Host Cedevita beats NGL for first win

Host side U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana started its first-ever Euroleague Basketball Adidas Generation Tournament Ljubljana with a 77-66 victory over U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana in Group A. Cedevita had a 20-2 run early in the game and never was threatened the rest of the way. Lon Lican collected 18 points and 7 assists to lead the winners while Tomas Belina scored 13 points and Gasper Kocevar picked up 10 points and 10 rebounds. Niv Lempert came off the bench to lead NGL with 13 points with Luis Garcia scoring 11 points and Alvaro Folgueiras tallied 10 points and 11 rebounds and Halvin Dzellat chipped in 4 points and 10 rebounds.

Kocevar’s free throw opened the scoring while Mario Saint-Supery’s free throw was NGL’s first score after more than 2 minutes. Lican buried two three-pointers at the other end in a 14-0 run to lead 15-1 before Bautista Rodriguez stopped the 4-minute scoreless drought. Cedevita added six straight points and a Luka Smitran three-point play made it 27-8 after 10 minutes. Another triple from Lican pushed the cushion to 30-10. NGL trailed 32-12 when it finally started to score consistently with Folgueiras scoring 10 points and Lempert picking up five points in a 7-19 surge to pull within 39-31. And the score was 42-31 at intermission.

Rok Popovic’s three-point play pushed the advantage to 16 points - 47-31 - to start the second half. Rodriguez and Garcia hit triples for NGL and four straight points from Garcia trimmed the gap to 54-47. Vukasin Todorovic answered with four points and Cedevita was leading 61-47 after 30 minutes. Kilian Brockhoff started the fourth quarter scoring for NGL but Lican, Belina and Smitran hit three straight triples and the advantage was 72-49 with under 7 minutes left. Cedevita went nearly 4 minutes without a point and NGL trimmed the margin to 72-56, but Todorovic ended the drought with a three-pointer. NGL could not get closer than 11 points in the closing minutes.

Host side U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana started its first-ever Euroleague Basketball Adidas Generation Tournament Ljubljana with a 77-66 victory over U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana in Group A. Cedevita had a 20-2 run early in the game and never was threatened the rest of the way. Lon Lican collected 18 points and 7 assists to lead the winners while Tomas Belina scored 13 points and Gasper Kocevar picked up 10 points and 10 rebounds. Niv Lempert came off the bench to lead NGL with 13 points with Luis Garcia scoring 11 points and Alvaro Folgueiras tallied 10 points and 11 rebounds and Halvin Dzellat chipped in 4 points and 10 rebounds.

Host Cedevita beats NGL for first win

Lon Lican - U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - ANGT Ljubljana (photo Marin Susic) - JT21

U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana (2022-04-15T12:00:00.000Z)

Kaya Shona Matumbirwa’s free throw opened the scoring and Klavzar’s three-point play made it 4-0. Rapieque scored ALBA’s first seven points and the German side was up 6-7. Klavzar knocked down a three-pointer to put Real back ahead while Jamal Entezami and Jannis Berger scored to keep ALBA within 15-11. Real kept ALBA scoreless the final 3 minutes of the first quarter and Nikolas Cebrian beat the buzzer with a three-pointer to lead 22-11. Machowski scored for ALBA to make it 25-13 before Real reeled off 11 straight points and the cushion was 36-13. ALBA finally was able to score a bit more consistently and got the margin down to 39-23. At the other end, Klavzar hit two three-pointers and Miller added two baskets and it was 53-30 at halftime.

Real did not let up at all in the second half with Vide pouring in 10 points and Diagne and Cebrian both hitting three-pointers in a 19-6 start to the third quarter for a 72-36 advantage. Machowski had four points in a 0-6 spurt but the cushion was still 30 points 75-45 after 30 minutes. Real continued its push in the final frame with 10 straight points for an 87-46 lead with 7 minutes left and ALBA did not get closer than 40 points the rest of the way.

