Picture Day at USA Basketball

UDM sophomore Ray McCallum and his USA teammates took their team and individual photos in preparation for heading to China to compete in the 2011 World University Games.  The Americans will embark overseas on Monday  before a few final training sessions in Colorado Springs, Colo.  Here are a few pics sent back from Ray via his twitter account (@RayMac3)  well as USA Basketball (@usabasketball) and he'll provide some videos for us very soon and we'll post those in the coming days.


To those inquiring on how we can watch the USA squad from the States as they compete in China-- we hope to have an answer soon on television and/or Internet streaming options.  We'll be sure to update you here as well as on the detroittitans.com.

He Made It!

Congratulations are definitely in order for Ray McCallum for making the final 12-man USA Basketball World University Games roster.  The University of Detroit Mercy sophomore was a late addition to the original list of players invited to the training camp... but he made the most of his time in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Following grueling practices and spirited competition between the guys, McCallum advanced to the final 14 players a few days ago and found out late Wednesday night that he would be headed to China with the Americans.

"Last night we had practice from 11-2 and we were curious if they would made cuts, because the women's team did that morning," McCallum said when asked how the process worked Wednesday.  "We all went bowling together and we got back at about 10:00 p.m. Mountain time.  They told us then they would make cuts and for us to go to our rooms.  They finalized the team and everyone was nervous.  I'm just honored and blessed to be part of USA Basketball."

He is the youngest player on the final roster, but he's made and strengthened some friendships through the process.

"We are starting to come together," McCallum said of the final group.  "We're good friends and we're learning alot from our three coaches.  They are getting the best out of us."

We'll keep tabs on Ray's journey, check this link at DetroitTitans.com for updated info, clips and related links.  Be sure to become a fan of Tommy Titan on facebook and follow Detroit Titans on twitter for updates.

Follow McCallum at USA Basketball World University Games Training

University of Detroit Mercy sophomore guard Ray McCallum embarked on his trek to Colorado Springs, Colo. to the USA Basketball facility in hopes of not returning to Detroit for the next month.  He is one of 21 athletes selected for the USA Basketball World University Games training camp roster-- a group that will get pared down to the final 12 in the coming days.  That squad will compete for the red, white and blue in China, looking to secure the United States' 14th gold medal in these competitions.

USABasketball.com has already featured McCallum (above) in a picture and story about the first day of training.  DetroitTitans.com will carry any breaking news on the roster front and will have videos taken by Ray about his experience in the days to follow.

Shayne Adams: On The Road To Recovery

2011 First team All-MAAC attackman and the League’s Rookie of the Year Shayne Adams talks about his recovery from a knee injury.

Watching my teammates take the field on May 8 for the MAAC finals may have been one of the toughest things that I have done in my career as an athlete. Of all the sprints, stairs, and 6 a.m., workouts that we as a team had been put through could not compare to the feeling that I was going through as my best friends laced up their cleats for the biggest games of their lives.

On May 6 I had found out that with 10 seconds left in the game, I had torn my ACL and that I would be held out of Sunday’s championship contest. This was heart breaking to me, but my teammates picked me up with various text messages and visiting my hotel room all night. They pulled through for me when I was down and on Sunday’s game, I wanted to do the same for my brothers. I did not want my injury to slow our team down anymore than it already had. I wanted to be the spark that they would need to beat a tough Siena team. It did not end the way that we wanted, but as a team this will make us even more motivated to get the MAAC championship next season.

Putting the 2011 season behind me, I knew that I had a long way that I needed to go before I could return to the field. My road to recovery started on May 24 at 7 a.m., as I had reconstruction done on my left knee for a torn ACL and meniscus. I had the support from my Detroit family throughout my whole surgery process as Coach (Matt) Holtz, Coach (Chris) Kolon, Coach (Nick) Wilson and my trainer Mike Miller were all in attendance from what I could remember when I woke up from surgery. Just knowing that I have the support from not only my family back home in St. Catharines, Ontario, but from my family right here in Detroit really motivated me in the healing process.

After returning home from surgery for a little over two weeks, I returned to UDM to start my physical rehab on my knee. I am in the training room five days a week, a little under two hours each day working on getting my knee back to game form. I am now in my sixth week of rehab at the school and am walking and recently been removed from my brace. These are just baby steps in my road to recovery but they are steps. I am now cleared to train with our strength and conditioning coach Nick Wilson and this now gives me a chance to work on getting myself stronger for the upcoming season. Coach Wilson does a tremendous job working with our team and puts us through grueling workouts that really get us prepared for the upcoming season. I am continuing the work on my knee confident and motivated that I will be hitting the field 110% in February with my teammates by my side with one thing on our mind, the 2012 MAAC championship.

Absolutely FLOORED

The brand, spanking new basketball floor has arrived in Detroit and is almost ready to be laid in historic Calihan Hall.  Preparations have been well underway for weeks as the old floor was removed and the ground prepped for a new facelift. 

Check the Detroit Titan photo gallery for a timeline of the constant changes at Calihan Hall. 

Remember, the official dedication of the court happens on Dec. 5 as the Titans welcome St. John's University and ESPN2 to Detroit for a nationally-televised game that will honor former coach and athletic director Dick Vitale.

Do you hear that buzzing?

Despite June just coming to a close, there is significant buzz in the air about the 2011-12 Titans men's basketball team.  This is a team that does not lose a player to graduation and is building upon a solid season last year that saw the Titans win 10 Horizon League games for the first time since 2004.  Add in a pair of talented signees in P.J. Boutte and Doug Anderson and there's significant reason to believe in a magical run for this edition of the Titans.

Below are some thoughts on what the media is saying:
*Only two of the 10 All-Horizon League players (first and second teams) are coming back to their respective teams.  They both reside in Detroit (Eli Holman, Ray McCallum).

*15 Teams That Might Fly Under the Radar in 2011-12

*College Basketball: The 20 Quickest Players in the Country

*College Basketball 2011-12: Top 30 Mid-Major Players at Each Position

*Detroit may be next Cinderella on the horizon

*CBB Power Rankings: Next Year's Top 14 Floor Generals

More to follow ...

"Green Hornet" Stinging for NOLA in Playoff Push

Former Detroit Titan standout Willie Green has led his New Orleans Hornets to the NBA playoffs-- and is making an immediate impact.  Green contributed an efficient eight points in just 13 minutes off the bench as the visiting Hornets nabbed a 109-100 Game One win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the First Round of the teams' series at the Staples Center Sunday. 

Some of his work down the stretch in the regular season propelled the Hornets into the seventh seed in the perennially-tough Western Conference.  Most notably in the run was a game on April 8 where Green connected on each of his first 12 shots en route to a season-high 31 points. 

"I knew I was in a rhythm. I knew I was in a zone," Green told the Associated Press after his franchise-record achievement. "But I didn't know I was 12-for-12. It was a good feeling. I had it going and I was trying to keep it going. I was just trying to be aggressive."

Green's next NBA regular season game will be his 500th in his eight-year career.  He carries a 9.3 points per game average over the length of his career.

Green played at Detroit from 1999-2003, leading the Titans to an NCAA tourney berth and two NIT tournaments including a NIT Final Four berth in 2001.