SE: Weber and Southwell Reflect on Team USA Experience
Jul 19, 2019 | Men's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Amazing. Unique. Stressful.
K-State head coach Bruce Weber used these three words to describe his experience as the head coach for the USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team that won a gold medal on July 7 in Greece.
Shane Southwell, who served as Team USA's video coordinator, needed only one: Surreal.
"I still can't believe it to this day," Southwell, K-State's Director of Student-Athlete Development, said. "I look at my medal once a day."
"To get the gold medal, to hear the national anthem, to be up on that medal stand," Weber added, "it's definitely a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life."
Along with the memories, Weber and Southwell will also take lessons from the experience. Most of them reinforce what was already in place at K-State.
"I think, more than anything, it kind of backed up what we do here," Weber said, "and how we do it."
When the 12-player roster was finalized, Weber said his first emphasis to the team was to focus on "toughness, IQ and defense," traits synonymous with his best teams. Those three had to be Team USA's foundation, Weber said, since the all-star squad did not have the advantage of playing together for years like the countries they faced.
"Those other teams have been together and they're running plays, flare screens into down screens," Weber said. "We just had to overcome all that, the lack of being together, with that toughness and togetherness."
The togetherness had to form quickly, too.
Team USA's training camp started with 34 players on June 15, less than a month before the eventual gold medal game against Mali. Weber credited an off day in Greece as a catalyst in developing chemistry.
"We went to the beach. They got to go tubing. They had a blast. It really was a coming-together moment for our guys, especially the young guys," Weber said. "They got to go see Spiderman in Greece. Little things like that brought them together."
In its 7-0 run at the U19 World Cup, Team USA averaged more than 100 points and outscored its opponents by more than 28 a game. Nine players put up at least 7.9 points a game, with the highest average being 13.1. Not one player averaged above 25 minutes a game.
"I talked so much about what NBA guys talk about, 'Are you going to be a role player? Will you accept being a role player?'" Weber said. "These guys are (used to being) the stars and we told them you're not going to average more than 20 minutes a game, you're not going to average more than 12 points a game. To me, that was part of our success.
"It's the same thing with us (at K-State). That depth has got to come forth if we're going to be successful."
Southwell said it came down to "sacrifice" for something "bigger than yourself." It's a lesson he's already preached to K-State's players this summer.
"For those guys to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves means the world," he said. "There's a carryover affect to how you can talk to your team about sacrificing and making those necessary adjustments and learning roles."
While Weber and Southwell may not coach those 12 players again, their time together established a bond that will last a lifetime.
Just last week, Weber was recruiting at the Peach Jam, a prestigious high school basketball tournament in South Carolina. A handful or so of the U19 Team USA players were there as well. Occasionally, Weber said their eyes met and they acknowledged each other, simply, with a smile.
"They just look at you and know they were part of something special and accomplished an important task," he said. "I think it will be a special bond that you have for a long, long time."
Amazing. Unique. Stressful.
K-State head coach Bruce Weber used these three words to describe his experience as the head coach for the USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team that won a gold medal on July 7 in Greece.
Shane Southwell, who served as Team USA's video coordinator, needed only one: Surreal.
"I still can't believe it to this day," Southwell, K-State's Director of Student-Athlete Development, said. "I look at my medal once a day."
"To get the gold medal, to hear the national anthem, to be up on that medal stand," Weber added, "it's definitely a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life."
Along with the memories, Weber and Southwell will also take lessons from the experience. Most of them reinforce what was already in place at K-State.
"I think, more than anything, it kind of backed up what we do here," Weber said, "and how we do it."
When the 12-player roster was finalized, Weber said his first emphasis to the team was to focus on "toughness, IQ and defense," traits synonymous with his best teams. Those three had to be Team USA's foundation, Weber said, since the all-star squad did not have the advantage of playing together for years like the countries they faced.
"Those other teams have been together and they're running plays, flare screens into down screens," Weber said. "We just had to overcome all that, the lack of being together, with that toughness and togetherness."
The togetherness had to form quickly, too.
Team USA's training camp started with 34 players on June 15, less than a month before the eventual gold medal game against Mali. Weber credited an off day in Greece as a catalyst in developing chemistry.
"We went to the beach. They got to go tubing. They had a blast. It really was a coming-together moment for our guys, especially the young guys," Weber said. "They got to go see Spiderman in Greece. Little things like that brought them together."
In its 7-0 run at the U19 World Cup, Team USA averaged more than 100 points and outscored its opponents by more than 28 a game. Nine players put up at least 7.9 points a game, with the highest average being 13.1. Not one player averaged above 25 minutes a game.
"I talked so much about what NBA guys talk about, 'Are you going to be a role player? Will you accept being a role player?'" Weber said. "These guys are (used to being) the stars and we told them you're not going to average more than 20 minutes a game, you're not going to average more than 12 points a game. To me, that was part of our success.
"It's the same thing with us (at K-State). That depth has got to come forth if we're going to be successful."
Southwell said it came down to "sacrifice" for something "bigger than yourself." It's a lesson he's already preached to K-State's players this summer.
"For those guys to sacrifice for something bigger than themselves means the world," he said. "There's a carryover affect to how you can talk to your team about sacrificing and making those necessary adjustments and learning roles."
While Weber and Southwell may not coach those 12 players again, their time together established a bond that will last a lifetime.
Just last week, Weber was recruiting at the Peach Jam, a prestigious high school basketball tournament in South Carolina. A handful or so of the U19 Team USA players were there as well. Occasionally, Weber said their eyes met and they acknowledged each other, simply, with a smile.
"They just look at you and know they were part of something special and accomplished an important task," he said. "I think it will be a special bond that you have for a long, long time."
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