Kaiserslautern boys basketball coach Clint Robinson is calling out high school players in Europe who think they have what it takes to play in college.
Robinson will be holding tryouts for players he termed the “best of the best” on March 19-20 in Kaiserslautern, Germany, to select a team he has been invited to take to the Amateur Athletic Union Basketball’s Super Showcase at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in July.
“We want a big turnout,” Robinson said Tuesday. “I’m inviting anybody who thinks he or she is good enough to attend the tryouts.”
Although Robinson takes groups of Europe-based players to the States every summer to attend basketball camps, he said this tournament is different.
“This is the first time players from Europe have ever been invited to anything like the AAU Summer Showcase,” he said.
Robinson said the tryouts will offer tangible benefits even to players not selected.
“We’ll divide the players into four separate teams ... and hold games. I guarantee every player who attends a game tape and game footage he or she can submit to college coaches,” he said.
While there will be no stateside trip for girls who attend the tryouts, Robinson said he’d take tapes of their performances with him to share with coaches attending the AAU event.
“People are always asking me for tapes,” he said.
The best boys in the tryouts will participate in the showcase. Forty-eight teams from all over the United States, including some of the most highly recruited players in the country, are expected to attend.
Moreover, the tournament will unfold during a live NCAA recruiting period, giving players from outside the usual recruiting areas a chance to show their talents and talk to college coaches and scouts.
“This is a great opportunity for DODDS athletes,” Robinson said. “It will provide them with the kind of experience and exposure they need to advance to the next level.”
No formal registration is required, Robinson said. Prospects should show up at Kaiserslautern High School ready to play at 8 a.m. on March 19, he said. Doors will close at 8:30.
Overnight accommodations will be provided at no charge in the school gym, Robinson said, but players will need their own bedding and money to buy food.
Robinson said he’s seeking tax-deductible contributions to defray the expenses of taking a team to Florida. He said he’d also welcome volunteers to help with the tryouts.
Anyone seeking information about donating or helping can call Robinson at (+49) (0)631-99351.
