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Arizona Wildcats signee selected to represent USA junior national team

Kaleb Tarczewski

Kaleb Tarczewski slams home two points during a game in January. Photo by Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona Wildcats signee Kaleb Tarczewski has been selected to the USA Junior National Select Team, which will play in the Nike Hoop Summit against an international 19-and-under team next month.

Tarczewski is one of 10 players on Team USA. The game will be played April 7 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., and will be telecast by Fox Sports Net.

Tarczewski, a 7-footer who is part of Arizona’s top-ranked recruiting class, finished his career at St. Mark’s in Southborough, Mass., last weekend with a state title.

St. Mark’s (26-1) beat Tilton 59-53 for the NEPSAC Class AA Championship, avenging a loss to the Rams in last season’s title game.

Tarczewski, who is rated the fifth-best prospect in the country by ESPNU, was matched against ESPNU’s No. 1 recruit — Tilton’s Nerlens Noel in the championship game. Tarczewski has eight points and nine rebounds as St. Mark’s focused its offense on the perimeter, coach David Lubick told ESPN.com

“We thought if Kaleb could challenge Nerlens and get into his body and get him into foul trouble, that’s great,” Lubick said. “He used a couple of nice up-fakes and stuff like that, but we didn’t want the rest of our guys attacking the basket.”

Noel and Tarczewski will be teammates on Junior National Select Team. The full roster is at USABasketball.com.

Tarcewski also will play for the East squad at the second annual All-American Championship on April 1 in New Orleans. Arizona signee Gabe York, a 6-1 guard, is on the West squad.

The other two members of the class — forwards Brandon Ashley and Grant Jerrett — will play in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American game. Tarczewski, Ashley and Jerrett also will play in the Jordan Brand Classic in Charlotte on April 14.

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