THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Lake City's Blake Buchanan reppin' the USA ... with perhaps more of that to come

Blake Buchanan walked into the locker room at the Moda Center in Portland last Saturday and saw his name on the back of a jersey representing the United States of America.

That’s when it hit him.

“That was one of the big moments of ‘Wow, this is actually happening. I’m doing this right now,’” Buchanan said earlier this week, after returning from playing for the USA at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland.

Buchanan, who in March helped Lake City High win its first state boys basketball championship in program history, had eight points, eight rebounds and a steal off the bench in just under 16 minutes of playing time as the USA, consisting of high school seniors, beat the World team, consisting of international players age 19 and under, 90-84 before 9,218 and a national television audience.

“It was a super good experience,” said Buchanan, a Virginia signee. “I think the biggest takeaway that I was hoping for was, I was going to go there and see how I compared to the rest of these guys; all the top players in the nation. Do what I do and see where I fit it and what I needed to work on; I was actually very happy with myself — I could guard the ball at that level. I could do all the little things well; offensively is the area I need to work on my game.”

What kind of impression did he make?

Well, after the game Buchanan was invited to try out for a USA Basketball U19 team that will play in a tournament in Hungary this summer.

NOT ONLY was Buchanan a member of a winning team for USA Basketball, he was on the floor in the closing minutes when the game was decided — rebounding, playing defense, getting a touch on a shot near the rim by a World player …in short, doing Blake Buchanan things.

“I thought that was super cool, because I honestly didn’t know how much I was going to play,” the 6-foot-11 Buchanan said. “Some guys got into foul trouble, and I had to step up. I thought I took advantage of the moment, and I was happy with the way I played. It does show a lot that they wanted me on the court at the end of that game; they trusted me to go out there to defend the ball, and get rebounds. I think that was a big moment for me, and for the state of Idaho, and Lake City, for Virginia. I thought that was super big that I was on the floor at the end of the game.”

Prior to the Summit, the USA team practiced last Wednesday and Thursday, scrimmaged a team of area high school and college players on Friday night, and had a shootaround at the Moda Center on Saturday morning.

On Friday night, Chris Bosh, an NBA champion who has played for USA Basketball, took the USA team out to dinner, and offered advice to the players.

“I went up to him before I left and he told me to get to my go-tos (moves) on offense; when you see this, you have to do this,” Buchanan said. “Get really good at these certain moves, and once you get that, your whole game will open up.”

Buchanan even got a shoutout from Bronny James, son of you-know-who, when asked what player had surprised him the most.

“None of the guys really know who I am,” Buchanan said. “The last time some of these guys saw me play was almost a year ago (at the Top 100 camp, and/or Damian Lillard’s Formula Zero Camp), so I have improved a lot. I think they didn’t know what they were going to get from me, so I can see why I surprised him. I thought that was cool; he knows basketball, so … “

WHAT’S NEXT for Blake Buchanan?

Of course, the Gatorade Idaho Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and the All-Idaho 5A Player of the Year, is still working in the gym with Lake City High assistant coach Kelly Reed, as they have done almost daily since Buchanan’s sophomore year.

He took a couple days off after the state tournament before resuming to train for his USA assignment. He’s in the midst of a week off from basketball, then it’s back at it.

With good reason.

After the game Saturday night, Buchanan was invited to try out for the USA Basketball U19 team that will compete at the FIBA Men’s U19 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary, June 24-July 2.

Buchanan is scheduled to leave June 9 for Colorado Springs, Colo. If he makes the team, it’s off to Hungary. If not, he’ll head to Virginia in late June to begin training there; if he makes the team, he’ll head to Charlottesville in early July, when he gets back from Hungary.

The only bummer …

Lake City High’s graduation is set for June 10.

“Obviously it’s going to suck to miss that; it’s something every kid does in high school and a part of the experience, and the last event I will have at Lake City,” Buchanan said. “But I think me going to my tryout affects more of my future, and something I need to do.”

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.