Reigning continental champion U18 Real Madrid cruised to a 103-53 victory over U18 ALBA Berlin to open its Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Ljubljana in Group B. Real used a 21-2 run spanning the first and second quarters to take control of the game. Urban Klavzar paced six Real players in double figures with 16 points and 5 assists. Jan Vide scored 15 points, Ismaila Diagne collected 14 points and 10 rebounds, Eli Ndiaye had 14 points and both Baba Miller and Amadou Doumbia scored 11 points in the win. Elias Rapieque was ALBA’s leading scorer with 11 points and both Nils Machowski and Rikus Schulte scored 10 points.

Real races past ALBA for first win

U18 Real Madrid v U18 ALBA Berlin (2022-04-15T10:00:00.000Z)

Kaya Shona Mutambirwa - U18 Real Madrid - ANGT Ljubljana (photo Marin Susic) - JT21

Matteo Rinaldin scored the first points of the ANGT Ljubljana as well as the first points in the competition’s history for BASSANO. Brno had the next four points but then went cold as the Italian side reeled off a 13-0 run over more than 5 minutes with Rinaldin, Sarr and Andrea Cecchi all hitting three-pointers for a 15-4 lead. Olport had a three-point play and Simon Svoboda had a three-pointer, and the deficit was 19-11 after 10 minutes. Adam Lukes’ triple to start the second quarter trimmed the gap to 19-14 only to have BASSANO respond with a 9-2 spurt to lead 28-16. Simon Svoboda drained two three-pointers to get the Czech side within 28-22. Porto answered with eight straight points and BASSANO was up 39-24. Brno finished the first half strong and trailed 41-33 at the break.

U18 Basket Brno beat U18 Orange 1 Bassano 73-75 in the opening game of the tournament in Ljubljana.

EB ANGT Ljubljana Round 1 Highlights: U18 Orange 1 Bassano-U18 Basket Brno

Porto opened the second half to push the advantage back to double digits. Necas started to heat up with four points and Nikita Korotchenko hit a three-pointer to pull Brno within 47-43. Sarr knocked down two three-pointers and Leonardo Valesin also hit from deep and BASSANO was up 58-49 after 30 minutes. Necas poured in seven points and Simon Svoboda knotted the game 67-67 with 4 minutes left. Valesin countered with a three-pointer only to see Necas score again and Josef Svoboda’s three-pointer put Brno ahead 70-72. Sarr converted a layup and BASSANO reclaimed the lead 73-72 with under 2 minutes to play. Simon Svoboda had a layup of his own with 48 seconds left and the Italian side failed to score in the final four possessions, the last being Octavio Mareto’s turnover with 3 seconds on the clock to secure Brno’s victory.

U18 Basket Brno opened the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Ljubljana with a 73-75 victory over ANGT debutant U18 Orange1 Basket in Group B. Brno rallied from 15 points down and Simon Svoboda converted the game-winning three-point play with 48 seconds left. He led the Czech team with 16 points while Lukas Olbort and Jakub Necas both chipped in 15 points. BASSANO, which committed 20 turnovers, was led by Dame Sarr with 16 points with Matteo Porto scoring 15 points and Tiefing Diawara contributing 5 points and 14 rebounds.

Brno rallies back to win opening game

U18 Orange1 Bassano v U18 BASKET BRNO (2022-04-15T08:00:00.000Z)

U18 Basket Brno celebrates - ANGT Ljubljana (photo Marin Susic) - JT21

Lukas Olbort - U18 Basket Brno - ANGT Ljubljana (photo Marin Susic) - JT21

The final Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament qualifier of the season will take place in Slovenia this weekend. The ANGT Ljubljana tips off on Friday, April 15. Here are some of the young talents to keep an eye on.

ANGT Ljubljana players to watch

### Moussa Bamba, U18 Orange1 Bassano

Bamba will be playing his first ANGT event. The forward from Mali is averaging 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds in the Italian U19 championship. He stands 2.04 meters, has elite athleticism and plays with confidence in the low post. Offensively, he mainly plays down low and shows nice touch around the basket with some flashes of creativity. Bamba is a versatile defender who can switch and defend multiple positions thanks to his quick feet and good hand-eye coordination. He finishes above the rim and is a high-level shot blocker.

