Marshall's Tamar Slay Invited To USA Trials

5/16/2001

Colorado Springs, CO - Marshall University senior basketball player Tamar Slay has accepted an invitation to participate in the USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials along with 44 other players in the nation.


"That's great news," Marshall head coach Greg White said. "It's a great opportunity for Tamar and a great opportunity to represent our program."


The Committee, chaired by University of Virginia athletic director Terry Holland, will select finalists for two teams - the 2001 USA Basketball World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team and the 2001 USA Basketball World University Games Team - following the three-day Trials which will be held June 1-3 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.


Slay, a 6-9 senior guard, has scored 1,225 points in his career for an average of 14.6 per game. As a sophomore Slay led the Mid-American Conference in scoring with 19.9 points per game en route to earning First-Team All-MAC honors. Last season, as a junior, Slay scored 17.3 points per game and increased his rebounding to 5.4 per game and earned Second-Team All-MAC laurels. The Beckley, WV, native was the only MAC player invited to the trials.


The 2001 USA World Championship for Young Men Team will compete August 3-12 in Saitama, Japan, in the 2001 FIBA World championship for Young Men Tournament. Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim will serve as head coach of the squad, and he will be assisted by Ernie Kent of the University of Oregon and Phil Martelli of St. Joseph's University. The final 12-member team will be named during the team's July 22-30 training camp which will be held at a site to be determined.


This summer the World University Games, which are held every two years, will be held August 22-September 1 in Beijing, China. Penn State University head coach Jerry Dunn has been selected to serve as the team's head coach, while collegiate head coach Rod Barnes from the University of Mississippi and Al Skinner from Boston College will assist Dunn on the sidelines. The final 12-member team will be named during the team's August 10-18 training camp which will be held at a site to be determined.


Other players that were invited to attend include Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon, Donhtay Jones and Chris Dunleavy of Duke, Lonny Baxter and Juan Dixon of Maryland, Troy Bell of Boston College, Steve Logan of Cincinnati, Cory Bradford and Frank Williams of Illinois, Jason Kapono of UCLA and David West of Xavier.