Jordan Tucker received a late invitation to the USA Basketball U18 training camp in Colorado Springs, Co., and now finds himself competing against a loaded field.
“It’s hard to get touches here, you just gotta play hard,” the 6-foot-7 Class of 2017 wing from White Plains (N.Y.) Archbishop Stepinac told SNY.tv by phone Wednesday night. “Guards [are dominating] and the big men get their dunks, you know how that goes. You just gotta knock down open shots, which I haven’t been doing so far.”
The finalists for the U18 team are set to be announced Thursday.
Tucker is one of five New York players at the U18 trials — along with St. John’s signee Shamorie Ponds, Class of 2017 7-footer, Mohamed Bamba (who has yet to practice because of an ankle injury), Class of 2017 shooting guard Hamidou Diallo and Maryland-bound shooting guard Kevin Huerter. (“Shamorie played good, he’s gonna score it,” Tucker said.)
Speaking of Maryland, Tucker took an unofficial visit to the campus over the weekend.
Junior, Jordan Tucker on a unofficial visit to Maryland this past weekend! #Stepinac pic.twitter.com/F4DPGMnDws
– Stepinac Basketball (@step_basketball) June 12, 2016
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“It was cool,” he said. “Coach [Mark] Turgeon wasn’t there because he was at the Under Armour retreat. But it was cool, though. Got some shots up. I want to take another unofficial visit this summer so I can get a better understanding with Coach Turgeon there.”
Asked if Maryland was making him a priority, Tucker said, “Yeah, definitely.”
Ironically, Turgeon is an assistant on the U18 team along with UConn coach Kevin Ollie. Texas coach Shaka Smart is the head coach.
“Yeah, [Turgeon] is here,” Tucker said. “It’s cool. They’re not really coaching us. In the drills, they’re coaching us. But when we play, it’s other coaches coaching us [like Xavier coach Chris Mack] so Coach Turgeon, Shaka, Ollie, they’re watching us play.”
Prior to the Maryland visit, Tucker told SNY.tv Syracuse was working the hardest and he wouldn’t mind if uncommitted 2016 forward Taurean Thompson picked the Orange.
“Yeah, he would help tremendously because the way he can spread the floor, shoot, post up, block shots,” Tucker said of Thompson, his teammate on the Blue team that beat the White team, 140-120, in the Frankie Williams game. “So that whole senior class is leaving [Syracuse] so I would definitely want someone to be there to help.”
Meantime, Tucker would love to make the U18 roster if he can.
“It means a lot to me to represent the country in a positive way,” he said. “Just being invited to try out is an honor. Making the team is a whole other level.”
NJordan Tucker received a late invitation to the USA Basketball U18 training camp beginning in Colorado Springs, Co., and now finds himself competing against a loaded field.