### Killian Brockhoff, U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana

Brockhoff plays for German club Rasta Vechta, where he is averaging 8.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks in the fourth division and 14.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.6 blocks at the U19 level. The 2.06-meter forward has twice played for Germany at the youth national team level at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019 as well as the FIBA U18 European Challengers 2021. At the latter of those, he averaged 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds. Brockhoff has good shooting range for his size and also has good passing abilities. He is active on defense and can protect the rim.

### Motiejus Krivas, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

Krivas will be competing in the ANGT for a second season after averaging 10.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks at the ANGT Istanbul and then 4.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.7 blocks at the ANGT Finals. The 2.15-meter center made his EuroLeague debut, playing 2:02 minutes against AX Armani Exchange Milan in Round 23. He is averaging 10.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in the Lithuanian second league. Krivas played at the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup where he posted 6.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks. Krivas has great size including a wingspan of 2.24 meters. He has a good basketball IQ for a player his size and very good hands. Krivas is a good shot-blocker and has good control of his body, though he remains somewhat foul prone.

### Lon Lican, U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

Lican will be making his ANGT debut for Cedevita. The 2005-born combo guard averaged 9.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals at the FIBA U16 European Challengers 2021 to help Slovenia qualify for the 2022 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. The 1.94-meter Lican is playing a very important role on the club’s U17, U19 and senior B teams, the latter of which competes in the Slovenian third division. At the U19 ABA tournament in Bar, Lican was one of the key players in helping Cedevita qualify for the final four. Lican has great passing, shooting and penetrating abilities and is also a good rebounder. He is an all-around player who excels at finding his role on the court.

### Eli John Ndiaye, U18 Real Madrid

Ndiaye will be playing his third ANGT campaign and comes into the season as a reigning champion. He averaged 19.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 3.5 steals and 1.0 blocks in last season’s ANGT Finals, including 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals in the championship game. The Senegalese big man debuted this season with Real’s first team in September in the Super Cup final and has also appeared in four EuroLeague games. Ndiaye is an excellent athlete who can cover a lot of ground defensively and gets out in transition quickly. He can finish around the basket with good balance and is improving his shooting and extending his range. Ndiaye also has a decent handle and can play the face-up game.

### Jakub Necas, U18 Basket Brno

Necas will be playing his second ANGT after he posted 13.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks at the ANGT Istanbul last season. The forward is currently averaging 6.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in the Czech League as well as 16.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks in the country’s U19 league. Necas has played twice for his national team, at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019, Division B and then the FIBA U18 European Challenger 2021. He likes to play up-tempo, to attack and create and he can finish with both hands. Necas can defend multiple positions and anticipates well.

### Szymon Nowicki, U18 Basketball Academy Gydnia

Nowicki will be playing at the ANGT for the first time. The 2005-born forward is averaging 7.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks in the Polish third division. He played for Poland at the FIBA U16 European Challenger 2021 and helped the country qualify for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 with 17.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks. Nowicki is a versatile wing who can put the ball on the floor, even as a secondary ball-handler. He also feels comfortable in the post and can rebound well for his position.

### Rikus Schulte, U18 ALBA Berlin

Schulte will be playing in his first ANGT event this season. The 2.06-meter forward is averaging 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in the German third division as well as 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals in the country’s U19 league. Schulte contributed 3.0 points and 3.8 rebounds at the FIBA U18 European Challenger 2021. He is an all-around versatile forward who can play multiple positions. His perimeter game is improving and he has above-average decision-making. Schulte has nice offensive rebounding instincts with a tough mentality.

eli-ndiaye-mvp-u18-real-madrid-champ-angt-finals-valencia-2021-jt20.jpg

The reigning continental champion U18 Real Madrid as well as two-time winner U18 Zalgiris Kaunas top the field for the first-ever Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Ljubljana, which will also include one debutant in the Slovenian capital.

Reigning champ Real, two-time winner Zalgiris top first-ever ANGT Ljubljana field

The eight-team field for the ANGT Ljubljana, which is the replacement for the event originally scheduled to take place in Munich, Germany, features the 2015, 2019 and 2021 winner Real, 2003 and 2007 champion Zalgiris, host side U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana, U18 ALBA Berlin, U18 Basket Brno, U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia, U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana and first-time participant U18 Orange1 Basket Bassano.

