Raleigh Upper Room Academy graduate Rodney Purvis, an N.C. State recruit, was selected for the USA U18 national team during tryouts this week in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The team will represent the United States in the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championships in Sao Sebastiáo do Paraiso, Brazil on June 16 through 20.

Purvis is joined on the team by Tarboro’s Montrezl Harrell, a Louisville recruit; University of North Carolina commitment Nathaniel Britt; UNC recruit Joel James; Maryland recruit Jake Layman; and Duke recruit Rasheed Sulaimon.

Billy Donovan of the University of Florida is the head coach.

National track: The New Balance Outdoor Nationals high school national track and field championships in Greensboro next week are a reminder of how extraordinary Kathy McMillan of Raeford Hoke High was in 1976.

McMillan set the girls national high school record in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 3 inches on June 21, 1976.

The record still stands and no one has come close to matching that jump in 35 years.

The area will be well represented in the New Balance championships that begin Thursday at North Carolina A&T.

Ravenscroft’s Wesley Frazier has entered the girls mile, two mile and 5,000 meters and should be a contender in each race. Millbrook’s Samanatha George is expected to run in the mile. Cary Academy’s Thomas Graham is in the mile. Enloe state champion Jonathan Addison will high jump and long jump.

Among the area sprinters are Tevin Hester of Granville Central in boys and Alexis Murphy in girls. Ariah Graham of Wakefield is a national class runner in the 400 meters. Runners from Knightdale and Wakefield are among the national elite in the boys and girls relays.

Pride grad to Citadel: Quintin Marshall wasn’t recruited by any college basketball programs after his senior season at Leesville Road High in 2011, but after a season at Charis Prep in Wilson, the 6-foot-4 swingman is signing with The Citadel.

“I was way under the radar,” Marshall said.

He was good enough to start at Leesville and averaged about 15 points per game. He averaged about 16 points per game last year at Charis, which is best known as the alma mater of current New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.

Citadel offered him after a visit last week.

“The Citadel is a very prestigious school,” Marshall said. “I think Citadel will help prepare me for the rest of my life. There is a life after basketball and I think Citadel will help me live a successful life.”

Girls lacrosse: Three Green Hope girls were among seven North Carolina high school players selected to the U.S. Lacrosse girls high school all-America team.

The Falcons’ Maggie Auslander, Julie Hagan and Katherine Smith were joined on the team by Shelby Scanlin of Cardinal Gibbons, Natalie Wallon of Charlotte Catholic, Sydney Holman of East Chapel Hill and Caroline Margolis of Ravenscroft.

Pirate signs: Durham High baseball pitcher Clay King has signed with Brevard College. King is 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. In addition to posting a 2-1 pitching record with a 4.34 earned run average, he hit .306.

“Clay works extremely hard and is a very good kid,” said Riverside coach Doug Blowe. “I am really excited that he got this opportunity.”

Charity game: Players from the 2001 boys basketball game between before Leesville Road High and Broughton will be among the participants Thursday in the Richard Murphy Charity basketball game on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Former McDonald’s all-Americas Shavlik Randolph of Broughton and Anthony Richardson of Leesville, who are currently professional players, are expected to participate.

Leesville defeated Broughton at a sold out Reynolds Coliseum in a regular season game that season. Leesville also won a rematch in the N.C. High School Athletic Association regionals in Greenville.

TSTEVENS: 919-829-8910