Nemanja Popovic went through something generations of U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade talents have not - a home loss at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade. 

ANGT Finals: Popovic out to give 'correct' impression of Zvezda

Now the talented big man is hoping to give a "correct" impression of the Serbian power at the ANGT Finals.

Zvezda lost to local rival U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade 73-63 in the ANGT Belgrade first-place game to snap Zvezda's 38-game winning streak in the tournament, which dated back to the 2010-11 season.

"We were so disappointed, especially when you know the previous eight generations of our club won this tournament," said Popovic, who tallied 9 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist in the game. "But quickly after that, we put our heads up and started to train very, very hard so we can move forward with our goals."

Popovic and Zvezda's big goal for the season is winning the ANGT Championship Game on May 19 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where the team will play in Group B with U18 Valencia Basket, U18 Real Madrid and U18 Rytas Vilnius. And that is only possible thanks to Zvezda receiving a wild card, something which really pleased the 2.03-meter forward. "I am so happy with all my teammates that we made it to the final eight in Vitoria-Gasteiz. In Spain, we will have another chance to show what we know, and to correct the impression from the qualification tournament in Belgrade," said Popovic, who averaged 13.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks and was named to the All-Tournament Team. "We need to approach the tournament as another opportunity differently: to be relaxed, to train and prepare very hard and to listen to our coach, and the wins will come."

Zvezda is hunting for its second ANGT title following the 2014 crown. The club, which will be playing in the ANGT Finals for the ninth straight season, also reached the ANGT Championship Game in 2015 and 2016 and lost to U18 Real Madrid and U18 FC Barcelona Lassa, respectively.

This is Popovic's second ANGT season. He was worth 4.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists at ANGT Belgrade last year and 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists at the ANGT Finals in Belgrade.

His journey with basketball started in 2009 with the small club Knjaz in Arandjelovac near Belgrade.

"My father had a great wish and he told me: 'try basketball.' After my first training it was love at first sight," said Popovic, who was born in Arandjelovac but lived in nearby Topola.

Popovic arrived at Zvezda two years ago from Vizura. That move that fulfilled a dream.

"When I was a small boy, my dream was to play for Crvena Zvezda. This is the best club in our country and also the best system for the development of young players," he said. "If you have the talent and desire to become a good player, in Serbia this is the best system and environment to succeed."

One of the things that helped Popovic stand out was his long hair and headband. When asked about the history behind that look, he said: "I am used to it, I have had long hair since I was younger and started to wear the headband because of my long hair. Nothing special, but people notice it, obviously."

They also notice the talent, which is good enough to have earned him spots on Serbia's youth national teams. He helped Serbia take third place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017.

"That was very nice, a great experience for me. It was a big honor to play and represent your home country. But the biggest lesson was: Every time when you are on the court you give everything you have, 100 percent for your country and your team," said Popovic.

Last summer at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018, Popovic collected 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists but Serbia lost to Turkey in the Round of 16 and finished 10th. "We were so disappointed after losing the game versus Turkey because I knew that we were the better team. But you must learn important lessons after losses like these," he said.

Popovic learned his lesson from that U17 World Cup game and now hopes the lessons from the defeat to Mega in the ANGT Belgrade first-place game will help Zvezda capture a second U18 continental title.



Marko Andric helped U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade make history by beating U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade to reach the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals. 

Andric, Mega want to build on historic win

But the point guard is not finished and would love to help the Serbian club win its first U18 continental title.

Andric collected 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists as Mega knocked off city rival Zvezda 73-63 in the ANGT Belgrade first-place game to snap Zvezda's 38-game winning streak in the tournament and book Mega's fourth straight ticket to the ANGT Finals.

"I remember it very well for sure. A lot of people were watching. It was a true final, a great atmosphere and a big experience for all of us," said Andric, who averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in the tournament. "Defeating Zvezda and getting a chance to compete against the top teams in Europe again – for the fourth straight year – is a really big accomplishment for Mega. It shows that there is continuity in the excellent work at the youth categories in the club."

