STARKVILLE — Ben Howland is excited.
Speaking with reporters on a teleconference Thursday morning, Howland expressed how happy he is sophomore forward Reggie Perry will be a part of the USA U19 national team for the upcoming FIBA World Cup.
“I just think, No. 1, it’s an honor for him to represent our country playing for Team USA,” he said. “I think he’s playing with a lot of really good players on his team — I mean that team is loaded with talent.”
Perry will start for the red, white and blue as the team makes its charge through the 16-team field in Crete, Greece.
The tournament will begin Saturday as the U.S. opens its tournament at noon against New Zealand.
The Americans are also joined by Senegal and Lithuania in Group A of pool play.
“Playing against great competition, playing at the highest level against some really good teams from all over the world, is a great experience,” Howland said in reference to Perry.
For Perry, his selection to the squad is just the latest indication of what the towering forward will bring to the floor come October.
After finishing his freshman campaign averaging 9.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, he tested his NBA Draft prospects before ultimately returning to school. As such, Perry will anchor the Mississippi State front court alongside Abdul Ado and Prince Oduro.
“I think he really benefited from going through the NBA process,” Howland said. “You can see the change and growth in his game having gone through the rigors of working out for teams and going through the combine.”
Howland sounds off on new rules
With the three-point line will move back more than a foot next season, coaches across college basketball are preparing for the change.
Howland offered his take on the new regulation expressing that he believes the court should be slightly wider to accommodate how close to the sideline players will now have to shoot in the corners.
“I just wish they’d widen the whole floor in general so we’re not stepping out of bounds as they move the line back,” he said. “There’s very little room between that sideline and the 3-point line now, so let’s go ahead and widen the floor a little bit.”
Beginning next season, the 3-point line will move from 20-feet-9-inches to 22-feet-1 3/4 inches after the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee recommended the change.
Iverson Molinar impressing
Two days after singing the praises of his freshman class, Howland doubled-down on his early inclinations toward Panama-born Iverson Molinar.
Molinar, a three-star combo-guard who played his high school basketball in California, has shown glimpses of high-level athleticism and explosiveness — traits that Howland said he expects to translate to minutes.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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