Westlake’s Baker to try out for U.S. men’s U18 team
Westlake junior basketball player Will Baker, the American-Statesman’s player of the year this past season, is among the 32 youth players who will attend training camp for the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team May 31-June 2 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Finalists for the team are expected to be announced June 2, and the team will continue training June 3-8 in Colorado Springs until departing for the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 2000).
“We are excited about the group of players that are competing for roster spots on the 2018 USA Men’s U18 National Team,” said Matt Painter of Purdue, the chair of the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee, in a news release. “This group is a versatile and diverse collection of players that will work together on the court and will represent USA Basketball very well.”
The 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men will be held June 10-16 in St. Catharines, Canada, and the top four finishing teams will qualify for the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup for Men.
The USA will be coached by Bill Self (Kansas) with USA assistant coaches Anthony Grant (Dayton) and Danny Manning (Wake Forest).
Baker, a 6-foot-11 post blossomed as a junior, scoring 19.4 points per game for a Westlake squad that featured four seniors who signed with college programs. He shot 67 percent from the floor and pulled down 8.6 rebounds per game.
Luling in need of new football coach: Former Luling coach Scott Campbell was approved as the new football coach and athletic director in Clyde at Monday’s Clyde school board meeting.
Campbell departs for Clyde, a Class 3A school just east of Abilene, after three seasons at Luling. He led the Eagles, who also compete in Class 3A, to a 13-19 record and two district titles in his tenure.
For Campbell, the move to West Texas represents a homecoming of sorts. Campbell graduated from Lubbock Coronado High School and earned his master’s degree from Texas Tech. His father, Dean Campbell, is a longtime college football coach who worked as a defensive assistant under Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes from 1992-1999.
Luling went 4-6 last season, including 2-3 in a district that also included Marion, Lago Vista, San Antonio Randolph, San Antonio Cole and Ingram Moore. Next school year, the Eagles will compete in District 14-3A Division I with Edna, Goliad, Hallettsville, Industrial and Yoakum.
Campbell also served as the Luling school district’s athletic director.