The Tennessee men’s basketball team recently visited a 5K put on by the Butterfly Fund, an organization that raises money to fight childhood cancers. The Vols got their faces painted before congratulating runners as the crossed the finish line.
Ryan takes this opportunity to not only interview participants, but also his coach!
Ryan Kilmartin, son of USA Select founder Sean Kilmartin; recently played in the 18 Under European Basketball Championships in Cardiff Wales. The event was Group C of FIBA Europe. FIBA is the world wide governing body of the various basketball leagues and competitions. Ryan was the only American player in the entire event. Below is an article from the Charlotte Observer
Sunday, Aug 5, 2007
Posted on Sun, Aug. 05, 2007 by BERNIE PETIT
It’s always special when an athlete gets the opportunity to represent his country.
For Charlotte Catholic’s 16 year old Ryan Kilmartin, the opportunity to play for Wales in the 18-under European Basketball Division C Championships last month was twice as nice.
Kilmartin, born in North Carolina, was able to play for the Wales team because his mother, Jane, a former Miss Wales, was born in the country, meaning he has dual citizenship.
Such a rare opportunity wasn’t lost on Kilmartin, a rising junior at Catholic.
“I had a chance to put on a country’s uniform and play for my country, which was phenomenal,” said Kilmartin. “Plus, with being the only American in the tournament, it was like I was representing America as well.”
The championships were held July 16-21 in Wales. Wales finished 4-1 in the tournament, losing 86-62 in the finals to Scotland.
Kilmartin averaged a modest three points and one rebound for Wales, with his best outing — a four-point, three-rebound game — coming in a 103-36 blowout win over Azerbaijan.
Still, the experience afforded Kilmartin, who has only played one year of competitive basketball (for Catholic’s junior varsity team last season), ample opportunity to work on becoming a better player.
He arrived in Wales 10 days before the tournament to work out and practice with his teammates. The schedule included hour long shooting sessions in the morning and evenings, rigorous practices that focused on fundamental play and numerous film study sessions.
It also gave him a greater respect of the basketball that’s played outside of the United States.
“There are great basketball players all over the world,” he said.
His teammates didn’t have any preconceived notions of him as an American player, he said.
“The only way they thought of me was as another player trying to help them win a championship,” Kilmartin said.
The biggest difference he said he noticed between American players and their European counterparts is in fundamental play.
“They’re working on lay ups and jump shots while we’re busy doing crossovers and mixed tape dunks,” he said. “They’re keeping it simple and trying to get the job done.”
Keeping things simple also describes Kilmartin’s style of play, which is perhaps one reason he fit in so well with his teammates.
The 6-foot-4 forward played both forward positions and center for the Catholic JV squad last year and served as a primary ball handler in crucial situations. He was one of the top scorers and rebounders on his team and almost always made the right decision with the ball, said coach Dick Mazoyer.
“He knew how to make good judgments with his passing skills and shot selection,” Mazoyer said.
Much of Kilmartin’s basketball savvy comes from playing with his dad, Sean, who played for coach Bobby Cremins and Kevin Cantwell at Appalachian State and played then professionally in Europe for three seasons, where he averaged nearly 27 points and 16 rebounds per outing.
The elder Kilmartin has been an assistant coach for the Cougars JV team the past two seasons. But the two haven’t really played hoops in the driveway since Ryan’s eighth-grade year, when a game became so competitive that Ryan broke his right wrist.
“After that I stopped playing him because I didn’t want to hurt him,” the younger Kilmartin quipped.
Sean Kilmartin was an assistant coach at Holy Trinity Middle School while Ryan was a student there and an assistant JV coach at Catholic Ryan’s freshman year. Despite his dad’s presence, he didn’t make a school team until this past season.
His dad has been and remains the biggest basketball influence in his life, he said.
“Everything,” he said, “from the littlest thing to the biggest thing, I’ve learned from my dad.”
This is the third installment of a multi-part series highlighting the 2011-12 Tennessee basketball newcomers. In this edition of “Hello My Name Is,” UTsports.com chats it up with sophomore transfer Ryan Kilmartin, a guard from Charlotte, N.C
Original article published at http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/061311aab.html
Q: You redshirted at Appalachian State in 2009-10 then spent your freshman year with the Mountaineers last season. Tell us about your decision to come to Knoxville and walk-on at Tennessee.
A: “Well, my dad’s my role model. And if I was going to be away from my father (who lives in North Carolina), I wanted to learn under someone who would be like another father figure. I feel like under coach Martin and the rest of this staff, I can grow and develop into a mature young man off the court as well as on.”
