May 16, 2006

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - James Jones, The Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach Of Men's Basketball, has been selected by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, as a court coach for the 2006 USA Men's U18 National Team Trials.

The trials will be held June 16-18 in San Antonio, Texas, with approximately 25 U.S. hopefuls, born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, participating.

"It's a tremendous opportunity to get to work with the young kids and to help them get better," said Jones, who enters his first USA Basketball assignment. "I'm very pleased and excited to be a part of it."

In seven seasons as head coach, Jones has guided Yale to success not seen in New Haven in 40 years.

In 2001-02, Jones led the Bulldogs to their first Ivy League title since 1962-63 and the first postseason tournament victory in the 107-year history of Yale basketball. The team won 21 games, the second most in the modern era of Yale basketball, and reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Jones' success did not go unnoticed. He was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year by Basketball America and CollegeInsider.com. Following Yale's weekend sweep of Pennsylvania and Princeton, Dick Vitale selected Jones as his Coach of the Week.

During his tenure in New Haven, Jones has compiled a 90-106 overall record, including a 52-46 mark in Ivy games. The Bulldogs have had a .500 or better record in league play in each of the last six years, which hasn't happened at Yale since the official start of Ivy play in 1956-57. Princeton, Penn and Cornell are the only other Ivy schools who have had at least one stretch of six consecutive years with a .500 or better record.

Joining Jones as court coaches are Illinois' Bruce Weber, University of Buffalo's Reggie Witherspoon, Ron Cottrell of Houston Baptist University, Mike Dunlap of Metropolitan State College of Denver and Scott Gernander of San Jacinto College in Texas.

Washington's Lorenzo Romar is the head coach of the U18 National Team, while Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt and DePaul's Jerry Wainwright will serve as assistant coaches.

Following selection of finalists for the USA squad, the Americans will continue to train June 19-27 in San Antonio. The FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men, which will qualify four teams for the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship, is being held June 28-July 2 at the Bill Greehey Arena on the campus of St. Mary's University in San Antonio.

Report filed by Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity