Wayns makes national U-18 team

Maalik Wayns, a Villanova commitment for the 2009-2010 season, was named to the final roster of the national under-18 team by USA Basketball today. Players are eligible if born on January 1, 1990 or later.

Wayns, a point guard from Philadelphia, joins 11 other stars on the national team, including Dominic Cheek, the shooting guard from Jersey City, N.J, who is now Villanova's top recruiting priority.

Wayns and Team USA will travel to Argentina for next week's FIBA Americas U18 Championship, slated for July 14-18 in Formosa. Four of the eight international teams there will advance to next year's FIBA World Championship in New Zealand.

Team USA will face Venezuela on July 14, the Bahamas on July 15, and Puerto Rico on July 16. The United States team will need to finish in the top two of that four-team pod to advance to the medal rounds on July 17-18 and to the world championship tournament next year.

Before leaving for South America, the team will practice three more times in Washington, D.C. Wayns and the team will practice at the Verizon Center today and tomorrow, and will conclude practice on Thursday on campus at Georgetown University, according to USA Basketball.

Team USA is coached by Davidson head coach Bob Mckillop. Georgetown's John Thompson III and VCU's Anthony Grant are assistants.

Player selection was made by a committee chaired by Syracuse chief Jim Boeheim and manned by several other high-profile collegiate coaches, including Tubby Smith, Fran Dunphy, Bill Self, Ernie Kent, and Tom Izzo.