For several years, the biggest storyline of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade was if anybody could beat local side U18 Crveza Zvezda mts Belgrade. 

Zvezda seeks return to glory at ANGT Belgrade

This time around, the question is whether the 2014 U18 continental champion can finally reclaim first place in the Serbian capital after U18 Mega Soccerbet Belgrade and U18 Partizan NIS Belgrade took top honors the past two seasons. Mega is looking to start the road to a third ANGT Championship Game – and hoping the third time is a charm. The three Belgrade clubs will duke it out at FMP Arena from March 26 to 28 alongside U18 Buducnost VOLI Podgorica of Montenegro, U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana of Slovenia, Russia's U18 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel and Romanian club U18 U-BT Cluj Napoca, which will be making its debut in the competition.

There will be two four-team groups with each team playing each other in round-robin style. The two group winners will square off on Sunday in the first-place game with the victor of that contest locking up the third qualifying spot at the ANGT Finals. U18 FC Barcelona booked the first ticket to the ANGT Finals after winning the ANGT Valencia in December. U18 Real Madrid followed suit by taking first place at the ANGT Istanbul last week. The remaining five teams to compete in the field at the ANGT Finals will be determined by wild cards.

Group A includes Zvezda, Partizan, Maccabi and Cluj. Zvezda dominated this qualifying tournament from 2011 to 2018, taking first place each year and accordingly advancing to the ANGT Finals. Zvezda won the U18 European trophy in 2014 and reached the ANGT Championship Game in 2015 and 2016 as well. Zvezda lost to Mega in the 2019 ANGT Belgrade first-place game, snapping a winning streak of 38 games. Zvezda, however, received a wild card to the ANGT Finals in 2019 and went 2-1 there. Last season, Zvezda crashed to sixth place, going 1-2 in the group stage and then losing to Olimpija as well. The local side will try to reclaim the trophy this year. Partizan enters the event after winning the ANGT Belgrade for the first time last season. Partizan beat Zvezda on a Lazar Stefanovic layup with 1.7 seconds left to reach the first-place game, where it knocked off U18 CFBB Paris to qualify for the ANGT Finals for the first time. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, denied Partizan a chance to compete at the end-of-season event. Now Partizan will try to repeat its first-place showing. Maccabi finished fourth at the ANGT Belgrade last season after going 1-2 in the group stage. The Israeli champion took second place at the ANGT Munich in the 2018-19 season. The final team in the group is Cluj from Romania, which will be making its ANGT debut.

Group B is made up of Olimpija, Buducnost, Lokomotiv and Mega. Olimpija will be playing in the ANGT competition for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons. Last season it placed fifth at the ANGT Belgrade after knocking off Zvezda with a 2-1 record in the group stage. Buducnost has not played in the ANGT since 2015-16 when it was winless at the ANGT Belgrade. It will be the club’s fifth appearance. Lokomotiv will be participating for the second time after the Russian side took seventh place at the 2018-19 ANGT Kaunas. Mega took first place in Belgrade in the 2018-19 season and reached the ANGT Championship Game for a second time following 2017. Last season, Mega took third place in Belgrade after losing to Olimpija in the group stage.

After Eli Ndiaye helped U18 Real Madrid win the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Istanbul and secure a spot in the ANGT Finals, he was recognized for his skills and hard work by earning ANGT Istanbul MVP honors.

U18 Real big man Ndiaye thankful for his chance

Ndiaye was crucial in Real fending off a fight from U18 Stellazzurra Rome to capture a 77-85 victory in the ANGT Istanbul first-place game. The center collected 28 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 8 fouls drawn for a PIR of 36 in the win.

"I have to thank Real Madrid for helping me to compete every day at a great level."

"The level of this competition is incredible and that makes this the best tournament in Europe. So winning it is special for us," said Ndiaye, who averaged 17.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals for an average index rating of 23.8 to earn the Most Valuable Player award.

"He deserves that a lot. He is a good teammate. He always thinks about the team and what he must do for them. I'm very happy for him because if there was one player who deserves it, it’s him," said Real’s U18 head coach Mariano De Pablos about Ndiaye.

The Senegal native is a key component in Real’s chances of winning a third U18 continental crown following its titles from 2015 and 2019. And he would love to give that to the club.

