NU's Shurna invited to USA training camp tryout

Northwestern freshman forward John Shurna of Glen Ellyn is among the 17 individuals who have earned an invitation to attend the 2009 USA U19 National Team Trials June 16-18 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The athletes will compete for 12 roster spots on the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team. The invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee, chaired by NCAA representative and Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.

This year's U19 World Championships are being held July 2-12.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for John to represent his country," Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody said of the former Glenbard West star. "He's an excellent candidate for the team because of his versatility as both a terrific long-range shooter as well as someone who can slash to the basket. He's a tough matchup for defenders because of that and it makes him a perfect fit for the international game."

Included in the roster are 15 athletes who recently completed their freshman year at an NCAA Division I school and two who finished high school this year. Shurna joins Minnesota freshman center Ralph Sampson III as the lone invitees from Big Ten Conference.

During his freshman campaign with the Wildcats, Shurna started all 31 contests while helping the team at a 17-14 record and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. He ranked fourth on the squad with averages of 7.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per contest and was second with a .466 field goal percentage.