBA U17 World Championship: Beejay Anya, Joel Berry, Stephen Domingo, Conner Frankamp, Dakari Johnson, Stanley Johnson, Tyus Jones, Kendrick Nunn, Jahlil Okafor, Jabari Parker, Johnathan Williams, Justise Winslow.

FIBA