"For us the players, for the club, it would be very important. The club is helping us every day to improve in every aspect of our lives – on and off the court, and for that, I am very grateful," Ndiaye said. "Winning titles is the ultimate success that we all work for. But on the way to that success, there is a lot of work behind that, which has almost the same value."

Ndiaye certainly has put in the work to improve since coming to Europe from Senegal in 2017 as a 13-year-old. He hails from Guediawaye, which is along the coast of the western tip of Senegal near Dakar.

"Life in Senegal was different, but I enjoyed that time a lot. I spent all the time with my family and friends, who encouraged me to practice basketball when I grew up and started to be taller than the average kids because I used to play soccer. It was a good decision," he explained.

"When I arrived in Madrid, everything was different compared to my life in Senegal: the city, the customs, the language. I remember that I arrived with great expectations and enthusiasm, and that helped me during those first months."

The 2004-born Ndiaye gradually rose the ranks with Real, going from the "Infant A" in 2017-18 to "Cadet B" in 2018-19 and "Cadet A" in 2019-20 and finally the "Junior" level this season. Along the way, he helped Real win the 2019 Spanish U16 domestic title. He collected 10 points, 17 rebounds and 2 blocks in the final and won the MVP trophy.

Despite not turning 17 until late June, Ndiaye is playing this season in the Spanish fourth league EBA, where he is averaging 11.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.9 steals.

"I have to thank Real Madrid for helping me to compete every day at a great level. This season I've had the opportunity to play in EBA, where I face good young players and also more experienced players," said Ndiaye, who scored in double figures four times in a five-game stretch from mid-February to mid-March. "That’s something new for me. That helps in my growth as a player and forces me to play basketball in a different situation in which I learn a lot of things."

And that leads him to putting in more work to get even better.

Ondrej Hustak was already two years into his basketball journey in Spain when the chance arose to return to his native Czech Republic and work with one of the country's best retired players. 

Work with EuroLeague champ Barton brings Hustak back home

He made the move and the opportunity also landed him in the spotlight of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Istanbul.

Hustak shined at the ANGT Istanbul as he averaged 15.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks and 4.8 fouls received for an average index rating of 20.0 for U18 Basket Brno, which was making its debut in the ANGT competition. He ranked seventh in the tournament in scoring, tied for third in rebounds and fifth in index rating.

"For me, the most important thing about attending this event is the experience I can gain, since we play against really good teams," said Hustak, who got to test himself against U18 Anadolu Efes Istanbul, U18 Casademont Zaragoza and U18 Stellazzurra Rome in the group stage and then U18 Tofas Bursa in the seventh-place game. "I believe the experience of playing against teams that good itself is something that will teach me a lot."

The 17-year-old Hustak has not played much this season. He practices with Brno's professional team in the Czech League as well as the Next Generation youth squad. But Czech Republic COVID-19 protocols have not allowed the youth team to play games, so Hustak has only gone through scrimmages with that team. And he has appeared in five games in the Czech pro league.

"I would say I have improved a lot. I see a huge impact of training with the A-team," said Hustak, who is averaging 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in those games including getting 8 points and 9 rebounds against Ostrava.

Hustak is playing alongside Czech internationals Viktor Pulpan, Simon Pursl and Radek Farsky as well as Bulgarian national team forward Aleksandar Yanev for a Brno club that is co-owned by former EuroLeague-winning head coach David Blatt.

"I like Brno and the Czech Republic in general. I have a chance to be part of a great club and also have the best coaches. I am very satisfied here," Hustak said.

Ondrej's best characteristic, besides being 212 centimeters tall, is his relentless work ethic and love for the game.

It was a EuroLeague connection that brought the 2.12-meter center back to his homeland. Hustak's coach in the youth team is Lubos Barton, who helped FC Barcelona to the 2010 EuroLeague title and Joventut Badalona to the ULEB Cup crown in 2006. Barton also played for the Czech Republic senior team for more than 15 years, appearing in the 2007, 2013 and 2015 FIBA EuroBaskets.

"He was one of the best Czech players, and I am sure playing in his team is going to have a huge impact on me," said Hustak.

