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Tennessee's Tobe Awaka makes 2023 USA Men's U19 National Team

IMG_3593by:Grant Ramey•06/16/23•

GrantRamey

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KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - NOVEMBER 07: Jerome Beya #35 of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles gets his hand on a layup attempt by Tobe Awaka #11 of the Tennessee Volunteers in the second half at Thompson-Boling Arena on November 07, 2022 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Tennessee sophomore power forward Tobe Awaka on Friday was named to the 2023 USA Men’s U19 National Team, one of 12 players to make the roster after workouts and practices during camp this week in Colorado.

The final roster included Awaka alongside Mark Armstrong, Omaha Bilew, Kylan Boswell, Myles Colvin, Eric Dailey Jr., Dylan Harper, Ian Jackson, Tre Johnson, Ven-Allen Lubin, Asa Newell and Cody Williams.

Awaka and Tennessee redshirt freshman Freddie Dilione V were among the final 14 candidates for the roster. The two survived two rounds of cuts, with original pool of talent including 35 players. It was later cut down to 18 players and then 14, before the final roster was announced Friday.

The team will play in the 2023 FIBA U19 Men’s Championship June 24-July 2 in Hungary. Athletes eligible for the team must be citizens of the United States born on or after January 1, 2004.

Tobe Awaka averaged 3.2 points, 3.8 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game during freshman season at Tennessee

Awaka, the 6-foot-8, 250-pound power forward from Hyde Park, N.Y., averaged 3.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game off the bench as a freshman at Tennessee last season. He showed off a knack for rebounding in his 350 minutes played, grabbing 128 boards, including 59 offensive rebounds.

Awaka was a three-star prospect who committed to Rick Barnes and the Vols late in the 2022 recruiting cycle. He signed with Tennessee in July, joining the program midway through summer workouts. 

Dilione, the 6-foot-5, 180-pound redshirt freshman, reclassified from the 2023 class to 2022 and enrolled at Tennessee in January, joining the Vols midseason. He sat out as a redshirt and practiced with the team for the second half of the year.

He was a four-star prospect out of Word of God Christian Academy in Fayetteville, N.C., ranked No. 44 overall nationally. He was ranked No. 3 among shooting guards and No. 1 in the state of North Carolina.

Freddie Dilione V looking to give Tennessee instant offense

“It helped me get so far ahead,” Dilione said in March of the decision to enroll early at Tennessee. ‘G’ (Garrett Medenwald), the strength coach, got my body right. Coach (Rick) Barnes got my mental right, just learning the game of basketball. I think I’ll just be so far ahead.”

“I think it’s huge, I do,” Barnes said back in January when Dilione arrived on campus. “You look, (enrolling early has) been going on in football forever. The fact that he and his family decided they wanted to do it. I think it’s going to really help him a lot. Gives him a big head start on things.”

While Awaka added instant rebounding for Tennessee, Dilione will be looking to give the Vols instant offense when he joins the rotation this season. 

“I’m just a natural bucket-getter,” Dilione told Volquest in March. “Scoring comes easy to me.”

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