Sept. 3, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Three student-athletes from the Maryland men's basketball program spent part of the summer playing against international competition. Senior James Gist (Silver Spring, Md./Good Counsel) was chosen to represent Team USA in the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio De Janeiro, while sophomore Landon Milbourne (Roswell, Ga./Oak Hill Academy) toured Holland and Belgium with the East Coast All-Stars. Sophomore Greivis Vasquez (Caracas, Venezuela/Montrose Christian) played on the Venezuelan national team in the FIBA Americas Championships held in Las Vegas.
Gist was one of 30 players invited to the Team USA trials in Colorado Springs in July. After making the final cut of 12 players, he helped Team USA earn fifth place at the Pan Am Games. Gist averaged 6.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and played 16.6 minutes per game for Team USA. He scored six points and grabbed six rebounds in just nine minutes in an 84-58 victory over the Virgin Islands.
Milbourne participated on the East Coast All-Stars' seven-day tour through Belgium and Holland in early August. After dropping their first two games to the Dutch national team, the All-Stars posted a 3-2 record in Belgium to finish the trip with an overall mark of 3-4.
A forward who played in 16 games as a freshman for the Terps, Milbourne saw action in all seven games for the All-Stars and averaged 13.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest. He scored in double figures in six of the team's seven games and finished with at least 15 points on three occasions.
Vasquez was a key part of the Venezuelan national team at the 2007 FIBA America Championships. The starting point guard for the Venezuelans, he averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He played 27.5 minutes per game and connected on 36 percent (16 of 45) of his three-point field goals.
Vasquez turned in his best game of the tournament against the Virgin Islands, scoring 18 points to go with 10 assists and eight rebounds in 38 minutes of action. The Venezuelans finished the competition 2-6, but advanced out of the preliminary round to the quarter final competition.
The Terrapins open the 2007-08 season November 7 when they take on Concordia University in an exhibition contest. The Terps open the regular season against North Florida on November 11 in the first round of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic. Maryland's conference schedule begins against Boston College December 9 at Comcast Center.