"Ondrej's best characteristic, besides being 212 centimeters tall, is his relentless work ethic and love for the game. He became student of the game," said Barton, who served as an assistant coach in Barcelona's youth ranks before joining Brno. "He moves well on the court and has a very nice touch. He improved his body, his strength and now he is able to play faster and more physical basketball."

Despite not turning 18 until November, Hustak has already gone through a major maturing process as well. He and his twin brother Adam left the Czech Republic in 2018 when they were still 14 to join Spanish club TD Systems Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz.

"We left without family so we were on our own, but we still had each other there as a support," said Ondrej, who is 7 minutes younger than Adam. The older brother also made the move to Brno and is also at the ANGT Istanbul. "We wanted to try moving to a foreign country and get familiar with their game philosophy and strategy."

There were a lot of non-basketball adjustments to go through as well. "One of the main things was learning a new language for sure. I also had the opportunity to meet guys from different cultures," said Hustak, who also played with his brother for Czech Republic at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019, Division B.

Hustak has opened the eyes of a lot of scouts watching the ANGT Istanbul, who believe the big man with good moves inside and some range to the outside could be a high-level prospect down the road. And he was able to show that thanks to him taking the opportunity of returning home to play for a former EuroLeague champion.

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Eli Ndiaye claimed the Most Valuable Player trophy at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Istanbul after guiding U18 Real Madrid to a 77-85 victory over U18 Stellazzurra Rome in the first-place game. 

Real's Ndiaye headlines ANGT Istanbul all-tournament team as MVP

Joining Ndiaye on the all-tournament team were teammate Matteo Spagnolo, Nicola Giordano of Stellazzurra, Liutauras Lelevicius of U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and Jakub Necas of U18 Basket Brno.

Ndiaye collected 28 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 8 fouls drawn for an index rating of 36 in Real’s hard-fought win over Stellazzurra. For the tournament, the 2004-born forward averaged 17.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and a 23.8 PIR. Ndiaye ranked second in points and PIR, fifth in rebounds and two-point shooting percentage (59.0%) and tied for fifth in steals.

Spagnolo tallied 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in the first-place game against his former team and finished with averages of 15.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 blocks for an index rating of 18.2. He finished the tournament ranked fifth in points, sixth in assists and index rating, tied for fourth in blocks and 11th in rebounds. Giordano gave a valiant fight against Real with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in the loss. For the tournament, the guard averaged 16.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists for a PIR of 14.0. Giordano was the fourth-best scorer and 11th in index rating.

Liutauras guided Zalgiris to third place with 18.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 22.8 index rating. He led the tournament in scoring as well as three-point shooting percentage (61.1%), was ranked second in two-point shooting percentage (66.7%) and third in PIR. Necas helped debutant Brno to seventh place in the tournament with 13.3 points, 9.5 rebounds,4.5 assists and 1.0 blocks for an average PIR of 21.0. Necas ranked 10th in points, third in rebounds, seventh in assists, fourth in index rating and tied for fourth in blocks and third in two-point shooting percentage (60.9%).

The Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament returns to action this weekend with the ANGT Istanbul qualifying event. Future stars from all over Europe will be on display with teams from six countries in action, all vying to clinch one of three automatic berths to the ANGT Finals.

ANGT Istanbul: Players to watch

The Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament returns to action this weekend with the ANGT Istanbul qualifying event. Future stars from all over Europe will be on display with teams from six countries in action, all vying to clinch one of three automatic berths to the ANGT Finals. Here's a chance to get familiar with a top performer from each team in preparation for an exciting tournament.

### Ulas Merdoglu, U18 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

This is will be Merdoglu’s first ANGT event. As a 2005-born player he will be two years younger than the rest of the competition. The 2.04 meter big man joined Fenerbahce in 2016. He is averaging 6.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and what 1.2 blocks in the Turkish U19 league this season. He is a good rebounder and shot-blocker.

