[Rosiak's Blog] Hayward begins his quest

[ToddRosiakSays]

Hayward begins his quest
               

While his teammates remain in Milwaukee, continuing to both work out and assist at Buzz Williams' summer youth basketball camp at the Al McGuire Center, Lazar Hayward is in Colorado Springs, Colo., trying to make USA Basketball's World University Games team.

Hayward is one of 16 juniors- and seniors-to-be competing for 12 roster spots on the team, which will travel to Belgrade, Serbia from July 2-12 to take part in the World University Games.

With just five true guards at the trials, competition is sure to be fierce among the remaining 11 players competing for spots in the frontcourt -- Hayward included.

International play requires a wealth of perimeter shooters for success, and Hayward certainly fits that bill at both the small and power forward spots. There are a few other players who possess similar games, such as West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler and Purdue's Robbie Hummel, so it'll be interesting to see whose skill sets are deemed most valuable.

Hayward will be a familiar face to head coach Bo Ryan and assistant Rob Jeter, of course, but there will be a handful of others who will also have a say in who makes the final roster: Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, chairman of USA Basketball men's junior national team committee, Washington's Lorenzo Romar, Illinois' Bruce Weber, North Carolina's Roy Williams and former player Jay Williams.

Here's what the schedule looks like for Hayward, who will have three days to state his case before the first cuts are announced:

2009 USA Men's World University Games Team Training Schedule

Tuesday, June 16

4:30-7:00 p.m.                   Practice

Wednesday, June 17

9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.       Practice

4:30-7:00 p.m.                   Practice

Thursday, June 18

8:30-10:30 a.m.                 Practice

TBD p.m.                             Practice

Those remaining will then practice daily from Friday through next Wednesday (June 24), with the final 12-man roster being announced on June 25 -- the same day the team leaves for Serbia.

So should Hayward make it all the way through, he's looking at nearly a month-long commitment before he'll be able to return to Milwaukee. There's no question that the experience and caliber of basketball he'll be taking part in will be second to none, though, so it could serve as one of the best experiences of Hayward's basketball life to date.

Depending upon how things shake out, I'm hopeful I'll be able to talk to Hayward at some point during the process for the blog.

For those interested, here's the entire roster:

James Anderson (Oklahoma State / Junction City, Ark.); Talor Battle (Penn State / Albany, N.Y.);  Trevor Booker (Clemson / Whitmire, S.C.); Craig Brackins (Iowa State / Palmdale, Calif.); Da’Sean Butler (West Virginia / Newark, N.J.); Corey Fisher (Villanova / Bronx, N.Y.); Lazar Hayward (Marquette / Buffalo, N.Y.); Robbie Hummel (Purdue / Valparaiso, Ind.); JaJuan Johnson (Purdue / Indianapolis, Ind.); Dominique Jones (USF / Lake Wales, Fla.); Quincy Pondexter (Washington / Fresno, Calif.); Deon Thompson (North Carolina / Torrance, Calif.); Mike Tisdale (Illinois / Riverton, Ill.); Evan Turner (Ohio State / Chicago, Ill.); Jarvis Varnado (Mississippi State / Brownsville, Tenn.); and Nic Wise (Arizona / Houston, Texas).
               

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/48191992.html
               

[denverMU]

Does anyone know where in Colorado Springs the tryouts are?  Also, are they open to the public?

[warrioreng74]

I sent an email to USA Basketball. Their reply to me was that practices are not open to the public.

[MUEng92]

Will Bo pull a Herb Brooks and have the roster already selected before the tryouts?

I can picture Bo yelling "Again...Again...Again..."

If this doesn't make sense, watch the movie "Miracle"

[The Man in Gold]

I can picture Bo yelling "Again...Again...Again..."

Wasn't that also Gordon Bombay in Mighty Ducks?

[🏀]

Wasn't that also Gordon Bombay in Mighty Ducks?

Quack...

[Skatastrophy]

Hmm... midway through their 2nd day of practice together.  Hopefully TR gets us an update soon   If nothing else we should hear something by tomorrow (Thursday) night/Friday morning about who made the first cut.

[MUinCO]

Location is likely "Sports Centers I and II" on the OTC grounds. One could always take the facilities tour tomorrow and accidently stumble into the gym. 

http://www.usoc.org/content/index/5866

[The Lens]

I can picture Bo yelling "Again...Again...Again..."

LAZAR HAYWARD BUFFALO NEW YORK!!!!!