Washington, D.C. — USA Basketball has announced 14 finalists to fill a 12-member roster, and Ravenscroft's Ryan Kelly is one of them. The finalists were chosen by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse head men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim.

The finalists were determined after after three days of team trials at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., and they will begin training immediately. The players will depart for Argentina after July 10 for the FIBA America's U18 Championship.

The top four teams at the FIBA America's tournament will qualify for the U19 FIBA World Championship's which begin July 2, 2009. Teams will travel from North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The United States is an impressive 29-1 in the America's tournament, according to USA Basketball.

The U18 National Team will continue training twice a day at the Verizon Center until July 10, when they will train at Georgetown University.

Davidson head coach Bob McKillop will be the head coach for the U18 team, and in a statement on the USA Basketball web site, McKillop talked about the attitudes of the remaining 14 players.

"“I’m thrilled with the effort, with the competitiveness and with the attitude of every one of the guys who were a part of these trials," McKillop said on the web site. "We’re down to 14 players right now and we still have two players to cut, but it’s incredibly competitive and the talent level is superb; and most importantly and most satisfying is the fact that they are so willing to learn and so willing to get better."

Another North Carolina prep star, Mason Plumlee, has also been named a finalist. Plumlee, who plays at Christ High School in Arden, N.C., has already committed to Duke.

Scout.com's national recruiting director for men's basketball Dave Telep told WRAL late Thursday night that he had attended one day of the team trials, and he said he thought Kelly and Plumlee were "in good shape."

McKillop's assistant coaches will include Virginia Commonwealth head men's basketball coach Anthony Grant, and Georgetown's John Thompson III.

USA U18 National Team Finalists: