Aviano student shoots for Team USA

  • Published
  • By Serior Airman Tabitha M. Mans
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  This year, one of Aviano's own was selected to participate in the Albert Schweitzer Tournament April 3 to 10. Jamal Tuck, Aviano High School senior, will play for Team USA in Mannheim, Germany, to fight for the prestigious AST trophy. Tuck is one of only two players selected from the Department of Defense Dependent Schools in Europe.

The Albert Schweitzer Tournament is the world's largest basketball tournament for young men around the world outside of the FIBA U19 World Championship. This basketball tournament was established in 1958, with the international youth basketball community meeting in Mannheim, Germany every two years.

"It's a big deal," said Jamal Tuck.

Tuck has played basketball for the past 13 years and enjoys the sport because of the fast-pace and quick decision making demanded of him.

"You have to think quickly and it keeps you on your toes. It's just fun," said Tuck.

Since ninth grade, he has played basketball for the Aviano Saints. This year he averaged 26 points per game, six steals, six rebounds and five assists. He has been named All Conference and Academic All Conference for the past three years.

Jamal was scouted during the DoDDs-Europe basketball tournament. With scoring a game-high 23 points and being named most valuable player for the second year in a row, it was no surprise that he was chosen to participate in this year's AST.

"My son knows where his blessings come from. He has been raised to give our God the glory for all of his blessings. We (his mother and I) are quite proud of the young man he has become," Senior Master Sgt. Frank Tuck, 31st Fighter Wing deputy inspector general.

Not only has Tuck achieved many basketball awards, he also has maintained a 3.0 GPA during his high school career.

"Once you're in high school, everything counts. Everything matters. Stay on task and don't slack," Tuck said.

He is currently looking at colleges for his future. He has applied for some scholarships and is being looked at by a few colleges for athletic scholarships. He hopes to include basketball but it is not his only priority. He is a member of Future Educators of America and said one day, he may be a physical education teacher.

The Albert Schweitzer Tournament 2010 will have junior national teams representing Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey. There will also be one All-Star U.S. team, consisting of students from various stateside and DoDDS high schools.

With 10 victories from 25 Albert Schweitzer Tournaments, the United States is the unchallenged record holder, but it has not won the tournament for over a decade.