Q: Talk about your initial impressions of your new teammates and coaches here on Rocky Top.
A: “I like them all. They’re all really welcoming. The other guys on the team are willing to lend a hand if I need a ride or need directions getting somewhere on campus. They offer for me to come hang out or get some food. They’ve been really open and just cool, fun people.”
Q: Taking part in last weekend’s Habitat for Humanity event with the team must have been a nice way to get to know some of the guys. Did any of them show a surprising knack for carpentry?
A: “I feel like Skylar (McBee) was pretty good at that sort of thing. That was the first time we got to talk, and his accent kind of threw me off for a second (laughs). (Assistant coach Kent) Williams… he had a pretty good knack for it. I should have brought some suntan lotion with me that day.”
Q: What’s your favorite meal?
A: “I really enjoy Indian food, like chicken tikki massala. I’ve found a pretty good Indian place here in Knoxville, already. It’s different. My mom’s Welsh, and for some reason Indian food is big in Wales, so she kind of grew up on it. We sometimes visit Wales as a family when we can, and we started eating Indian food at a young age. You just get accustomed to it. If you’re not used to that sort of food, your stomach might get upset. It just depends on what you get.”
Q: Can you dunk?
A: “Yes. My first dunk was in a pickup game with some of my friends at the Y. I had a fast break, and I figured `I’ll just go for it.’ And I dunked it.”
Q: In your opinion, what is your biggest strength on the basketball court? And what area of your game do you most want to improve upon?
A: “I feel like my shooting is my biggest strength, and also just being a team player and having a good work ethic. I feel like I have a high basketball IQ… being in the right place, helping on defense. And I guess explosion would be my weakness.”
Q: What’s this we hear about you playing for Wales in the 2007 FIBA European Championships?
A: “Like I said earlier, my mom’s from Wales. The FIBA rules allow for players who have a British passport to qualify for the National Team, so over the course of three tryouts back and forth to the UK, I made the U-18 national team. We won the silver in the European Championships in 2007, then we won gold with the U-20s–my brother, Alex, was on that team–last summer in Belgium. I led the team in scoring with 15.4 points and also averaged 5.8 rebounds. This summer, I was invited to play for the men’s national team. It’s an honor to represent a country.”
Q: Your mom is Welsh, and your dad played basketball at Appalachian State. So how exactly did your parents meet?
A: “When my dad finished college, he played basketball overseas a little bit. Later on he was working at a health club at a hotel in Mallorca, Spain, and my mom used to model–she was Miss Wales in 1984 and she was in the Miss Universe pageant that year–and I guess she was on a tour there or something. They met each other, and right away my dad called his mom–my grandmother–and told her he just met his future wife.”
Q: So the question on everyone’s mind is, did you get invited to the Royal Wedding this spring?
A: “I wish! A lot of people say I look like Prince William. I’ve heard that a couple times. But, no, unfortunately I did not. I’d love an invite to the next one, though. My mom did make me watch it that morning. It’s a huge deal over in Europe.”
Q: We hear you’re a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Talk about your background in that sport.
A: “It started when I was a kid. Once I got involved with it, my parents really liked it for me and my brother, Alex, who’s going to UNC Wilmington next year to play basketball. It gave us a lot of discipline, respect for others and it put us in position to see things in certain ways as mature young adults. But respect and discipline are the main things we took from it.”
Q: Better movie, Karate Kid or Karate Kid II?
A: “The one that pops in my head is the original Karate Kid. Wait, you’re not talking about the new Karate kid, are you?”
UTsports: “Heck no! Anyone other than Ralph Macchio is an impostor!”
Q: Did you play any sports other than basketball while you were growing up?
A: “Tae Kwon do was about it. I mean, we played all sorts of stuff in our neighborhood, but I didn’t get too serious into anything else. Oh, I was part of my neighborhood swim team before I left for college.”
Q: Who is your favorite pro athlete in a sport other than basketball and why?
A: “I really don’t have one. My role model would most definitely be my father. That’s why I chose my number (here at Tennessee, No. 21). His number was 41 in college. If could be half the man he is, I would be so happy.”
Q: What’s the one non-sports TV show you can’t miss?
A: “I’m stuck between the Graham Norton Show and Doctor Who. They’re both British shows. They come on BBC America. It’s kind of a family thing. I watch them on Netflix. The Graham Norton Show is kind of like a British version of Jay Leno. They have a lot of celebrity guests. And Doctor Who is an old sci-fi show.”
Q: What kind of toys did you play with when you were little? Were you a Hot Wheels guy or an action-figure guy?