Andric, who been with Mega since 2016, began playing basketball in 2007 at the age of 5. He was born in Zrenjanin and said everyone he knew there was a basketball fan. The move from northern Serbia to the country's capital and Mega was made to help take his game to the next level.

"Mega has great working conditions for the development of young players and that was the key in making my decision. I was about to start my first year in high school and that was one of the main reasons as well," said Andric, who joined Mega along with his brother Lazar, who is a year and a half younger than him.

The Andric brothers lived in a student dormitory the first year and then the rest of the family – including younger brother Mateja and youngest sibling sister Ana – joined the following year. The younger two siblings also play basketball.

The Belgrade tournament was Marko Andric's first ANGT event and the 1.87-meter playmaker called the win over Zvezda his biggest success at the club level – along with helping Mega grab the U15 Serbian title in 2017. Mega is definitely thinking bigger than a U15 Serbian title in Vitoria-Gasteiz at the ANGT Finals, where the team has been drawn into Group A with U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv, U18 FC Bayern Munich and U18 Zalgiris Kaunas.

"Those are some of the top teams and of course it won't be easy to beat them. We'll have to show ourselves if we want to make it to the ANGT Championship Game," Andric said.

Reaching the ANGT Championship Game on May 19 at the Fernando Buesa Arena would actually be Mega's second appearance in the final. Goga Bitadze and Nikola Miskovic carried the club to the ANGT Championship Game in 2017 before losing to U18 CFBB Paris 65-58. Andric said that defeat drives him and his teammates.

"We’re all motivated to win and we will be more than ready to do that when the tournament starts," Andric said.

Andric, who used to practice karate alongside basketball until giving it up in the eighth grade, would love another big success to celebrate. He was part of the Serbia team that finished third at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 – a result Andric, who was a year younger than most of the competition, called his biggest success.

"I played only a few minutes, but just being there as a year younger was fun," said Andric, who averaged 0.5 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 3.3 minutes over four games.

The 2002-born Andric did not go with the 2001-born generation – including Mega teammates Aleksandar Langovic, Aleksa Markovic, Stefan Agoc and Novak Miskovic – to the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 and instead played for Serbia at the FIBA U16 European Championship.

"Guys older than me were better and more experienced at that moment. I wasn't disappointed [about not playing at the U17 World Cup] and that was something I expected. I had to focus on the U16 European Championship that summer because I was the captain of our team," he said.

Andric averaged 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals, but Serbia lost to France in the quarterfinals. Despite that result, Andric and co. learned a lesson and kept playing hard.

"We didn't let that loss stop us from finishing fifth overall. It was a good experience, we learned to stand up right after the loss," he said.

However, Andric still called that performance the biggest disappointment of his young career, especially because Serbia was playing in front of the country's home fans in Novi Sad.

"We were the hosts and everybody expected us to be number one," Andric said.

Some of that hurt can be forgotten for Andric in Vitoria-Gasteiz when Mega shoots for its first ANGT title.

"Expectations are always high, and to be successful we'll have to do our best in every aspect of the game. I think we can do it," he said.

Andric and Mega made history by beating Zvezda, but they are not done just yet.

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Modestas Kancleris used to think he was a pretty athletic player. But a trip to the United States last summer helped turn the forward into a leader who guided U18 Zalgiris Kaunas back to the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals.

ANGT Finals: Kancleris aims to lead Zalgiris back to glory

Kancleris was Zalgiris's third-leading scorer at the ANGT Kaunas tournament with 11.0 points per game while finishing as the team's leader in rebounds (7.3 rpg.), steals (2.5 spg.) and blocked shots (2.3 bpg.). He also dished out 1.5 assists for the undefeated hosts.

"It means a lot to win. Before the tournament, we were not expecting that much, we were not expecting to win the first-place game. But we played good defense and had good communication within the team and had good team chemistry. So we are very happy to be going to Vitoria-Gasteiz," Kancleris said.

