Tennessee's Vincent Yarbrough is among thirty of the top men's basketball players in the nation age 20 and younger who have accepted an invitation to the 2000 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials, the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee announced.

Yarbrough led the Vols in scoring (14.8) and rebounding (6.9) last season as he helped lead Tennessee to a school record 26 wins and a berth in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. For his efforts, Yarbrough was a second-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and the league's coaches. He finished among the SEC's top 10 in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage (.467), free throw percentage (.736), steals (1.7) and blocked shots (1.0).

Chaired by University of Virginia athletic director Terry Holland, the Committee will select finalists for the 2000 USA Basketball World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team following the three-day Trials which will be held May 26-28 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The 2000 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials will begin Friday, May 26 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. (all times MST). Sessions will follow from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 27; and will conclude on Sunday, May 28 with a session from 8:00-10:00 a.m.

The 2000 USA Young Men's Team will compete July 19-23 in Riberao Preto, near Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the 2000 COPABA World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament. The finalists for the USA team, which will compete against seven other teams from the Americas for one of the three Americas Zone qualifying berths for the 2001 FIBA World Championship for Young Men, will be announced following the final Trials session on May 28. Any male athlete who is a U.S. citizen and is 20-years-old or younger (born on or after January 1, 1980) is eligible for the 2000 USA Basketball World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team.

Held every four years, the U.S. qualified for the previous competition which was initiated in 1993 as the FIBA 22 And Under World Championship and originally designed for men 22-years-old or younger. FIBA lowered the age eligibility to 21-years-old or younger in December 1998 and changed the competition name to the World Championship for Young Men. Featuring 12 teams, the next FIBA World Championship for Young Men is scheduled for 2001 in Japan. <p> Syracuse University (N.Y.) head coach Jim Boeheim will serve as head coach of the 2000 U.S. squad, and he will be assisted by University of Houston (Texas) head coach Ray McCallum and Hofstra University (N.Y.) head coach Jay Wright. The final 12-member team will be named during the July 10-17 training camp which will be held at a site to be determined.

Included among the invitees are: Steve Blake (Maryland / Miami Lakes, Fla.); LaVell Blanchard (Michigan / Ann Arbor, Mich.); Keith Bogans (Kentucky / Hyattsville, Md.); Carlos Boozer (Duke University / Juneau, Alaska); Nick Collison (Kansas / Iowa Falls, Iowa); Brian Cook (Illinois / Lincoln, Ill.); Omar Cook (Christ the King H.S., N.Y. / Brooklyn, N.Y.); Josh Davis (Wyoming / Salem, Ore.); Patrick Doctor (American / Brandywine, Md.); Mike Dunleavy (Duke / Lake Oswego, Ore.); Drew Gooden (Kansas / Richmond, Calif.); Eddie Griffen (Roman Catholic H.S., Pa. / Philadelphia, Pa.); Brooks Hall (Dayton / Troy, Ohio); Kirk Hinrich (Kansas / Sioux City, Iowa); Steve Hunter (DePaul / Maywood, Ill.); Joe Johnson (Arkansas / Little Rock, Ark.); Dahntay Jones (Rutgers / Hamilton Square, N.J.); Steve Logan (Cincinnati / Cleveland, Ohio); Jason Parker (Fork Union Academy / Charlotte, N.C.); Tayshaun Prince (Kentucky / Compton, Calif.); Bobby Simmons (DePaul / Chicago, Ill.); B. B. Waldon (South Florida / Lakeland, Fla.); Damien Wilkins (North Carolina State / Washington, N.C.); Chris Williams (Virginia / Birmingham, Ala.); Jason Williams (Duke / Plainfield, N.J.); and Vincent Yarbrough (Tennessee / Cleveland, Tenn.).

Of the 30 athletes who have accepted invitations to the 2000 Trials, 15 have been involved with USA Basketball in the past, nine recently completed their sophomore seasons at the NCAA Division I level, 16 were NCAA freshmen in 1999-00, one finished his second season at the NJCAA Division I level, one attended prep school in 1999-00 and three are high school seniors. Of the 25 NCAA athletes, 14 list among their respective all-conference teams, 14 earned conference all-freshmen honors, five were selected to their conference all-tournament teams and four are listed among the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's 2000 all-district teams. The lone junior college participant, Selvie, helped lead his squad to the NJCAA championship, earning 2000 NJCAA All-Tournament Team honors in the process.

Omar Cook, Seton Hall University (N.J.) freshman-to-be Griffin and Randolph each were listed on the 2000 Parade Magazine High School All-American first team, with Griffin running away with Parade's Player of the Year honors. Both Griffin and Randolph were tabbed 2000 All-USA first team by USA Today, while Omar Cook was named All-USA third team and the prep trio competed together in the 2000 McDonald's High School All- American Game.

All told, there are 22 NCAA schools represented, with Duke and Kansas ringing in with three athletes apiece; and nine conferences, with the ACC leading the way with six athletes each. Additionally, three high schools, one prep school and one junior college are represented among the 30 athletes invited to the 2000 USA Basketball Men's National Team Trials.