DC Metro Sports - Roy Hibbert selected for 2007 USA Basketball Men's Pan American Games Trials

USA Basketball today released its list of 30 collegians selected for the 2007 USA Basketball Men's Pan American Games Trials. Georgetown Junior Roy Hibbert has been invited to compete for a slot on the team.

Hibbert a 7-2, 278 lb center from Adelphi Md., was an NABC All District selection as well as all BIG EAST 1st Team, All BIG EAST Tournament Team and All NCAA East Regional Team. This season Roy was the leading rebounder (6.9) and shot blocker (90) and second leading scorer on the team (12.9). He also led the team in field goal percentage, hitting better than 67 %. This season he established career highs in scoring (27 vs Cincinnati 1/27/07), free throws made (12 vs West Virginia 2/12/07) and free throws attempted (13 vs West Virginia 2/12/07) as well as minutes played (38 vs Marquette 2/10/07). He has had 20 double-doubles over his career at Georgetown (11 this season including 5 consecutive in post season play). Hibbert is 21st on GU's all time rebound leader list with 592 boards. He is also currently 36th in Georgetown's 1,000 point club with 1,022 points, and fifth on the Hoyas all time shot blocker list with 184.

Hibbert joins the following impressive list of those accepting invitations to participate in the 2007 USA Pan American Games Team Trials: 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 / Lenner, La.); Alonzo Gee (Alabama / Palm Beach, Fla.); James Gist (Maryland / Silver Spring, Md.); Richard Hendrix (Alabama / Athens, Ala.); Maarty Leunen (Oregon / Redmond, Ore.); Chris Lofton (Tennessee / Maywville, 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 (St. 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 (Pa.) 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.

      USA Men In The Pan American Games The Pan American Games, held every four years in the year prior to the Olympics and organized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), is a multi-sport competition open to men and women representing countries from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.

     The 2007 Pan American Games will be held July 13-29 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the men's basketball competition slated for July 25-29.

    Featuring a roster of collegians who competed primarily against older and more internationally experienced senior national teams, the USA men suffered three narrow defeats in five games to place fourth at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Americans have earned a medal in 12 of their 14 Pan Am Games appearances, including a record eight golds, as well as three silvers and one bronze. The U.S. men currently own an 81- 11 (.880 winning percentage) all-time mark at the Pan Am Games.

    Held since 1951, the USA dominated the first five Pan Am Games, earning five consecutive golds. At the 1971 Pan Ams, despite a record of 2-1 in the preliminary round, the USA did not advance to the medal round and for the first time in Pan American history did not win the gold medal. However, the United States rebounded for a 26-0 record over the next three Pan Am Games and captured its last Pan Am gold in 1983. The gold has eluded the U.S. in the past five Games, with the Americans earning three silvers (1987, 1995 and 1999), and a bronze medal (1991).

    Many USA Basketball athletes who have been selected to a Pan American Games team have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games, while numerous others enjoyed stellar professional careers. In all, 34 Pan Am athletes have been a member of a U.S. Olympic squad, including Ernie Grunfeld; Grant Hill; Luscious Jackson; Michael Jordan; Christian Laettner; Danny Manning; Chris Mullin; Emeka Okafor; Sam Perkins; Oscar Robertson; David Robinson; Isiah Thomas; Jerry West; and Jo Jo White.

    While the list of former Pan American Games players is impressive, the list of USA head coaches is equally striking. The list of head coaches of USA Pan American Games teams includes: Tom Izzo (2003); Mo McHone (1999); Mike Thibault (1995); Gene Keady (1991); Denny Crum (1987); Jack Hartman (1983); Bob Knight (1979); Marv Harshman (1975); Jim Gudger (1971); Hal Fischer (1967); Garland Pinholster (1963); Fred Schaus (1959); Lt. Norman Pilgrim (1955); and Hal Fischer and John Longfellow (1951).

    USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee The USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, in addition to chair Boeheim, consists of: NCAA appointees Fran Dunphy (head coach, Temple University, Pa.); Tom Izzo (head coach, Michigan State University); Ernie Kent (head coach, University of Oregon) and Tubby Smith (head coach, University of Minnesota); NABC appointee Bill Self (head coach, University of Kansas); NAIA appointee Bob Burchard (head coach, Columbia College, Mo.); NJCAA appointee Scott Schumacher (head coach, Kilgore C.C., Texas), and athlete representatives Steve Wojciechowski (1995 Junior World Championship team / assistant coach, Duke University, N.C.) and A.J. Wynder (1995 Pan American Games team / head coach, Nassau Community College, N.Y.).

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