Villanova had two recruits– Cam Whitmore and Mark Armstrong– selected to USA’s Basketball’s 12-player U18 national team that participate in the FIBA Americas Championship in Tijuana, Mexico June 6-12.
Whitemore, the MVP of the McDonald’s All America game and the leading scorer in the Nike Hoop Summit– is a 6-7 forward from Archbishop Spaulding in Maryland who is expected to take Jaermaine Samuel’s spot in the starting lineup for a 2022 Final Four team. Armstrong, from St. Peter’s Prep of New Jersey- was the best senior state in that state and will get a crack to replace Big East Player of the Year Colin Gillepse at the starting point guard positon if Justin Moore does not make a complete recovery from a knee injury.
The rest of the roster will include two other players– 6-7 Anthony Black from Duncanville, Tex, who signed with Arkansas; and 7-0 center Kel’el Ware of North Little Rock HS who signed with Oregon–who played on the Hoop Summit team with Whitmore.
The rest of the roster, which represents the high school graduating classes of 2022 and 2023– are 6-2 guard Kanann Caryle of Milton High in Alphretta, Ga. (Stanford), 6-6 guard Stephon Castle of Newton, Conn. High (UConn), 6-6 wing Eric Dailey Jr. of IMG /Fla. Academy (undecided) 6-9 forward Brandon Garrison of Del City, Okla. (2023, undecided); 6-8 forward GG Jackson (Camden, S.C. HS, 2023, committed to North Carolina), guard Jared McCain of Sacramento Calif Centennial HS (2023, committed to Duke), 6-6 wing Ty Rodgers of Harvey, Ill. Thornton HS (Illinois) and 6-2 guard Seth Trimble of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin (North Carolina).
Ware, who is ranked 8th in ESPN’s senior class rankings, is the highest rated player in the incoming freshman class. Jackson is ranked sixth among rising seniors. The team has size but the calendar has hurt USA Basketball’s chances of attracting the best players since talents like DJ Wagner of Camden NJ , the top ranked prospect in the Class of 2023, are still enrolled in school and unavailble to participate in the Houston- based tryouts.
The team will be coached by Tad Boyle of Colorado and assisted by Mike Boynton Jr. of Oklahoma State and Leon Rice of Boise State.
The U18s has dominated this tournament, winning 9 of 11 gold medals. They will open play against the Dominican Repubic June 6.
