Precision Time Systems, which was invented by former NBA and college referee Michael Costabile, has become the industry standard for timekeeping in basketball games, but the NCAA -- unlike the NBA, the Olympics, all major conferences and even some high schools -- doesn’t use the automatic timing system for its signature event.

In a sense, it’s like using a modern timing system to determine how fast Usain Bolt runs or Michael Phelps swims until they get to the Olympics, then breaking out the stopwatches to figure out who gets the gold medal.

Costabile’s system, which uses wireless technology to sync whistles to the clock, ranges in price from $3,185 to $3,750 each, which sounds like pocket change compared to the tournament’s $10.8 billion television deal.

“This is 2011,” said Nelson Keller, who runs the clock merely as a backup for women’s games at North Carolina and the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. “It’s crazy not to use the technology that’s available.”

The 2011 Nike Hoop Summit will be played on April 9th at the Rose Garden in Portland.

Leading the way for the USA will be four players who helped the USA to gold at both the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship, including 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship MVP Brad Beal (Chaminade College Prep/St. Louis, Mo.), Quinn Cook (Oak Hill Academy/Bowie, Md.), James McAdoo (Norfolk Christian/ Norfolk, Va.) and Adonis Thomas (Melrose H.S./Cordova, Tenn.).

The USA Junior National Select team also features 2010 USA U17 gold medalists Michael Gilchrist (St. Patrick H.S./Somerdale, N.J.), Marquis Teague (Pike H.S./Indianapolis, Ind.) and Tony Wroten (Garfield H.S./Seattle, Wash.), as well as Austin Rivers (Winter Park H.S./Winter Park, Fla.), who helped lead the USA to a gold medal in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.

Rounding out the roster are USA Basketball newcomers Rakeem Christmas (Academy of the New Church/Philadelphia, Pa.) and Anthony Davis (Perspectives Charter/Chicago, Ill.).

Kyle Wiltjer, a 6’9” forward from the Jesuit High School will represent Canada on the World Select Team.

Along with Wiltjer, the other forward positions are taken by Dario Saric (6’9”, KK Zagreb CC and Croatia) and Davis Bertans (6’7”, Union Olimpija and Latvia).

Mateusz Ponitka (6’5”, Tempcold AZS and Poland), Kevin Pangos (6’1”, Dr Denison H.S., Ontario, Canada), Evan Fournier (6’6”, Union Poitiers and France) and Raul Neto (6’2”, Pitagoras/Minas and Brazil) will be featured as guards.

The global squad is currently rounded off with centers Lucas Nogueira (7’0”, Estudiantes and Brazil) and Przemyslaw Karnowski (7’0”, SMS PZKosz and Poland).

If labor strife produces a lockout that could last into the beginning of next season, Dirk Nowitzki reiterated Sunday night his desire to return for the German national team as it attempts to qualify this summer for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Nowitzki will turn 33 in June and he has said that 2012 would probably be his last shot at playing in the Olympics.

"If we're locked out, I might play this summer,'' he said. "We have a qualification coming up for the Olympics again. The Olympics for me in Beijing were so much fun. They were a blast. I'd love to go to London, but we have to qualify for it first. We have that this summer; if we're locked out and I know it's going to be a little longer and I don't have anything going anyway, I might as well stay in shape and play."

Serge Ibaka may join Spain in EuroBasket 2011 if there are no setbacks in his process of nationalization.

Ibaka was born in the Congo, but filled out an affidavit requesting a Spanish passport.

If Ibaka is naturalized, it will impact Nikola Mirotic, as FIBA allows only one citizen by choice. Mirotic is set for the Under-20 Championship in Bilbao, though he has played high level basketball for Real Madrid and is currently projected as the ninth overall selection in RealGM's latest mock draft.

Kemba Walker trained with the USA Select team that helped prepare the USA National Team for the world championships in Turkey.

Playing against the likes of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Rajon Rondo helped take Walker’s game to new heights.

"The USA thing changed my life," he said. "The way those guys guarded me, nobody guarded me like that in my life. Playing those guys made me realize how good I was on this level. It made me see things slower."

Blake Griffin has emerged as one of the best young players in the game, but there may not be room on the USA roster for the 2012 Olympics.

“I haven’t talked to anyone at USA Basketball at all,” Griffin told Sporting News. “I would love to (play), but I know they have a protocol and they bring guys in the summers before and all that, and I haven’t been able to do any of that the past two summers. They have guys that have been in the program. It’s one of those things where, I’d be glad to, but it’s not my main concern.”

Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant are considered locks in the frontcourt, which would likely leave two spots for a group that includes Chris Bosh, Lamar Odom, Rudy Gay, Kevin Love and Griffin, amongst others.

Griffin wouldn't choose not to play because of concerns over his knee.

“Nothing like that, I am not fatigued or anything,” he said. “I have done a lot to try to stay fresh and stay healthy, doing a lot of treatment and making sure I get my lifts and all that. It’s a tough part of the season, just because we’re nearing the end and we’ve been on the road for a long time. It’s just one of those things, you have to go through it, and I am going through it and it’s a good experience for me. Summer will be the same. Next time around, I will be more prepared."

Canadians have enjoyed an excellent college basketball 10-11 season.

Brampton’s Tristan Thompson and Ajax native Cory Joseph, key members of the Texas Longhorns, both were named to the Big 12′s all-rookie team.

Joseph’s cousin, Kris Joseph of Montreal made the all-Big East third team for Syracuse. Joseph is the first Canadian to receive that honor since Bill Wennington in 1985.