Top 18 athletes selected for US men’s wheelchair basketball team

The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) held the annual USA men’s selection camp in order fill 12 spots for the 2015 USA men’s national wheelchair basketball team in early January.

The 2015 selection camp ran from 1-6 January and was held in the Olympic Training Centre in Colorado Springs. The camp brought together 28 of the country’s best athletes to vie for a spot on the 2015 USA Men’s national team, which will compete in August’s 2015 Toronto Parapan American Games. During the four-day camp, the athletes were tested on a variety of drills and scrimmages that gave them a chance to demonstrate their individual fundamental skills, experience, teamwork, coachability, versatility, attitude and maturity. Athletes also had to undergo strength and conditioning testing.

The camp showcased 28 of the best male high performance athletes and also marked a historic moment for veterans in the NWBA’s High Performance Pool. Marine Corporal Jorge Salazar, retired and Sergeant King Anthony McDaniel Jr., retired, competed for spots and represented the first veterans in the last two decades to make the NWBA High Performance Pool.

From these 28 athletes, the top 18 were selected to compete for the final 12 spots that will represent USA in 2015. The remaining players will remain in the USA High Performance pool and are eligible for the 2015 roster.

The 18 selected were:

• Steve Serio

• Brian Bell

• Josh Turek

• Nate Hinze

• Treyvon Jenifer

• Ryan Neiswender

• Jake Williams

• Paul Schulte

• Jeremy Lade

• Will Waller

• Jared Arambula

• Mike Paye

• Aaron Gouge

• Ian Lynch

• Jermell Pennie

• Carter Arey

• John Gilbert

• Matt Scott

The 12-man team representing USA will be selected no later than 12 July. These athletes will start training for the Parapan Games, which will be held 1-15 August. Many of them will use the training and the Parapan experience to gain knowledge and skill for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Last year, Coach Lykins was concerned about a lack of international experience among the athletes but the team came together earning a silver medal at the IWBF World Championships in Incheon, South Korea.