Former Lakeshore Laker and current University of Illinois wheelchair basketball standout Brian Bell (Deatsville, AL) is among 24 players selected to attend the U-23 trials at the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham. The tryouts run April 2 - 4.

USA head coach Jim Glatsch will be joined by assistant coaches Miles Thompson (University of Alabama), David Kiley and a selection committee to select 12 players that will represent the United States on the U-23 team, which includes players that are 23 years old and younger.

Bell led the Lakeshore Lakers to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association's Varsity Division national championship in 2007 and was also a member of the U.S. Junior National Wheelchair Basketball Team that won a gold medal at the 2005 World Junior Wheelchair Basketball Championships. Bell was featured in Sports Illustrated in 2006 in the "Faces in the Crowd" section for his accomplishments in helping lead the Lakeshore Lakers to the NWBA junior division national championship. Bell scored 38 points and had 15 rebounds in the championship victory against the Milwaukee Wheeling Wizards and Bell was named MVP of the championship game.

Bell signed to play with the University of Illinois in 2006. At the time, University of Illinois head coach Mike Frogley said, "Brian is the top high school player in the country, and he's probably one of the top three (wheelchair basketball athletes) in the world overall. We're ecstatic to get him."

Tryouts are open to the public and begin at 9 a.m. both Friday and Saturday.