Justin Reed Invited To Pan American Team Trials This Weekend
All-SEC forward was a member of 2001 U.S. World University Games Team.
May 28, 2003
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Justin Reed, a senior on the Ole Miss men's basketball squad, has been invited to the USA Pan American Team Trials this weekend, the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee announced Wednesday.
Fifty-one participants will compete in the trials May 30 through June 1 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The players will be vying for spots on two different squads - USA Junior World Championship Team and USA Pan American Games - and those participants under 19 years of age will be eligible for either team. Those players over 19 years old, including the Rebels' Reed, will only be eligible for selection to the Pan American Games Team.
"This is another outstanding opportunity for Justin," said Ole Miss head coach Rod Barnes. "Being selected to participate in the USA team trials is an honor in of itself, and it shows that other coaches know what kind of impact Justin has made during his collegiate career.
"Justin will compete against the best players at this weekend's trials, and that competition will help him become an even better player. He is excited about this, and I know Justin will represent the University and the Ole Miss basketball program well."
This is the second time in Reed's collegiate career that he has had the opportunity to compete for a spot on a USA squad that will participate in international play. In the summer of 2001, Reed played on the U.S. squad that played in the World University Games in Beijing, China. That U.S. team won the bronze at the Games (7-1 record), falling to China in the semifinals before defeating Germany in the bronze-medal contest. Reed averaged 4.8 points and 3.1 boards in his eight appearances.
A 2002 and 2003 Wooden Award candidate, Reed led the Rebels in scoring (15.4 ppg), rebounding (5.3 rpg) and blocked shots (27) this past season. The 6-foot-8 forward, who was named to the Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference third team in March, also shot 48.8 percent from the field and 73 percent from the charity stripe. He finished the season ranked among the SEC leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and free throw percentage. Earlier this year, Reed was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District VI second team. He was also named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, and was one of three players in the league to earn both All-SEC accolades and honor roll distinction.
The Jackson, Miss., native posted two double-doubles this past year and had six games in which he scored 20 points or more, including a career-high tying 26 points versus Vanderbilt Feb. 1 and consecutive 22-point performances in the SEC Tournament Mar. 13-14. He also reached the 1,000-point milestone this year, and is one of only nine players in Ole Miss history to have 1,200 points and 550 rebounds. Reed finished 2002-03 with 1,268 points and 557 boards.
Following this weekend's trials, players that move on will go to the Pan American Team's training camp July 15-29 in Orlando, Fla. After the camp, the team will be trimmed to 12 players that will represent the U.S. at the Pan American Games, which will be held Aug. 1-17 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The men's basketball competition is slated for Aug. 2-6.
Michigan State's Tom Izzo is the Pan American Team head coach, and his assistants are head coaches Lorenzo Romar of the University of Washington and Quin Snyder of University of Missouri.
Reed is one of nine players from the SEC to be invited to this weekend's trials. The other league players are: Florida's Mohamed Abukar, Kentucky's Kelenna Azubuike, Chuck Hayes and Gerald Fitch, Mississippi State's Timmy Bowers, Arkansas' Jonathan Modica, Tennessee's C.J. Watson, and Alabama's Kennedy Winston.
Congrats, JR, hope this a sign of good things to come for your final year 