The 2.03-meter forward really stepped up his play from his previous two ANGT Kaunas appearances. After averaging 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds at the Kaunas tournament in 2016-17, he had 2.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 steals last season. Part of the reason for the improved play was Kancleris spending last summer in the United States playing AAU basketball - an organized circuit of amateur competitions.

"After the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, there was a camp in Lithuania and some coaches from the United States came to the practices and one knew that I was interested in US basketball. So he invited me to play some AAU tournaments. I went there for one month. I enjoyed the basketball," said Kancerlis, who ended up playing in the southeastern state of Alabama.

The experience was truly eye-opening for the Kaunas native.

"Before that, I thought I had a pretty good athleticism. But then I went there and saw that I had so much more work to do," Kancleris admitted.

Kancleris and some of his Zalgiris teammates were also extra motivated at this season's ANGT Kaunas because they were part of the team that failed to reach last year's ANGT Kaunas first-place game. The loss to U18 Stellazzurra Rome in group play snapped a 22-game winning streak in the tournament in Kaunas.

"Last year we expected more. It was a tough loss. This year we were motivated to try to win everything," Kancleris said.

The disappointment last season in Kaunas was the second major setback in basketball that Kancleris experienced. In the summer of 2017, he averaged 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds for Lithuania at the FIBA U16 European Championship. But the team lost to Turkey in the game for sixth place, which meant Lithuania missed out on going to the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. That came after Lithuania finished third at the U17 World Cup in 2016.

"Some of the older generations sometimes say to us they were in the World Cup and finished third, and they kind of laugh at us. But this year we have FIBA U18 European Championship 2019, so we are going for the win," Kancleris said.

Before that tournament this summer, Kancleris will be shooting for success at the ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where Zalgiris is drawn into Group A with U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade, U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv and U18 FC Bayern Munich. Zalgiris missed the ANGT Finals last season for the first time since 2008-09. And while the club has hoisted the U18 continental crown twice - in 2003 and 2007 - and reached three more ANGT Championship Games, the last time it played for the title was in 2011, when it lost to U18 KK Zagreb.

"We'll do our best. We are for sure going there to win. The team is really ready to go to Vitoria-Gasteiz," Kancleris said. "We need to work hard on defense and play with a big heart."



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U18 Rytas Vilnius's chances of repeating its title at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals are rooted quite heavily in the performance of Azuolas Tubelis. That really shouldn't be a surprise, given his name.

Tubelis is solid as oak for Rytas

Azuolas is quite uncommon in Lithuania and translates to oak – with the oak tree being sacred in many religions and mythologies, including in Lithuania.

"My grandfather wanted to give that name to me and everything happened like that. I like my name very much and I'm happy with that,” said Tubelis. And the oak tree is also known for its strength and hardness - two very fitting traits to describe the forward. "I believe that fits well for me," he said.

Tubelis was quite important in helping Rytas to the first-place game of the ANGT Kaunas, where he averaged 15.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 2.8 blocks for a performance index rating of 24.5. But his 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals and 5 blocks in the first-place game were not enough as Rytas lost to U18 Zalgiris Kaunas.

Nonetheless, Rytas received a wild card for the ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where it will face U18 Valencia Basket, U18 Real Madrid and U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade in Group B as the reigning champion.

"All the teams in our group are strong and it is hard to predict anything in this group. It will be hard for all the teams," said Tubelis, who was born in 2002 and is a year younger than the competition allows.

The 2.02 meter forward knows he and his teammates will have a target on their back as the reigning champs. "All the games at the ANGT Finals will be like a final for us," he said.

Tubelis did not play at the ANGT Kaunas last season, but joined the club at the ANGT Finals in Belgrade as a player two years younger and impressed by averaging 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 17 minutes. And Rytas went through the field undefeated to win its second U18 continental crown.

"I have only the best memories about last season and the ANGT Finals in Serbia. We faced very good teams and got exceptional experience," he said.

Last year was not only positives for Tubelis as he played for Lithuania at the FIBA U16 European Championship and lost to eventual champion Croatia 80-78 in the quarterfinals. Tubelis collected 22 points, 17 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks in the final eight game, but could only watch as teammate Edgaras Preibys had his game-tying layup attempt blocked by Croatia's Matej Bosnjak at the buzzer.

