The following press release was sent to us by Phil Stanton, who is the honcho of VCU’s sports information department:

VCU point guard Eric Maynor has accepted an invitation to participate in the USA Basketball Men’s Pan American Games Team Trials July 12-14 at Haverford College (Pa.). Maynor was a First Team All-CAA selection this past season and was named MVP of the CAA Tournament. He averaged 13.9 points and 4.2 rebounds for the Rams as a sophomore.

Villanova head coach Jay Wright is leading the USA’s 2007 Pan American Games Team, while Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried and Yale head coach James Jones will serve as assistant coaches. The trials will be used to select the finalists for the USA Basketball Pan American Games squad that will look to capture gold at the 2007 Pan American Games to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 13-29.

The other invitees include: Jon Brockman (Washington), Brian Butch (Wisconsin), Josh Carter (Texas A&M), Mario Chalmers (Kansas), Sherron Collins (Kansas), Brandan Costner (NC State), Eric Devendorf (Syracuse), Joey Dorsey (Memphis), Wayne Ellington (North Carolina), Randal Falker (Southern Illinois), Shan Foster (Vanderbilt), Alonzo Gee (Alabama), James Gist (Maryland), Richard Hendrix (Alabama), Roy Hibbert (Georgetown), Maarty Leunen (Oregon), Chris Lofton (Tennessee), Derrick Low (Washington State), Wesley Matthews (Marquette), Jerel McNeal (Marquette), Tasmin Mitchell (LSU), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State), DeMarcus Nelson (Duke), Ahmad Nivins (Saint Joseph’s), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), Jon Scheyer (Duke), Bryce Taylor (Oregon), Kyle Weaver (Washington State), D.J. White (Indiana).

Update: Maynor made the team. From The Bulletin,”Maynor still riding the wave from magical shot“