A: “I don’t know… I think my friends and I usually just went outside and did something active.”
Q: What three words would you use to describe head coach Cuonzo Martin?
A: “Genuine. Caring–because he cares about more than just basketball. He wants to see us mature off the court, academically and as young men. And the last word… knowledgeable. He knows a lot about the game and it shows through his resume.”
Q: Have you ever “swept the leg?”
A: “I have no idea what that means…”
UTsports: “It’s a Karate Kid reference. In the tournament at the end of the movie, the Sensei from Cobra Kai Dojo tells his student to target Daniel’s injured leg…
A: “Oh! (laughs). No, I play within the rules.”
For the third consecutive year, the league leading scorer is a product of USA Select Basketball. The league leading scorer was Appalachian State University product, Chris McFarland. The athletic and amiable 6’5″ swing man averaged an astounding 29.16 points per game! Playing for the Sheffield Arrows, McFarland also chose his shots wisely and was listed 4th in field goal percentage, shooting a tough 58% and was 10th in the league in free throw percentage! An unselfish player, he also was ranked 7th in the league in assists, and to round out his game, he averaged 8th in defensive rebounds at nearly 6 per game and ranked 4th in blocked shots
This makes the third consecutive league leading scorer that has played for the Sheffield Arrows and was a product of the USA Select Basketball pipeline! This is also the second leading scorer in the EBL that has come from Appalachian State University. (Noah Brown lead the league in 2005-2006)
Not to be out done, USA Select player Clint Deas proved to be the best big man in the league! Clint, a 6’8″ powerful post player was also a teammate of McFarland at the NCAA division 1, Appalachian State University. They teamed up to play for head coach Pete Kelly at Sheffield. When it came to inside players, Clint league the league in every possible rebounding statistic. Total rebounds per game (19) Defensive rebounds (13) Offensive rebounds (6).
In addition, the well rounded Deas lead the league in blocked shots and was the league leader in field goal percentage, shooting an incredible 63%! In addition, the experienced big man dished out enough assist to be 6th in the league!
While in college, both players played under the guidance of Houston Fancher of Appalachian State University.
USA Select and Davidson College product, Lawrence “Puff” Summers, proved to be one of the leagues best point guards. While playing for Coach James Bramfield with the Kings Lynn Fury. Listed in the top ten of 4 different categories, Summers was 3rd in the league in assists, 5th in steals, 6th in 3 point % and 2nd in Free Throw %!
According to Sean Kilmartin, ” I was pleased to see the final statistics. All 3 of these players came from top university programs and coach’s (Bob McKillop and Houston Fancher), so I knew what they could do. Sheffield has always taken our players and allowed them to blossom. I have gotten a lot of calls for these guys now that the season has ended. Clint was such a power on the boards, he played smart and was unselfish. Chris, who scored at will; is one of the most likable players in recent history, as coach Kelly said, ‘he was a true superstar off the court!’,”
“With Puff” (Summers) , continued Kilmartin, “Kings Lynn got a smart and hard working leader who simply wanted a chance!”
| Leading Scorers | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| L. Summers | Kings Lynn | 258 | 10 | 25.80 | |
| C. McFarland | Sheff Arrows | 554 | 19 | 29.16 | |
| Total Rebounds | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 361 | 19 | 19.00 | |
| Offensive Rebounds | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 118 | 19 | 6.22 | |
| Defensive Rebounds | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| C. McFarland | Sheff Arrows | 109 | 19 | 5.72 | |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 243 | 19 | 12.78 | |
| Assists | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| L. Summers | Kings Lynn | 50 | 10 | 5.00 | |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 74 | 19 | 3.89 | |
| C. McFarland | Sheff Arrows | 73 | 19 | 3.83 | |
| Steals | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| L. Summers | Kings Lynn | 27 | 10 | 2.67 | |
| Blocked Shots | Name | Team | Total | Games | Average |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 36 | 19 | 1.89 | |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 29 | 19 | 1.50 | |
| Floor Shooting % | Name | Team | FLM | FLA | Average |
| C. McFarland | Sheff Arrows | 235 | 405 | 57.99 | |
| C. Deas | Sheff Arrows | 141 | 225 | 62.68 | |
| 3pt Shooting % | Name | Team | 3PA | 3PM | Average |
| L. Summers | Kings Lynn | 31 | 71 | 43.90 | |
| FT Shooting % | Name | Team | FTM | Games | Average |
| L. Summers | Kings Lynn | 61 | 71 | 85.92 | |
| C. McFarland | Sheff Arrows | 79 | 112 | 70.54 |
[Copied by permission from the South Charlotte Sports Report]
The touring club run by Sean Kilmartin sent eight-man sides to Rockets and Leopards, winning 86-84 and 74-56 respectively, while a 16-man squad traveled to the Leicester to play the midlands teams.