"It was a very memorable tournament because we lost to the eventual champion in the last moments of the game," said Tubelis, who averaged 14.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.7 blocks in the tournament. "I still remember that block in the last seconds of the game."

Tubelis said he has used the loss as a learning opportunity: "Every time you lose, you have to learn that lesson: think about what you did wrong and what you could do different," he said.

That U16 tournament was also an opportunity for Tubelis to represent Lithuania while playing alongside his twin brother Tautvilas, who averaged 3.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists.

"We know each other very well. That helps us on the court. All of the family was proud of us," Azuolas Tubelis said. "He is a good player and I believe that he has a bright future in front of him."

Azuolas admitted he struggles when playing against Tautvilas: "When we play one on one, it's very hard for me. Unfortunately, Tautvilas wins almost all the time."

Azuolas will have a long time to work on his game at Rytas after he signed a long-term deal with the club from his home city.

"It means a lot for me. I have perfect conditions to improve my game in my hometown," Tubelis said.

The focus now shifts to Vitoria-Gasteiz and defending the ANGT title.

"Our aim is to leave everything we have on the court and try to win this tournament," he said. "We have to play our game and believe in ourselves. I believe in our team and hope for the best in this tournament."

Tubelis's belief in his team is deep-rooted – just as you would expect with a first name like Azuolas.

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Jason George is considered by many to be one of the top talents in an ever-growing pool of German prospects. The versatile wing is now banking on his move to U18 FC Bayern Munich to take his game to the next level, which he will get a chance to experience at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, in May.

ANGT Finals: George banking on move to Bayern to reach next level

George averaged 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game earlier this season at ANGT Munich, where he garnered a spot on the All-Tournament Team even though the home side slumped to a fifth-place finish.

The 2.01-meter George was thrilled when he heard that Bayern received one of the four wild cards for the ANGT Finals: "I was excited, like all of us. I wasn't sure if we would get a wild card after finishing fifth at the qualifier in Munich," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing the best European teams and players, but especially the atmosphere. This will be a great experience," said George, who was second on Bayern in scoring and third in rebounding at the qualifying event.

Germany is a multicultural society, but one may wonder about the origins of someone with the name Jason George. He grew up in Manchester, England, and has Nigerian roots from his father. And like any British youngster, George's first team sport was football.

"I started with soccer, but I always had to be the goalkeeper because of my height and I didn't really like it, so my mom asked me if I wanted to play basketball. I think I was 9 when I started with basketball," George remembered.

The family moved to southwest Germany near Ulm and George enrolled at Urspringschule, an organization in a village near Ulm with a full-time school and boarding school. He put up big numbers for the U16 and U19 teams and also played in the fifth division Second Regionalliga in 2016-17. The following season, George had moved on to ratiopharm Ulm and its youth system, where he played despite being two years underage and averaged 8.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in the U19 NBBL league. George also appeared in 11 games in the second division ProA. He appeared at ANGT Munich in 2018. where he posted 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists for Ulm.

In late November, George decided to leave Ulm and sign with Bayern, with which he would play this season in the U19 NBBL league and the third division ProB.

"Bayern is one of the best organizations in Europe with a winning culture and we have great coaches, individual coaches, medical staff and more. It was the whole package," George said in explaining the move.

While things have gone well for George at the club level, he has been less fortunate with the German national team.

In 2017, Germany was stacked with talent at the FIBA U16 European Championship and considered a serious contender for a spot that would qualify it for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. But Germany lost to Serbia in the Round of 16 and then needed to beat Sweden in the game for 13th place in order to stay in Division A.

When asked what he learned from that experience, George, who averaged 4.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals at the tourney, said: "Just talent isn’t enough to be successful. You have to work hard and be prepared. Every day."

