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Ex-Cd’A standout Watson makes cut to 18 finalists for USA Basketball men’s under-18 national team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Anton Watson, a rising senior at Gonzaga Prep and a former Coeur d’Alene resident, is one of 18 finalists for the USA Basketball men’s under-18 national team.

Training camp tipped off last Wednesday with 33 athletes, and after five training sessions the roster was reduced Sunday morning to 18 finalists. The remaining athletes will continue training twice a day at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and the final, 12-member team will be announced prior to the team’s Thursday departure for St. Catharines, Canada, and the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.

Selections were made by the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee.

The 6-foot-7 Watson led Gonzaga Prep to the Washington class 4A title in March.

The other finalists are: Cole Anthony (Archbishop Molloy H.S./Briarwood, N.Y.); Armando Bacot (Trinity Episcopal School/Richmond, Va.); Keion Brooks (North Side H.S./Fort Wayne, Ind.); DJ Carton (Bettendorf H.S./Bettendorf, Iowa); Hunter Dickinson (DeMatha Catholic H.S./Hyattsville, Md.); Ayo Dosunmu (Morgan Park H.S./Chicago); Quentin Grimes (College Park H.S./The Woodlands, Texas); Kamaka Hepa (Jefferson H.S./Barrow, Alaska); Matthew Hurt (John Marshall H.S./Rochester, Minn.); Trayce Jackson-Davis (Center Grove H.S./Greenwood, Ind.); Josiah James (Porter-Gaud School/Charleston, S.C.); Jalen Leque (Christ School/Teaneck, N.J.); Tyrese Maxey (South Garland H.S./Dallas); Justin Moore (DeMatha Catholic H.S./Hyattsville, Md.); Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Bishop Miege H.S./Shawnee Mission, Kan.); Mark Watts Jr. (Old Redford Academy/Detroit, Mich.); and Coby White (Greenfield H.S./Goldsboro, N.C.).

The USA team is coached by Kansas head coach Bill Self.