Derby were the first in action, and despite a good performance from the Division One champions – who included new American signing Chris Page from Taunton Tigers – they went down 82-72.
With the USA side having arrived in London at lunchtime, there was probably an element of tiredness in their performance against Riders as they trailed by 24 at the final break before Riders wrapped up the win with a dominant fourth period.
Meanwhile in Reading, the Rockets went agonizingly close to winning the game as Matt Guymon saw a buzzer-beating three-point attempt rim out. Guymon was snatched from under the noses of BBL Plymouth Raiders, while another player that appeared to be joining another team (Manchester Magic), Niko Scott top scored for the Rockets with 36 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
And finally, in Brentwood the Select team collected their biggest win of the night. With 20-year-old Leigh Greenan the Big Cats’ second oldest player, it was a youthful home side who took to the floor, but with two senior players still to join up with Mark Clark’s team there were plenty of positives for the Leopards.
Greenan finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 19 points, while Marlan Henry added 13 points, four rebounds and two steals with Josh Johnson chipping in with eight points, seven rebounds and six assists Eddie Marrs led the visitors with 17 points, five boards and four steals, with Jarvis Hill and Devon Carter each adding 13 points, and the latter pulling down five rebounds.
The Big Cats out-rebounded the Select team 39-30, but struggled offensively and also turned the ball over 23 times. Greenan opened the scoring with a three-point play, and a tight first period saw the visitors go into the second quarter with a 23-21 lead.
They never gave up that advantage as a 13-0 run saw USA take control of the game, and they went into locker room with a 42-28 lead. A low scoring third period saw the visitors shade it 10-8 to lead by 16 at the final break, and they wrapped things up with a 22-20 fourth stanza. The tour continues over the weekend for the Team USA sides with three more games. The side that defeated Leopards move to play Worcester Wolves on Saturday before facing MK Lions the following day.
The side who faced Reading Rockets make the long trip to Glasgow Rocks before moving on to Sheffield to complete in the Arrows tournament, while the squad who face Riders and Trailblazers remain in Leicester to play Lions on Saturday and then travel down to Plymouth to face the Raiders.
Filed under British Basketball League (BBL), EBL By Dave Ryan
Picture courtesy www.essexsportsagency.com
Sean Kilmartin, USA Select Basketball General Manager, was pleased with the results of the 2009 European Exposure Tour. For there first time ever, USA Select brought two teams on tour. Charlotte based USA Select Basketball just completed it’s 9th European Exhibition Tour. The organization, headed by Charlottean Sean Kilmartin, is a professional basketball marketing group designed to help American players find contracts on European teams. USA Select has several “try out” camps around the country and then selects it’s travel team. The team plays a series of exhibition show case games against top teams in Europe in an effort to get the US players exposure leading to professional contracts.
According to Kilmartin , “the growth that we have experienced in the last few years is quite exciting. We had some may teams to schedule this year, it required us to add an additional team”.
The primary team, “Blue Team” played a grueling 16 game schedule in 4 countries over a 20 day trip (including the Trans Atlantic flights). Playing top British Basketball League (BBL) teams and Finish Korsliiga teams, USA Select compiled an impressive record and still was able to showcase all 14 players.
The second team, “Red Team”, played an equally challenging schedule of 9 games in 7 days in the UK. The team was coached by USA Select partner David Lawrence. The team had an incredible 8-1 record.
According to Colin Barrell, who hosted the “Red Team” in a 2 day, 4 game event in England, “.. please pass on our appreciation to Coach David Lawrence and all the players who conducted themselves in a way which is a credit to your set up, it was a pleasure to be their host for the weekend, they were great company.”
Historically these players have come from large programs like Duke, NC State, U Conn, Arizona State,Wake Forest to mid majors like Appalachian Sate , Davidson,Xavier, Temple, St. Joe’s and Cleveland State. Smaller schools like Barton, Winston-Salem State and Limestone college.
Training camp was held in Pineville at the Morrison YMCA, Belle Johnston Center and local restaurants Showmars and City Tavern fed the team.
This year, the team played an incredible total of 16 matches in 20 days covering nearly 20,000 miles. Playing in a different city nearly every night, the group had the opportunity to play several televised games in front of packed gyms, playing in locations like London, Glasgow, Helsinki and more. One event lead them to play in Plymouth England and visited the famous Mayflower steps (where the ship of the same name set off for the New World.)