The breakdown of the groups are Cedevita, U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia, NGL and Zalgiris in Group A while ALBA, Brno, Bassano and Real make up Group B. The teams will play all others in their group in round-robin style. The top finisher in each group will face off in the first-place game on Sunday. The winner of that game will book a ticket to the ANGT Finals during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four from May 19 to 21 in Belgrade, where they will join U18 ASVEL Villeurbanne, U18 Stellazzurra Rome and U18 PFYM INSEP Paris, which secured first place at the ANGT Belgrade, ANGT Patras and ANGT Varese, respectively.

In Group A, Cedevita is playing its third ANGT under the name Cedevita Olimpija. The team finished sixth with one victory at the ANGT Belgrade in 2020-21. U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia will be competing in the competition for the sixth time and returns after not playing last season. In 2019-20, the Polish club took seventh place in Belgrade. NGL is the fourth team of players selected by Adidas from clubs not playing in the competition. Zalgiris meanwhile took third place at ANGT Istanbul in 2020-21 after losing only to Real and received a wild card for the ANGT Finals, where it lost all three games. In addition to the two ANGT titles, the Lithuanian powerhouse also reached the ANGT Championship Game in 2005, 2006 and 2011.

In Group B, ALBA returns to the competition after not playing in 2020-21 for the first times since 2013-14. The German side, which will be participating for a 12th season, placed seventh at ANGT Munich in 2019-20. Brno is a second-time participant as the Czech side grabbed seventh place at the ANGT Istanbul in its debut in 2020-21. The Italian academy BASSANO is the only debutant in the eight-team field. Real meanwhile has finished first in its ANGT qualifying tournament in the last eight seasons, dating back to losing to U18 Joventut Badalona in the 2013 ANGT L’Hospitalet first-place game. Real owns a 21-game winning streak in the ANGT competition dating back to a loss to eventual champion U18 Rytas Vilnius in group play at the 2018 ANGT Finals. Real went undefeated in winning the continental crowns in 2019 and 2021 and won all four games at the ANGT Munich in 2019-20. Real’s winning streak in ANGT qualifying games stands at 13 dating back to a loss to U18 ratiopharm Ulm in ANGT Munich in 2017-18, which had snapped the Spanish club’s 21-game winning streak in qualifying games.

## FRIDAY 15 APRIL 2022

10:00 U18 Orange1 Bassano - U18 Basket Brno

12:00 U18 Real Madrid - U18 ALBA Berlin

14:00 U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana

16:00 U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia - U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

18:00 U18 ALBA Berlin - U18 Orange1 Bassano

20:00 U18 Basket Brno - U18 Real Madrid

## SATURDAY 16 APRIL 2022

10:00 U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia - U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana

12:00 U18 Zalgiris Kaunas - U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

14:00 U18 Basket Brno - U18 ALBA Berlin

16:00 U18 Real Madrid - U18 Orange1 Bassano

18:00 U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana - U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

20:00 U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana - U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia

## SUNDAY 17 APRIL 2022

10:00 4th Placed Team Group A - 4th Placed Team Group B 7th place

12:00 3rd Placed Team Group A - 3rd Placed Team Group B 5th place

14:00 2nd Placed Team Group A - 2nd Placed Team Group B 3rd place

16:00 1st Placed Team Group A - 1st Placed Team Group B 1st place

## Group A

U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

U18 GAK Basketball Academy Gdynia

U18 Next Generation Team Ljubljana

U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

## Group B

U18 ALBA Berlin

U18 Basket Brno

U18 Orange1 Bassano

U18 Real Madrid

Eight teams will participate in the second Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament qualifier of the season from April 15 to 17 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

ANGT Ljubljana 2022 calendar

Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Varese MVP Zacharie Perrin was the talk of the event.

