Illini's Leonard gets experience on U.S. under-19 team.

Byline: Stu Durando

June 30--There are some elements of Meyers Leonard's summer basketball excursion he can be pretty sure won't be duplicated during his career at Illinois. There was the moment this week when the U.S. under-19 team interrupted a trip to the beach in Latvia to practice a new play on an adjacent court after borrowing a volleyball from an unsuspecting group. Then there were the crowds at two exhibition games in Lithuania, where the team tuned up for today's start of the FIBA world championships.

"It's a lot different," Leonard said. "They've got these dang horns and they're screaming. They take pride in their country. They have these …