### Nicola Giordano, U18 Stellazzurra Rome

Giordano will be appearing in an ANGT tournament for the third time. Last season he averaged 8.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals at the ANGT Munich. In 2018-19, the 1.88-meter guard contributed 12.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals at the ANGT Kaunas. He helped Italy to third place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019 with 6.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Giordano is currently playing in the Italian second division and averaging 6.6 points, 1.5 assists and 1.2 rebounds per game. He plays well at both ends of the court. Giordano brings energy and intensity to the team, especially at the defensive end with his solid physique helping to be a good defender. The guard has a great work ethic on and off the court and is mature for his age. He is not afraid of big moments or taking a risk. He is a great scorer who can go to the basket or shoot at a high percentage. And his speed makes him difficult to defend in transition.

### Ugnius Jarusevicius, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

This will be the second ANGT for Jarusevicius after he collected 4.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game last season at the ANGT Kaunas. He also has played internationally for Lithuania. He contributed 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019. Jarusevicius is a 2.05-meter big man playing for Zalgiris's senior team in the second division and averaging 4.3 points and 3.2 rebounds. He is quite mobile for his height and can play facing the basket or post-up. He has midrange distance on his shot and is a fine free throw shooter.

### Gustav Knudsen, U18 Casademont Zaragoza

Knudsen will be playing at his third ANGT. He suited up with Zaragoza at the ANGT Kaunas last season and averaged 11.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. The 2.04-meter guard played at the 2018-19 ANGT Kaunas as well for Danish team U18 DBA Copenhagen. The Denmark native has played two games in the Spanish League this season, combining for 2 points in 4 minutes. He also helped Denmark to finish third at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019 Division B with 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks. Knudsen has great physical attributes and can run and play in the open court. He also plays good defense and excels at the one-on-one game. Despite playing as a shooting guard or small forward, he contributes by pushing the ball on offense and helps a lot in rebounding at both ends of the court.

### Jakub Necas, U18 Basket Brno

Just like his club Brno, Necas will be appearing at the ANGT for the first time. The 2.02-meter small forward has played on the international stage with the Czech Republic at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019 Division B, where he averaged 10.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals. The 2004-born Necas is a left-handed, all-around player who can play various positions on the floor. He has a great feel for the game and is not afraid to mix it up. He is one of the leaders of the team and excels in the open court, can slash to the rim and finish with both hands. Necas is also a good catch-and-shoot three-point shooter and versatile defender.

### Batin Tuna, U18 Tofas Bursa

This will be Tuna’s second experience at the ANGT after he contributed 10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.8 steals at the ANGT Valencia last season. The shooting guard also appeared in two 7DAYS EuroCup games last season 2019-20, playing 8:44 minutes and capturing 1 steal. Tuna has appeared in 11 Turkish League games this season. He also has played for Turkey at the FIBA U16 European Championship in 2018 and 2019, taking a bronze medal in 2018 and then recording 12.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals in 2019. He has a powerful right-hand penetration and is versatile enough to play various positions thanks to his physical build and knowledge of the game. Tuna can play the pick-and-roll and is a reliable spot-up three-point shooter. He has a good instinct for chasing the rebound and can find easy baskets from the weak side with cuts. If he improves his left-hand penetration, he will become a top prospect.

### Koralp Turk, U18 Anadolu Efes Istanbul

Turk will be making his debut in the ANGT. He has played for Turkey’s youth national teams where he averaged 8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2019. He was selected as the MVP of his age class's national tournament in 2019. The power forward also has experience outside his country; he spent last season playing high school basketball in the United States. Turk can stretch the floor with his consistent outside shots, but he also can be productive around the rim and has a high basketball IQ.

Eli Ndiaye, U18 Real Madrid
Eli Ndiaye will be playing in his second ANGT after he averaged 16.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 0.8 blocks at the ANGT Munich last season, including collecting 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks in the first-place game. He is averaging 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds this season in the Spanish fourth division EBA league. This is the 2004-born Senegal center’s fourth season with Real Madrid. The 2.03 meter big man is an inside player with a lot of strength and mobility. Ndiaye can alternate the power forward and center positions. He is a very good finisher with a lot of resources, including a good perimeter shot.

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A pair of two-time former champions headline the field for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Istanbul.

Former champs Real, Zalgiris headline ANGT Istanbul

The 19th edition of the competition continues with this season's second qualifying event, to be held on March 19-21 in the Turkish metropolis.