Perrin’s route to Antibes helps him become ANGT Varese MVP

Perrin took the ANGT Varese by storm for the Next Generation Team Varese and averaged 17.7 points on 62.4% two-point shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks and 6.0 fouls drawn for an index rating of 23.0. NGV reached the first-place game at ANGT Varese to become the first Next Generation Team to get that far.

One of the things that separates Perrin from the many top talents in France is that the center’s rise came at a second division team and not at one of the country’s youth talent powerhouses.

“I am really happy about this because it’s really hard to be named MVP of the ANGT because there are a lot of good players,” said Perrin, who ranked first in scoring and PIR and second in rebounds and fouls drawn.

Perrin tallied 11 points and 7 rebounds in the first-place game, which his team lost to U18 PFYM INSEP Paris. It was a game that meant a lot to the 2.07-meter big man because it was against the famed French institution, which included five players who were his teammates on France’s team at the FIBA U18 European Challengers 2021.

“I was happy about playing against them. I know them really well and it was really cool,” said Perrin, who had played with Rayan Rupert, Melvin Ajinca, Alexandre Bouzidi, Simon Correa and Mael Hamon Crespin.

EB ANGT Varese MVP Highlights: Zacharie Perrin, U18 Next Generation Team Varese

Those players are also playing at PFYM, which is one of the most established and successful producers of French players. Perrin did not receive that opportunity. Nor did places like LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, Cholet or SIG Strasbourg come calling for the big man who hails from Besancon, which is located in eastern France near the border with Switzerland.

“The very well-known places did not really see my potential at the time as I was not developed yet,” said Perrin, who started playing the game at age 9 and eventually headed down to the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice to join Antibes. “The offer that Antibes made me was very fitting and I thought it was a great way for me to develop as a player and as a person.”

Playing for the ProB second division club also gave the youngster more chances.

“It’s been great for me because it gives me an opportunity to play for different categories - U18, U21 and professional. I also train with the pros and have been in a few games,” said Perrin, who has collected 4 points and 4 rebounds in 7 minutes over two games in the second division. “Instead of playing with a well-known first division team where playing time would be limited, Antibes is much more interested for me to develop.”

That’s not to say that Perrin automatically was able to shine with Antibes’s first team.

“It was pretty tough at the beginning. The difference between the younger categories and the pros was a big jump for me. But I’ve been training for four or five months now and I have adapted and the coach has shown a lot of trust in me,” he said. “It has helped me develop physically - to play tougher, stronger, and develop my tactical vision and technical skills. The physicality is much tougher so I have to show my skills as well to earn some minutes.”

Perrin said his style of play - an inside-outside offensive game while blocking shots and getting steals on defense - is very similar to his role model.

“I’ve always worshipped and watched Anthony Davis because he’s a tall player who is very versatile, has a great shot, handles and skills. That is something that has always inspired me. Not to just be a big man that can score under the basket but also shoot from the three-point line and be versatile,” Perrin said.

The world is definitely seeing Perrin and his game now - even if that wasn’t the case early on.

Zacharie Perrin - U18 Next Generation Team Varese - ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Aday Mara has already accomplished some big things in his young career and the U18 Casademont Zaragoza big man draws inspiration from someone else from the northeastern Spanish city who has reached big heights early as well - Carlos Alocen.

Mara finds inspiration from fellow Zaragoza native Alocen

Mara had some highs and lows at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Varese. He collected 7.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks for an average performance index rating of 11.5 Those stats ranked him eighth in rebounds and first in blocks as one of the most talented big man prospects in Varese.

A major reason Mara was able to shine was his experience from the ANGT Istanbul last season, when he posted 8.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks despite being two years younger than the rest of the competition.

“Last year’s ANGT helped me a lot mentally. Since I already had the experience of facing a high level of competition, my concentration off the court grew and that helped me to be more focused on it,” said Mara, whose best game in Varese saw him tally 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists for an index rating of 25 against U18 AX Armani Exchange Milan.

The ANGT Varese is Mara’s second major highlight this season - the first coming on November 17 when he made his Zaragoza first team debut in the FIBA Europe Cup.

