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View Full Version : Nelson, Scheyer, Gist, Ellington and Costner for PanAm Team Tryouts



gw67
06-04-2007, 01:27 PM
Demarcus Nelson and Jon Scheyer have been selected to try out for this summer's USA PanAm team along with 28 other players, including ACC players Ellington, Gist and Costner. This should be a good experience for both Duke players. The trials will be held July 12-14 at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. The coach is Jay Wright of Villanova. I don't recognize all the players but it appears to be a nice mix of size, speed, ballhandling and shooting.

http://www.usabasketball.com/men/2007/07_mpag_trials_invitees.html

gw67

gw67
06-04-2007, 03:28 PM
Upon a further look at the tryout roster, it appears that Nelson and Scheyer will be competing against one another and some other off guards, including Devendorf, Ellington, Lofton, Matthews, McNeal and Reynolds. Wright likes to utilize three guard lineups so it would not surprise me if he picks at least four of these players for the twelve man squad. Lofton is probably the best outside shooter of this group while Reynolds, Devendorf, Scheyer and McNeal could fill in as a third point guard. Nelson and McNeal are probably the best defensive players. Unless some combination of Ellington, Nelson, Scheyer and Devendorf show that they can hit the three, I expect Lofton to be chosen. I also expect Reynolds (Villanova) to be chosen by his coach. He provides scoring although he is a couple of inches shorter than his listed height. Nelson is mature and provides a little bit of everything, including defense and rebounding. If he plays well in the tryouts, I have a hunch he will also make it. The fourth spot is up in the air, IMO.

gw67

jaimedun34
06-05-2007, 09:01 AM
Will these games be televised?

duketaylor
06-05-2007, 09:44 AM
Not usually televised but espn has expanded its coverage of college sports a ton, so maybe they'll cover these college athletes during a slow time of year.

gw67
06-05-2007, 09:56 AM
The schedule for the team prior to the PanAm games is linked below. The practices at Haverford College are not open to the public due to space constraints but there are no such concerns with the three practice days at the Verizon Center in DC. These practices may be open.

As far as TV of the games is concerned, I would doubt it.

http://www.usabasketball.com/men/2007/07_mpag_trials_schedule.html

gw67

crimsonandblue
06-05-2007, 11:38 AM
Interesting group of players. gw, what do you consider Chalmers and Collins from Kansas? I'd assume Collins is competing for a point guard spot. Chalmers is an off guard, so I think you throw him in the mix with your listed guys. He gambles too much, but he's a pretty good defensive player who can create turnovers and can score.

Collins had tendonitis bad down the stretch, so I almost wish he'd not participate.

gw67
06-05-2007, 12:04 PM
C&B - I'm probably showing my ignorance re Kansas basketball but I thought that both were primarily point guards and that Collins normally substituted for Chalmers. The point guard position is strong with Low, Maynor and Neitzel in addition to Collins and Chalmers. Based on a couple of Kansas games I watched on the tube, Chalmers appeared to be a nice all around guard. At 6-1, he is a little short for an off guard and he may be competing directly with Reynolds who is also short and plays both guard positions. Since the point guards will be small, I'd be surprised if they would pick two small players for the off guard position for defensive reasons.

gw67

crimsonandblue
06-05-2007, 01:32 PM
Well, I don't think you want Chalmers as your point guard unless you have something against the Pan American Games fans in the first few rows. He's a bit of a Pele. Obviously, that's where he projects at the next level because of size, but Kansas has basically played him off the ball since midway through his freshman year. Collins substitutes for either Russel Robinson (who's our primary point for now) or Chalmers. But it's pretty rare that Chalmers has primary ball handling duties.

That's for two reasons, really, one, Chalmers is too good a scorer from the wing, penetrating for floaters or inside gives to force him into running the team and worrying about positioning, etc., and, two, he does have some issues with his handles.

I'd still take him over Reynolds if you want a guy who can swing between the one and the two and guard people and generate tempo through defense, but Reynolds is damn good and coupled with Wright's 'Nova position, he'd probably take him over Chalmers. I wouldn't argue too hard on that. I will say, I think I'd take Chalmers over Scheyer right now to play the two, but there are a ton of good guards in the mix.

Both Chalmers and Collins took short turns being Kansas's best player last year (most of the time it was Rush or occasionally Wright), so it will be interesting to see how they fare. Chalmers in particular, has instances where he'll just float around.