USA 3×3 Youth Basketball Teams arrive in Italy

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Schedules Announced For FIBA 3×3 Youth World Championship

– U.S. Teams Arrive In Italy –

On their way to the FIBA 3×3 Youth World Championship that is being held Sept.9-11
in Rimini, Italy, the USA boys and girls teams had a chance to see some sights in
Rome during a long layover. (USA Basketball Photos)

While the schedules for the FIBA 3×3 Youth World Championship
boys and girls tournaments were announced on Monday, Sept. 5, the 2011 USA
Basketball Boys and Girls 3×3 Youth World Championship Teams arrived in Rimini,
Italy, on Sept. 6 after three days of training in Virginia and a day of travel.

The USA squads practiced five times between Sept. 3-5 before departing for Europe.
The teams had help preparing during their domestic training from the winner of the
boys high school division from the Hoop It Up 3-on-3 tournament that was held Aug.
20-21 in Miami, Fla., including Yunio Barrueta (Hialeah, Fla.), Gian Clavell
(Hialeah, Fla.), Adrian Gonzalez (Hialeah, Fla.), Ray Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.) and
Alvardo Simoza (Hialeah, Fla.).

“It was really helpful to have the team that won the Hoop It Up tournament in Miami
there to help us prepare,” said Jamie Carey, USA Basketball Assistant Women’s
National Team Director and girls team leader. “They played extremely well together,
and I think they pushed both the boys and the girls team to get better. We were very
appreciative to have them there, which allowed us to take on an opponent and play
live.”

Placed in Pool D, the U.S. boys team will open on Friday, Sept. 9 against Guam at 12
p.m. (all times listed are CEST, which is +6 hours from EDT), followed by Bulgaria
at 1:40 p.m.; Netherlands at 4:20 p.m.; Russia at 5:40 p.m.; and Croatia at 6 p.m.
On Sept. 10, the USA continues preliminary round action against South Africa at 12
p.m.; the Czech Republic at 1:20 p.m.; and then wraps up pool play against Denmark
at 3:50 p.m. The top four finishing teams from each of the four preliminary round
pools will advance to the Round of 16 that will be played on Sept. 10 at 5:30 and 6
p.m. On Sept. 11, the medal quarterfinals will be played at 12:30 p.m., the
semifinals will take place at 4 and 4:30
p.m., the bronze medal game will be played at 6 p.m. and the gold medal game will
tip off at 7 p.m.

“It is going to be interesting playing five games on the first day,” said B.J.
Johnson, USA Basketball Assistant Men’s National Team Director and boys team leader.
“Although each game only lasts 10 minutes, they are really intense. But we prepared
hard in our training camp, and I think we got a lot better.”

The U.S. girls team, playing in Pool C, begins play on Sept. 9 against India at 1
p.m.; then takes on Sri Lanka at 2:20 p.m.; Guam at 3:40 p.m.; and Italy at 5 p.m.
Pool play wraps up against Sweden at 1 p.m. on Sept. 10. The top four finishing
teams from each of the four preliminary round pools will advance to the round of 16
that will be held at 2 p.m. on Sept. 10, with the medal quarterfinals at 4:30 p.m.
The medal semifinals will be played at 1:30 and 2 p.m. on Sept. 11, with the bronze
medal game at 6 p.m. and the gold medal game at 6:30 p.m.

“We are a lot further along than when we started, and our last practice was much
improved,” Carey said. “The game is so different, I think the players were a bit
suprised by that in the first couple of practices.”

Named to the USA boys 3×3 squad were four members of 2011-12 USA Basketball
Developmental National Team: Shaqquan Aaron (Taft Dei H.S./Apple Valley, Calif.),
Rondae Jefferson (Chester H.S./Chester, Pa.), Malik Price-Martin (Monsignor Edward
Pace H.S./ Miami, Fla.) and Jordan Swopshire (SportsQuest Academy, Va./Ofallon,
Mo.).

The USA girls 3×3 team includes four members of the 2011 USA U16 championship team:
Kaela Davis (Buford H.S./Suwanee, GA), Rebecca Greenwell (Owensboro Catholic H.S.
/Owensboro, Ky.), Linnae Harper (Whitney M. Young H.S./Chicago, Ill.) and Taya
Reimer (Hamilton Southeastern H.S. /Fishers, Ind.).