Boston College Athletics
Craig Smith Invited to USA Basketball Trials
May 16, 2003 | Men's Basketball
May 16, 2003
Boston College freshman forward Craig Smith is one of 52 collegiate and high school players who have accepted invitations to participate in the 2003 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials. The Trials will be held May 30-June 1 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The USA Collegiate Committee, chaired by Terry Holland, former University of Virginia athletics director, will select finalists for two USA Basketball teams - 2003 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Team and the 2003 USA Pan American Games Team. Smith, because of his age, is only eligible for the Pan American Games Team.
The Pan American Games, which takes place every four years in the year prior to the Olympics, will be held Aug. 1-17 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The men's basketball competition will run from Aug. 2-6. The United States squad will be coached by Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, while Lorenzo Romar of the University of Washington and Quin Snyder of the University of Missouri will serve as assistant coaches.
Smith was one of six BIG EAST players invited to the tryouts. The others are Brandon Bowman (Georgetown), Torin Francis (Notre Dame), Ben Gordon (Connecticut), Gerry McNamara (Syracuse) and Emeka Okafor (Connecticut).
 USA Basketball trials will be held in Colorado from May 30-June 1.  |
|
Smith averaged 19.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his freshman season. He earned BIG EAST All-Rookie first team accolades, while also gaining All-Conference second team honors. Smith captured All-Tournament honors at the 2003 BIG EAST Championship at Madison Square Garden.
He shot 60.8 percent from the field in his first collegiate season, tops among all BIG EAST players.
Boston College finished the 2002-03 season with a 19-12 record, including a 10-6 mark in league play.