Last summer, George played at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2018 and Germany was on the verge of qualifying for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019. After losing to Serbia in the quarterfinals, George helped Germany beat Montenegro to set up a date with Lithuania for fifth place and a spot at the U19 World Cup for the winner. However, Germany really didn't put up much of a fight, losing 83-55.

"The U19 World Cup was one of our goals, so it was very disappointing because opportunities like these do not come around often," said George, who averaged 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in the U18 continental tournament.

Last summer also saw George honored with a spot at the Basketball Without Borders European camp in Belgrade, which included a number of NBA players and coaches as teachers.

"We had off-the-court lessons like how to manage basketball and life. Some current and ex-NBA players talked about what it takes to get to the highest level and they told their story. I also had a chance to talk to Gregg Popovich," added George.

Those experiences have helped George become a leader on the Bayern team at this season's ANGT Munich. He feels that the team's experience from that tournament will be important when it faces U18 Zalgiris Kaunas, U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade and U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv in Group A at the ANGT Finals.

"The team got a better view of international basketball, especially those guys who didn't have national team experience," George said. When asked about Bayern's expectations in Vitoria-Gasteiz, he added: "To be competitive in every game and try to win as many games as possible."

Winning is something that George expects during his career with Bayern. It's why he moved to Munich.



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U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv is back at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals for the first time since 2008. The Israeli powerhouse receiving a wild card means that Dori Sahar will get a chance to live out a dream alongside his "D Brother" Deni Avdija and his real brother Nadav Sahar.

ANGT Finals: Maccabi's Sahar fulfilling dream with 'brothers'

Dori Sahar collected 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game as Maccabi reached the first-place game of the ANGT Munich qualifier. Despite Sahar picking 15 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in the final in Munich, Maccabi was no match for U18 Real Madrid, which won 96-58. Still, the team's performance earned them one of the eight spots in Vitoria-Gasteiz at next month's finals.

"None of us can ask for a better event to complete our journey as junior players," Sahar said. "The ANGT Finals is a dream for every player."

The ANGT Munich was followed by a big moment for Sahar, when Maccabi's senior team head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos included him on the roster for an Israel domestic league game at Ironi Nahariya on February 12. And not just on the roster...

"It was my first game with the team and the first time I was on the game roster. I was very excited when Coach Sfairopoulos called my name to enter the game. I grew up in Maccabi and it was always a dream to play for the senior team. I am grateful to Maccabi and the coaching staff for making my dream come true," said the Tel Aviv native Sahar, who missed a three-pointer in his 1 minute in the game.

"The ANGT Finals is a dream for every player."

A couple of days later, on February 17, Sahar was once again included on Maccabi's roster, this time for the home game versus Bnei Hertzeliya. In that one, the 1.95-meter forward nailed a three-pointer for his first points as a professional.

"When Coach Sfairopoulos called my name to enter the game, the crowd stood up, clapped hands and encouraged me by calling my name – something I have never experienced," he said. "My teammates were incredible. They played the game so that I was able to make my shot. It is hard to describe what I felt when I hit the three-point shot. Everybody was happy for me, the crowd, my teammates and the coaches. I will never forget that day.

Said Sahar has since got into two more games, and in three of the four, he sat alongside fellow 2001-born Maccabi talent Deni Avdija. The two have already been through many shared experiences both in the Maccabi youth system and the Israeli national team.

"We learn in the same school, we are close friends on and off the court, and our families are close. Deni is the 'full package'. He is not only super-talented; he is an amazing guy. He is a hard worker. He understands the game better than others and he is very confident, but not arrogant. He is a person with great integrity and a big heart that is loved by everyone. He is a leader, but unlike many superstars, he believes that part of his role, as a leader, is to make others better. We love playing together," Sahar said of Avdija, who was named to the all-tournament team at the ANGT Munich.

"At Maccabi, we were nicknamed the 'D Brothers' because we have a blind understanding. At any given time we know exactly what we are going to do and how we feel."

The "D Brothers" also showed what they can do for they country's youth national teams. At the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, Israel beat Croatia and Serbia before then finishing 11th.

