KU’s Releford survives USA Basketball’s first cut

By Matt Tait     Jul 3, 2008

USA Basketball announced Thursday that Kansas University freshman Travis Releford was a finalist for the 2008 USA Men’s U18 National Team.

Releford, a guard from Bishop Miege in Roland Park, was one of 14 players that survived three trials at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. this week.

Now that he’s made the first cut, Releford’s focus shifts to making the 12-man roster, which will be finalized by July 8.

The team cut four players on Thursday and the cuts were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.

The 14 finalists will continue training at the Verizon Center twice a day, at 9 a.m. 5 p.m., through July 8.

“I’m thrilled with the effort, with the competitiveness and with the attitude of every one of the guys who were a part of these trials. We’re down to 14 players right now and we still have two players to cut, but it’s incredibly competitive and the talent level is superb; and most importantly and most satisfying is the fact that they are so willing to learn and so willing to get better. We have what we think is superb chemistry on the coaching staff and we are going to work to make sure it filters down to the team,” said USA and Davidson College head coach Bob McKillop.

After the squad is chosen, it will compete at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which will take place July 14-18 in Argentina. The top four finishers automatically qualify for the U19 2009 FIBA World Championship, scheduled for July 2-12 of next year in New Zealand.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.