In one incredible day of travel, the Blue team had breakfast in Glasgow, Scotland; Lunch in London,England; and dinner in Helsinki Finland!
Although an exhaustive schedule, the tour allowed for great exposure for the players who hailed from schools as varied as Appalachian State University, Arizona State University, Elizabeth City State University, Lasell College, Kent State University, St. Augustine’s College, Coastal Carolina University, NC A&T State University, Columbia, Truman State, UNC Pembroke, Allen University, University of Wisconsin, Barton College, UC Santa Barbara,Elizabeth City State University, Frostburg College and Wagner University.
Coach Kilmartin has been doing this for over ten years and has helped placed players all over the world with professional contracts. Over the years, USA Select has played top teams in England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Hungry, Finland, Ireland and others.
This years group landed an abundance tryouts and offers for players. Plans are already underway for the tryout dates for the 2010 tour and expect to be on our site by Mid January.
Rockets launch their preseason with a home game at Rivermead on Friday 18th September at 7.30 p.m. with the visit of Team USA Select. The following week, on Wednesday 23rd September, at The Pavilions in Plymouth, Rockets take on the highly successful BBL team, Plymouth Raiders in the second pre-season friendly in preparation for the competitive season that starts for Rockets on Saturday 3rd October when they’re away to newly promoted London Mets in the National Trophy.
Rockets’ Chairman Gary Johnson was thrilled that the touring team, Team USA Select, was able to fit in a visit to Reading for the 6th consecutive year as requests to play the team have grown enormously over the years. Team USA Select’s General Manager Sean Kilmartin has built strong relationships with Rockets and was determined to honour Rockets’ request to not only play a game but also to hold a clinic with up and coming young basketball players before the game. So if you’re aged 8 – 16 and want to have the opportunity to be coached by a team of Americans, put this date in your diary now and enrol on the clinic by contacting Rockets by e-mail – [email protected] or by calling the Basketball Hotline 0118 926 3040. More details will appear on the website shortly.
The following week, on Wednesday 23rd September, at The Pavilions in Plymouth, Rockets take on the highly successful BBL team, Plymouth Raiders in the second pre-season friendly in preparation for the competitive season that starts for Rockets on Saturday 3rd October when they’re away to newly promoted London Mets in the National Trophy. If you want to join Rockets in their first away trip, to Plymouth, the transport will be leaving Reading at approx. 2 p.m.
This will be the first of a number of games with BBL teams in the coming season with the highlight undoubtedly the home game against Newcastle Eagles in the BBL Trophy, a game to be arranged in January 2010. Watch this space.
Sean Kilmartin, General Manager of USA Select Basketball is pleased to announce that Steven Sexton from Coastal Carolina University has been invited to participate in the 2009 European Exposure Tour.
Through a series of nationwide tryouts, the 6-1 guard was offered one of the few spots on the nearly month long tour of exhibition basketball games in Western Europe.
The former Chanticleer averaged 8.9 points, 2.0 assists and 1.7 rebounds a game for Coastal Carolina and impressed the coaching staff of USA Select Basketball with his off the court demeanor as well.
USA Select Basketball is an organization designed to help under recognized players continue their basketball careers as professionals in Europe. Each year, USA Select Basketball will take a team of 12-15 recent college graduates on a nearly month long tour playing some of the top basketball teams in Western Europe in a series of preseason matches.
2007 USA Select Player Ben Bridges was named Irish Super League Center of the Year. Ben, who played his college ball at Stetson and then Elizabeth City State University was a fundamentally sound, back to the basket player on the 2007 European Exposure Tour team.
Playing for the Shamrock Rovers Hoops in the top league in Ireland, the Nivea Super league, Ben had an outstanding year.
While on tour, General Manager, Sean Kilmartin personally contacted several teams to watch Ben play. Coach’s came to watch him play and offer Ben a contract while on Tour. In fact, Ben had one of the best traveled days in USA Select history having eaten breakfast in France, Lunch in England and then diner in Ireland all on the same day! Sean Kilmartin personally handled the details of Ben’s first contract!
Completing his first professional season with the Shamrock Rovers, Ben ended with 23.3 points and 11.5 rebounds per game!
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Sportuk.tv’s cameras were at Filton College WISE Academy to bring you the best of the action between the Bristol Academy Flyers and Team USA Select. Team USA won 90-62. Afterwards Coach Sean Kilmartin spoke to Sportuk.tv’s Nigel Turner