PhD Hoops USA Announces Teams for 2026 Paris World Games Tour
LOS ANGELES, CA – May 9, 2026 – PhD Hoops USA announces the teams, coaches and players who will represent the USA in the Boys U17 & U15 age divisions at the 2026 Paris World Games. Both teams will be on tour from June 22-29, 2026 traveling to France while competing at the PWG, the largest youth tournament in France! The group will experience both high-level basketball and cultural sightseeing.
PhD Hoops USA
(U17 Boys Team)
PLAYERS
Maven Beadle (Glendale, AZ)
Malak Bontzolakes (Washington, D.C.)
Jaeden Crowder (Prattsburgh, NY)
Jackson Dowd (Marine On Saint Croix, MN)
Noah Flagg (St. Cloud, FL)
Jaxson Gregory (Lakeland, FL)
Shawn Lasica (Stuttgart, Germany)
Robert LĂĽtzenburger (Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany)
Marqué Sudduth Jr. (Tonawanda, NY)
Noah Thomas (Philadelphia, PA)
Coach Mike Apple, Head Coach (Lakeview, NC), is coaching with PhD Hoops USA for the 2nd time, previously going to the Euro Youth Basketball Cup in 2022 (Silver Medal). As a highly respected teacher and coach, he has established himself as a leader of young men. At the high school level, he was a 5x Coach of the Year recipient and 2x Teacher of the Year winner. Currently, he is the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Sandhills Community College, one of the most successful Junior College programs in the nation. His program has won two NJCAA National Championships while his efforts have landed him two NJCAA Coach of the Year and NABC Junior College Coach of the Year Awards. Also serving as the Athletic Director, Apple has spent many years as both a Math Teacher and Adjunct Math Professor. He has been inducted into multiple Hall of Fames and played college basketball at Guilford College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics.
PhD Hoops USA
(U15 Boys Team)
PLAYERS
Jensen Bratton (Wenatchee, WA)
Davion Demos (Rochester, NY)
Ehlijah Frenche (Stafford, VA)
Joston Gregory (Lakeland, FL)
AJ Jackson (Denver, CO)
Lucciano Padilla (Sioux City, IA)
Mason Sanders (Decatur, GA)
Dillon Sherman (McKinney, TX)
Noah Solomon (Allen, TX)
Coach Cody Ripato, Head Coach (Longview, TX), is going to the Paris World Games for the 2nd time in 3 years. Coach Rip has the unique distinction of being both a successful PhD Hoops USA Player (2019) and 2x Assistant Coach (2024 and 2025), where he has won both Bronze and Gold Medals. Currently, he is the Assistant Coach at LeTourneau University (TX) and has spent a lot of time leading PGC Basketball Camps as well as the High School All-American Showcase. Additionally, he has coached on the AAU circuit with the Bulls Basketball Club. After a successful 5-year college playing career. he graduated Summa Cum Laude from William Patterson University of New Jersey with his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management.
TRIP LEADER - Aaron Denton (Littleton, NC)
Aaron Denton has been actively involved in the college basketball world for his entire adult life and a large part of the PhD Hoops USA family for a long time. After a successful career as both a player and coach, he currently serves as the Director of Athletics at North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCAA III). Previously, he was the Athletic Director at Sandhills Community College (NJCAA III), while simultaneously building a national powerhouse as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach, and Head Coach at nationally-ranked Louisburg College. Denton also served as Assistant Coach at Miami Dade College, Guilford College and UNC Greensboro. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Guilford College and his MBA from UNC Greensboro while working under Coach Fran McCaffery (currently the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Iowa).
Every PhD Hoops USA player goes through an extensive Player Profile process. Click here for more information on PhD Hoops USA and our Upcoming Tours or contact us at travel@phdhoops.com or (310) 620-6639.
