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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, July 16, 2007

'Iolani grad Low makes first cut for Pan Am hoops team

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Washington State guard Derrick Low was low-key after the news he was one of the 14 players to survive the first cut for the U.S. Pan American Games basketball team yesterday.

"It's an honor to make it past that first cut, but I'm also not getting too hyped about it because there are still two players left that are not going to make the trip," the 2004 'Iolani School graduate was quoted on Washington State's sports Web site.

The U.S. team's training will continue Wednesday at Haverford College (Pa.), and Thursday through Saturday at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Two more cuts will be made to finalize the 12-man roster for the Pan American Games. The team will compete at the Games, July 25 to 29, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Joining Low and Washington State teammate Kyle Weaver on the current squad are Josh Carter (Texas A&M), Joey Dorsey (Memphis), Wayne Ellington (North Carolina), Shan Foster (Vanderbilt), James Gist (Maryland), Roy Hibbert (Georgetown), Maarty Leunen (Oregon), Eric Maynor (Virginia Commonwealth), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), Bryce Taylor (Oregon) and D.J. White (Indiana).

The U.S. will be bringing a young but talented team to the Pan American Games, where it has not won gold since 1983.

"The trials were as competitive as any we have ever had," said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, chairman of the selection committee. "With the group of 14 finalists there is really good balance. We've got good inside guys, we've got good wing players and the point guards have really come on.

"I don't know that we have a superstar type player, but we've got really good balance and the players worked very hard and they look like they'll be good teammates, guys who will play well together which is tremendously important."

www.wsucougars.cstv.com contributed to this report.