PhD Hoops USA Announces Coaching Staffs and Teams for 2024 Euro Youth Basketball Cup Tour
LOS ANGELES, CA – April 12, 2024 – PhD Hoops USA announces the teams, coaches and players who will represent the USA in the U18 Boys Basketball division at the Euro Youth Basketball Cup. Both teams will be on tour from June 10-18, 2024 traveling to Spain while competing at the EYBC, one of the most competitive basketball tournaments in all of Europe! The group will experience both high-level basketball and cultural sightseeing before and after the event.
PhD Hoops USA BLUE (U18 Boys Team)
HEAD COACH: Brandon McGruder (Omaha, NE)
PLAYERS
Cayden Carpenter (Oxford, KS)
Jordan Corman (Groveland, FL)
Isaiah Garrett (Salina, KS)
Jackson Green (Abilene, KS)
Jaxon Herrera (McKinney, TX)
Jamari Malone (Carrizo Springs, TX)
Jayceon Nelson (Salina, KS)
Alessandro Rodriguez (Wichita, KS)
Kade Schimke (Ellendale, ND)
Sam Wheeler (Oxford, KS)
Coach Brandon McGruder, Head Coach (Omaha, NE), is currently the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Mayville State University (ND) where, in just two years, his program has won both a conference regular-season and tournament championship. In addition, he has been named Coach of the Year and has coached several Academic All-Americans. Beforehand, he spent several years as Assistant Coach at the NAIA, JUCO and HS levels, developing players who ultimately went on to play at all levels of college basketball (including NCAA DI and D2). Coach McGruder played in junior college as well as at Grand Canyon University, where he led the team in made three-pointers. He graduated from Peru State College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Psychology and Journalism.
PhD Hoops USA RED (U18 Boys Team)
HEAD COACH: Rob Fry (Miami, FL)
PLAYERS
Chase Barnes (Vail, AZ)
Emmitt Brooks (Overland Park, KS)
Ethan Brummett (Marlow, OK)
Rayshon Coleman (Lockhart, AL)
Elijah Farrell (Natick, MA)
Gerren Chester II (Red Oak, TX)
Andrew Madson (Green Lake, WI)
Gabe Miller (West Lafayette, IN)
Caden Valdez (Fort Stockton, TX)
Coach Rob Fry, Head Coach (Miami, FL), is coaching with PhD Hoops USA for his second consecutive summer. He has spent nearly two decades coaching basketball in different areas across the country, mostly as Head Coach and Program Director for both the Grand Park Premier (IN) and Arizona Premier (AZ). Additionally, he has served as the Head Girls Basketball Coach at Catalina High School in Tucson, Arizona. Coach Fry takes great pride in having assisted over 150 players achieve their goal of receiving a basketball scholarship, many of whom have gone on to play professionally in either the NBA or WNBA. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology while playing collegiately at Western Michigan University, followed by a short stint playing in the United States Basketball League (USBL).
TRIP LEADER - Ruben Leyva (Fort Stockton, TX)
Ruben Leyva is a longtime Trip Leader for PhD Hoops USA and has spent a lifetime making an impact as a coach and teacher in his hometown community. As a former physical education teacher and head coach, he currently serves as a personal trainer in his private gym and training facility, TTA Sports. He possesses nearly ten certifications in a variety of areas pertaining to coaching or training and has coached multiple sports over the past two decades. He has established himself as a coach who demands discipline, hard work, respect, high integrity and great character. Coach Leyva graduated from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin with a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology.
Every PhD Hoops USA player goes through an extensive Player Profile process. Click here for more information on PhD Hoops USA and our Upcoming Tours or contact us at travel@mg.phdhoops.com or (310) 620-6639.