U18 Real Madrid, which won the European crown in 2015 and 2019, and U18 Zalgiris Kaunas, the winner from 2003 and 2007, will both head to Turkey hoping that this is the first step to collecting a third ANGT title and pulling even with record winner U18 CSKA Moscow. The rest of the field includes host team U18 Anadolu Efes Istanbul, 2018 runner-up U18 Stellazzurra Rome of Italy, 2012 runner-up U18 Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, which was a replacement for Greek side U18 Promitheas Patras, ANGT debutant U18 Basket Brno of Czech Republic, U18 Casademont Zaragoza of Spain and Turkey's U18 Tofas Bursa, which replaced U18 Pole France Yvan Mainini (formerly known as CFBB Paris/INSEP).

The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Munich, but because Germany's pandemic protocols do not allow non-professional sporting events to take place, the ANGT Munich needed a new home. Efes's plan to host the event was approved and the club was added to the competition for previously-planned host U18 FC Bayern Munich.

The eight teams will be broken down into two four-team groups with each team playing each other in round-robin style at Efes's training facility. The two group winners will face off on Sunday in the first-place game with the victor of that contest qualifying for the ANGT Finals. U18 FC Barcelona booked the first ticket to the ANGT Finals after winning the ANGT Valencia last December. The third qualifying tournament will be played in Belgrade on March 26-28 to determine the third spot in the ANGT Finals. The remaining five teams in the field will be determined by wild cards.

Istanbul’s Group A consists of Efes, Brno, Zaragoza and Stellazzurra. Efes returns to the competition for the first time since 2017-18 when it went 2-1 in the group phase at ANGT Belgrade and ended up finishing fourth. Brno will be making its debut in the event. The team is coached by Lubos Barton, who won the 2010 EuroLeague title with Barcelona and the 2008 ULEB Cup with Joventut Badalona. Zaragoza will be appearing in the competition for a second time after debuting last season at the ANGT Kaunas and going 0-4. Stellazzurra was undefeated in the group stage at the ANGT Munich last season before losing to Real Madrid in the first-place game. The Italian club reached the 2018 ANGT Championship Game and lost to U18 Rytas Vilnius.

Real tops Group B along with Zalgiris, Fenerbahce and Tofas. Real is the last team crowned U18 continental champion because the 2020 ANGT Finals were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Real had booked its ticket to the 2020 showcase after taking first place at the ANGT Munich, the third straight time the Spanish powerhouse won the tournament in southern Germany. Real comes to Istanbul having won the last seven qualifying tournaments in which it has competed (ANGT L’Hospitalet in 2014, 2015 and 2016, ANGT Coin in 2017 and ANGT Munich in 2018, 2019 and 2020). Zalgiris, which in addition to two titles also reached the ANGT Championship Game in 2005, 2006 and 2011, was undefeated in the group stage of the 2020 ANGT Kaunas, but then lost to U18 Rytas Vilnius in the first-place game. Fenerbahce, which lost to U18 Rytas Vilnius in the 2012 ANGT Championship Game, finished seventh at the ANGT Kaunas last season. Tofas will be playing in the ANGT for a second time after making a winless debut last season at the ANGT Valencia.



The locations and dates for the remaining two Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament qualifying events have been confirmed. The ANGT Munich qualifier, originally scheduled for late January, will be hosted by Anadolu Efes Istanbul in the Turkish metropolis from March 19 to 21. The ANGT Belgrade, which was due to have been played in February, remains in the Serbian capital and will take place on from March 26 to 28.

Host sites, dates set for remaining ANGT qualifiers

Because Germany's pandemic protocols do not allow non-professional sporting events to take place, the ANGT Munich needed a new home. Efes rose to the occasion with a hosting plan that included facilities and logistics that fit perfectly with organizational needs.

The ANGT Istanbul will be played at Efes's training facility. No fans will be allowed to attend the tournament, but access will be granted to a limited number of media and scouts.

In addition to U18 Anadolu Efes, the ANGT Istanbul will feature two-time champions U18 Real Madrid of Spain and former champion U18 Pole France Yvan Mainini (formerly known as CFBB Paris). U18 Zalgiris Kaunas, U18 Promitheas Patras, U18 Stellazzurra Rome, U18 Basket Brno from the Czech Republic and U18 Casademont Zaragoza from Spain will fill out the tournament field in Istanbul

The teams and arena for the ANGT Belgrade remain the same with the only change being the date. The participating teams are 2014 ANGT champion U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and fellow Serbian sides U18 Partizan NIS Belgrade and U18 Mega SoccerBet Belgrade; U18 Buducnost VOLI Podgorica from Montenegro, U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana from Slovenia, U18 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar from Russia, U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv from Israel and U18 U-BT Cluj Napoca from Romania.



