USA Basketball has been searching for the best possible team to compete in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, from July 1-9. The process took another big step Tuesday. 

After two days at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, a group of 27 players has been cut to 18. The finalists for head coach John Calipari (Kentucky) include six high school prospects and 12 college freshmen or sophomores.

TEAM USA U19 FINALISTS

High School:

Bol Bol (2018 Flo40 No. 17)
Jordan Brown (2018 Flo40 No. 5)
Louis King (Class of 2018)
Romeo Langford (2018 Flo40 No. 3)
Immanuel Quickley (2018 Flo40 No. 11)
Cameron Reddish (2018 Flo40 No. 4)

College:

Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky)
Carsen Edwards (Purdue)
Kevin Huerter (Maryland)
Kevin Knox (2017 Flo40 No. 6, Kentucky)
Brandon McCoy (2017 Flo40 No. 8, UNLV)
Chuma Okeke (Auburn)
Josh Okogie (Georgia Tech)
Payton Pritchard (Oregon)
Mitchell Robinson (2017 Flo40 No. 7, Western Kentucky)
Quinton Rose (Temple)
PJ Washington (2017 Flo40 No. 13, Kentucky)
Austin Wiley (Auburn)

Among the cuts were Desmond Bane (TCU), Chaundee Brown (2017 Flo40 No. 39, Wake Forest), Marques Bolden (Duke), Devon Daniels (NC State), Malachi Flynn (Washington State), Charlie Moore (Kansas), De'Anthony Melton (USC), Shamorie Ponds (St. John's), and Kris Wilkes (2017 Flo40 No. 21, UCLA).

WHAT'S NEXT?

Even before tryouts began, there was already an extensive list of players missing. Now, following the first round of cuts, it appears Calipari and assistants Tad Boyle (Colorado) and Danny Manning (Wake Forest) are after a long and athletic squad.

There are still six more players to be cut this week before the team can be fully analyzed, but there's no doubt it will be talented, no matter the final selections.