“When the game started, I thought I would play 1 or 2 minutes at the end of the game. When \[head coach\] Jaume \[Ponsarnau\] called me to go in, I got really surprised because the game was at the beginning and it was tied. I started really nervous, but then I get used to it,” said Mara, who finished with 2 points and 2 rebounds in 7 minutes against Reggio Emilia.

The big man said playing in that game was a great experience and serves as a major motivation for him.

“To play and practice at that level helps me a lot. The game is faster and harder and every mistake is penalized. You need to be more focused on the game to take better and faster decisions when playing,” he said.

Zaragoza is a club that does not shy away from putting in young players if they are ready. Alocen is the club’s youngest debutant at 15 years and 10 months and the third-youngest player in Spanish League history. He served as Zaragoza’s captain at just 18 years of age and in the summer of 2019 signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid.

“What Carlos did is really difficult. To play in the ACB is really difficult, but to perform like him and at such an important club, is even more difficult,” Mara said of Alocen, who is spending his second season with Real but is currently out for the season injured. “He is an inspiration and makes me also want to do what he did. Thanks to that, I am working even harder to achieve it.”

Just like Alocen, Mara not only hails from Zaragoza but he has sports in his blood. His father, Francisco Javier Mara, played in the Spanish League for Zaragoza while his mother Angelica Gomez was one of Spain’s best volleyball players, competing for many years on the national team.

“My mother, and my father as well, help me a lot off the court. Her advice from her competitive experiences is really helpful,” said Mara, who was already 2.18 meters tall at 16 years of age. “What they insist the most is to play without pressure, focus on having fun when going on the court and take advantage of these experiences that make me grow as a player and person.”

Armed with bloodlines of two athletes as parents, a club that gives youngsters chances to shine and inspiration from a EuroLeague player from his same city, Aday Mara should expect a career full of highlights.

Aday Mara - U18 Casademont Zaragoza - ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Zacharie Perrin was named the Most Valuable Player of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Varese qualifying tournament for helping guide U18 Next Generation Team Varese to the first-place game.

NGV's Perrin named MVP at ANGT Varese

Perrin collected 11 points and 7 rebounds in that game though it was not enough as U18 PFYM INSEP Paris prevailed 41-71. Still, Perrin was the leading figure on the first of the three Next Generation Teams to advance to the first-place game thus far. Perrin was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Noah Benda and Melvin Ajinca from PFYM as well as Ruben Prey and Jordi Rodriguez from third-place finisher U18 Joventut Badalona.

Perrin averaged 17.7 points on 62.4% two-point shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks and 6.0 fouls drawn for an average performance index rating of 23.0. He led the tourney in scoring and PIR and ranked second in rebounds and fouls drawn.

Penda came off the bench in the first-place game and collected 13 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. He averaged 9.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 14.5 PIR for the weekend, ranking third with 3.5 offensive rebounds, third in steals, fifth in PIR and sixth in rebounds. Ajinca tallied 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in the first-place game. All told, he averaged 10.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.8 steals and a 13.0 PIR. Ajinca ranked fourth in steals.

Prey finished the tournament with 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds - including 3.2 on the offensive glass, 0.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.2 blocks for a PIR of 14.0. He was third in scoring, fourth in offensive rebounds and blocks, sixth in index rating and tied for eighth in steals. His teammate Rodriguez finished the tournament with 15.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.2 steals and a 13.2 PIR while shooting 44.7% on three-pointers - including making 7 in one game, which was just one off the single-game ANGT record. Rodriguez ranked second in scoring, first in triples made per game (3.8), tied for eighth in steals and ninth in index rating.

Zacharie Perrin MVP - U18 Next Generation Team Varese - ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

All-Tournament team ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Best 5, Noah Penda - U18 PFYM INSEP- ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Best 5, Ruben Prey - U18 Joventut Badalona - ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Best 5, Zacharie Perrin - U18 Next Generation Team Varese - ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Best 5, Melvin Ajinca - U18 PFYM INSEP- ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21

Best 5, Jordi Rodriguez - U18 Joventut Badalona - ANGT Varese 2022 (photo Alessia Doniselli) - JT21