COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - University of Texas sophomore forward P.J. Tucker (Raleigh, N.C.) is one of 24 players invited to participate in this summer's USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials, the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee announced today. The 24 players will vie for 12 roster spots on the 2004 USA Basketball World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team.

Chaired by former University of Virginia athletics director Terry Holland, the Committee selected the invitees and will make the final roster cuts at the Team Trials and training camp, set for July 16-23 in East Rutheford, N.J. Athletes eligible for selection to this age-based team include any male who is a U.S. citizen and is 20-years-old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1984).

The USA Trials will be held on July 16-18 at the New Jersey Nets practice facility. The Trials schedule will see the candidates competing twice a day, at 10 a.m. Eastern (9 a.m. CT) and 5 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. CT). Finalists will remain in New Jersey for the team's training camp, and the eventual 12-member squad will be finalized sometime prior to the USA's final practice in New Jersey on July 23.

This marks Tucker's first invite to the USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials. Tucker earned honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference honors by the league's coaches and was one of five players named to the Big 12 All-Freshman squad last season. He led the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and double-doubles (seven) and ranked second on the squad in scoring (10.4 ppg) and field goal percentage (.547). His 10.4 ppg scoring average ranked as the ninth-best total by a freshman in school history. Tucker also earned four Big 12 Rookie of the Week honors, the most by any UT freshman since the inception of the league.

The U.S. team will train in Saint John, Canada on July 24, before playing an exhibition game against Canada's Young Men's National Team on July 25 in Saint John. The Americans will then practice in Halifax, Canada on July 26 and 27 and tip off play at the 2004 FIBA Americas World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament on July 28.

The U.S. will compete against seven other teams from the Americas for one of the three Americas Zone qualifying berths for the 2005 FIBA World Championships for Young Men, which will be hosted next summer by Argentina. Featuring eight nations divided into two groups of four, the competition schedule includes a preliminary round with round-robin play between teams in each group on July 28-30. The top two finishing teams in each group will advance to the July 31 semifinals. The gold medal contest will be contested on Aug. 1.

The World Championship for Young Men and its zone qualifying tournaments are held every four years. Originally held in 1993 and known as the FIBA 22 and Under World Championship, it was designed for men 22-years-old or younger. FIBA lowered the age eligibility to 21-years-old or younger in December 1998 and changed the competition name to the World Championship for Young Men.

Team USA has qualified for all three previous World Championship for Young Men tournaments and has compiled a 22-2 record while winning gold medals in 1993 and 2001. U.S. squads also have compiled a 15-2 mark in the three previous Young Men qualifiers, winning gold in 1996 and silver in 2000 and 1993.

Guiding the U.S. squad will be University of Oklahoma head coach Kelvin Sampson. He will be assisted by collegiate head coaches Tom Crean of Marquette University and Dan Monson of the University of Minnesota.

2004 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials Roster

Name Pos School

Hassan Adams G Arizona

Maurice Ager G Michigan State

Sean Banks F Memphis

Josh Boone F/C Connecticut

Aaron Brooks G Oregon

Dee Brown G Illinois

Shannon Brown G Michigan State

Justin Gray G Wake Forest

Ryan Hollins C UCLA

Sean May F/C North Carolina

Rashad McCants F/G North Carolina

Demetris Nichols F Syracuse

David Padgett C to be determined

Chris Paul G Wake Forest

J.J. Redick G Duke

Mustafa Shakur G Arizona

Curtis Sumpter F Villanova

P.J. TUCKER F TEXAS

Charlie Villaneuva F Connecticut

C.J. Watson G Tennessee

Deron Williams G Illinois

Eric Williams C Wake Forest

Curtis Withers F/C Charlotte

Bracey Wright G Indiana