By JOSH NEWMANSpecial to ZAGSBLOG As expected, USA Basketball announced on Monday afternoon that it will play host to the FIBA Americas U18 Championships at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs from June 20-24. The event, which the United States has historically dominated, will serve as a qualifier for the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championships next June 27-July 5 at a location that has yet to be determined. USA Basketball’s training camp from June 10-19 in Colorado Springs will determine the 12-man roster, which will be coached by a rising coaching figure in USA Basketball, Billy Donovan. The Florida head coach led the 2012 U18 team to the FIBA Americas Championship, then led the 2013 U19 squad to gold at the World Championships. Donovan, who will be assisted by Providence head coach Ed Cooley and Arizona head coach Sean Miller, went 14-0 across those two events. The United States is 38-2 all-time in the FIBA Americas U18 Championships, having won captured gold six of the eight times the event has been contested since its inception in 1990. Follow Josh Newman on Twitter
