Ohio State’s Zed Key, Meechie Johnson Invited To USA Basketball U19 Tryouts

The sophomores have a chance to represent the Buckeyes at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer.

Ohio State sophomores Zed Key and Meechie Johnson have been invited to try out for the USA Basketball U19 National Team that will compete in the FIBA World Cup in Latvia this summer.

🏅@MeechieJohnson0 and @iamzedkey have both been invited to compete for a spot on the @USABasketball U19 team this summer.

🔗: https://t.co/yblbpEnz6b pic.twitter.com/WuLBMnokMa

— Ohio State Hoops (@OhioStateHoops) April 26, 2021

“This is a great honor for Zed and Meechie,” head coach Chris Holtmann said in a statement. “I know they are excited about competing with some of the best players in the country at their age for a chance to represent our country. We are excited to follow and support them as they compete for a roster spot on this U19 team.”

The team will be coached by TCU’s Jamie Dixon, with tryouts being held on the Horned Frogs’ campus in Fort Worth, Texas, beginning June 20. Those who make the squad will then depart for Riga, Latvia, on June 27 for the tournament, which will be held on July 3-11.

A former three-star prospect from Bay Shore (N.Y.) Long Island Lutheran, Key played in 31 games for the Buckeyes last season. He averaged 5.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 11.7 minutes per game, including a career-high 14 points in a 90-54 win over Nebraska on Dec. 30 and a career-high 10 rebounds in a 67-61 victory against Cleveland State on Dec. 13.

Johnson, meanwhile, was supposed to be a part of Ohio State’s 2021 recruiting class but reclassified after graduating early from Garfield Heights. He joined the program in December and appeared in 17 games, averaging 1.2 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.2 assists in just under six minutes per game.

I remember in high school I use to dream of getting a invite to the USA trials, and the year I got invited, I got injured. I felt like I would never get that opportunity again and was devastated. YEARS later that same opportunity is here again and I’m just nothing but grateful!🙏🏽

— Meechie Johnson (@MeechieJohnson0) April 26, 2021

The USA Basketball U19 National Team has won seven gold medals, including four in the last six World Cups, and owns a 98-4 record all time at the event, which dates back to 1979. Other nations taking part include Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Japan, Lithuania, Mali, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Serbia, South Korea, Spain and Turkey, as well as the host country, Latvia.

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