Colorado State University Athletics
CSU's Avila invited to Portsmouth Invitational Tournament
4/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- Colorado State senior forward J.J. Avila has been selected to compete at the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, this Wednesday through Saturday at Churchland High School in Portsmouth, Va. The PIT announced the complete list of invitees on Monday.
Avila is one of 64 college seniors invited to the event, now entering its 63rd year. The tournament features a four-day, twelve game format in which participants are separated into eight teams and play in front of hundreds of representatives from all 30 NBA teams and numerous international leagues. The tournament has produced some of the top talent in NBA annals with Dennis Rodman and Tim Hardaway counted among its alumni, along with five of the 50 greatest players in NBA History in Rick Barry, Earl `The Pearl" Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton and Scottie Pippen.
Avila, a native of McAllen, Texas, earned first-team All-Mountain West honors as well as All-District accolades from both the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
A 6-8, 250-pound forward, Avila led Colorado State in both scoring and rebounding, becoming the 23rd player in program history to eclipse 1,000-career points, doing so in just two seasons after transferring to CSU. A Mountain West Player of the Year candidate this season, he ranked among the league's top 10 in scoring (16.7 ppg, second), rebounding (7.5 rpg, fourth), field-goal percentage (.552, second), steals (2.0 spg, second), offensive rebounds per game (2.9, second) and defensive rebounds per game (4.5, eighth).
One of the most versatile and productive players in the country, Avila ranked this season as the only player in the NCAA Division I to average better than 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting better than 55 percent from the floor.
Avila was selected to play for the Cherry Bekaert squad for coaches Ben Moore, Dennis Koutoufas and former NBA vet, and current NBDL assistant coach Anthony Carter, who played for the Denver Nuggets from 2007-11. Avila will play alongside center Amir Williams (Ohio State), forwards David Laury (Iona) and Treveon Graham (VCU), and guards Ralston Turner (N.C. State), Wesley Saunders (Harvard), D.J. Newbill (Penn State), and Jelanie Hewitt (Georgia Southern).
For additional information on the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, including a complete listing of all 64 participants, and rosters for all eight squads, visit www.PortsmouthInvitational.com.