Euroleague Basketball regrets to inform fans that the next qualifying event of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament, which had been set to start in Belgrade later this month, will not be held as scheduled.

ANGT Belgrade qualifier postponed

The tournament is postponed due to a conviction by organizers during the current COVID-19 pandemic to maximize the health and safety of the young athletes by seeking an alternative date.

The tournament host Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and Euroleague Basketball have started evaluations to find a new suitable date. All eight U18 club teams that were invited to the ANGT Belgrade qualifier were previously informed that it will not take place on the planned dates.

The ANGT Belgrade qualifier is one of three scheduled for this season. The first, held in Valencia in late December, saw U18 FC Barcelona crowned champion. The remaining event, ANGT Munich, has also been postponed due to ongoing restrictions in Germany to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

As is the custom throughout the tournament's history, the winners of each qualifier gain automatic berths in the ANGT Finals, which are held in parallel with the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four every spring.

The biggest storyline going into the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich is whether reigning continental champion U18 Real Madrid can extend its streak of qualifying tournament first place finishes to seven. 

U18 Real aims for seventh straight ANGT qualifying win

U18 CSKA Moscow, winner of a record three ANGT crowns, and host side U18 FC Bayern Munich are among the seven teams looking to stop Real's run, along with German teams U18 ALBA Berlin, U18 Porsche Ludwigsburg and U18 ratiopharm Ulm, U18 Promitheas Patras from Greece and Italian outfit U18 Stellazzurra Rome, which reached the 2018 ANGT Championship Game. The winner of Sunday's first-place game at the Audi Dome will reach the ANGT Finals at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Cologne, Germany, where it will join U18 Herbalife Gran Canaria, winner of the ANGT Valencia in December.

Bayern and CSKA are both in Group A along with Ulm and Stellazzurra. Bayern, which hosts the tournament for a third consecutive season, finished fifth last season before picking up a wild card for the ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz. In 2018-19, Bayern became the first German team to reach the first-place game of a qualifier, but ended up losing to Real. CSKA's three continental titles date back to 2004, 2005 and 2006. CSKA took fifth place last season at the ANGT Kaunas and will be playing in Munich for the first time after competing in Kaunas in five of the last six seasons, also appearing at the ANGT Rome in 2016. Ulm is competing for a third time in the ANGT – and both previous appearances also in Munich – and it is the only team to beat Real in a qualifying tournament since 2013, collecting its first-ever win in 2018. Ulm took fourth place last season at the ANGT Munich. The other team in Group A is Stellazzurra, which lost to U18 Rytas Vilnius in the 2018 ANGT Championship Game. Stellazzurra finished fourth at the ANGT Kaunas last season, its second campaign playing in the Lithuania tournament after competing in Belgrade in 2017.

Group B's favorite undoubtedly is Real, which won the first-place games in the other two ANGT Munich tournaments. The Spanish powerhouse went on to win the ANGT title last season for its second crown following 2015. But Real did lose one game in Munich, getting beaten by Ulm in 2018 in the final group game after having already locked up a spot in the first-place game. That loss snapped Real's 21-game winning streak in ANGT qualifying games, dating back to the first-place game of the 2013 ANGT L'Hospitalet against U18 Joventut Badalona. That run saw Real finish first in the ANGT L'Hospitalet tournaments in 2014, 2015 and 2016, in the ANGT Coin in 2017, and in the last two ANGT Munich events. ALBA, for its part, is playing at the ANGT Munich for a third straight season, having finished third in 2018 and sixth in 2019. Ludwigsburg is competing in the competition for a sixth time, finishing fourth last season at ANGT Valencia. Ludwigsburg also played in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, the latter with a club-best third place finish at ANGT Belgrade. Promitheas is back for its second appearance in the competition after winning one game but finishing eighth at ANGT L'Hospitalet in 2017-18.

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