"For me, this was probably the most memorable event. It was the first time I represented my country in a European championship – something I will always remember," said Sahar, who averaged 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds, including 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals against a Serbian team that finished third.

"I think that everyone except us was surprised that we managed to beat amazing teams. Personally, the game against Serbia made a difference for me. It was my best game in the tournament and gave me a lot of confidence that if I work hard, I can compete at this level."

Last summer, Israel had strong team – including Avdija among others – and was looking to get back into the Division A at the FIBA U18 European Championship level. But after winning the first two games, Sahar suffered a major ankle sprain just 56 seconds into the third game against Czech Republic. Israel lost that game and Sahar was lost for the rest of the tournament. Israel, Netherlands and the Czechs ended up in a three-way tie atop the group and because of a tiebreak, Israel finished third and failed to reach the quarterfinals.

"The pain in my ankle was nothing compared to the pain we all felt when losing the game," Sahar said.

"This is a huge challenge – and exactly what any player should wish for."

Now, the focus is back at Maccabi and Sahar is not only playing with his "D Brother" Avdija, but also his real brother Nadav, who is a year younger. Dori and Nadav played together at the ANGT Munich and the 2002-born brother averaged 1.5 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.8 steals.

"My brother is also my best friend, my biggest critic and my biggest supporter," Dori said. "This is the first year that we have been playing together and it's a lot of fun. We try to push each other to be better and this is an advantage I have that other players don't. It is great playing with him as he is a true team player that plays for the success of the team and not for himself. He gives 100 percent every game and loves to defend the best player of the opposing team. I am very happy that we got the opportunity to play together."

That could very well be the case again in Vitoria-Gasteiz at the ANGT Finals, where Sahar knows his team will face a real test with games against U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and U18 FC Bayern Munich.

"We will be competing against the best teams in Europe," Sahar said. "This is a huge challenge – and exactly what any player should wish for. We will come together to do our best."



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Amar Sylla's family initially did not like the idea of him leaving Senegal to play basketball in Spain. But now that he's about to make his second appearance at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals for mighty U18 Real Madrid, Sylla has become a role model for kids back home.

ANGT Finals: Madrid's Sylla aims to make Senegal proud

Sylla was one of the leaders for Madrid in winning the ANGT Munich qualifier, averaging 14.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. He also used his defensive prowess to hold U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv star Deni Avdija to 18 points on 8-for-26 shooting in the first-place game.

That victory meant a return to the ANGT Finals for Sylla, who averaged 9.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in last season's tournament in Belgrade. Sylla and the team are focused on getting back to the ANGT Championship Game, which the club last reached in 2015 when it won its first and only U18 continental crown.

"The team is so motivated and excited to reach the ANGT Finals," Sylla said. "It is too early to talk about titles. We are just looking forward to it and ready to do our best. For some of us, this will be the last opportunity to win the ANGT Finals since it is our last season as U18 players. That means a strong motivation which will hopefully help us reach our main goal."

"We are ready to compete again and do our best. I hope it is enough to win the title."

The 2.06-meter center knows it will be a challenge for Madrid, which is drawn into Group B with U18 Valencia Basket, U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and defending champion U18 Rytas Vilnius in Vitoria-Gasteiz. An added motivation for Sylla and some of the Madrid players is last season's ANGT Finals in Belgrade, where Madrid lost to eventual champion U18 Rytas Vilnius in the group stage.

"We learned that we do not want to lose again," Sylla said. "We made some mistakes that we do not want to repeat. We learned we should have played in a cold-blood mood at certain moments, that we should have defended a little bit better. However, all that belongs to the past. We are ready to compete again and do our best. I hope it is enough to win the title."

An ANGT title would only make Sylla that much more of a role model back home in Senegal. The long, athletic player has made huge strides since his beginnings in basketball, which happened just three years ago. Sylla had only played for nine months before he joined Madrid from the Seed Academy. Sylla and his childhood friends use to flock to the academy and watched the players play.

"One day my mom told me that I should be there. Another day the guys from the academy realized I was quite tall and told me I should play basketball, just as my mom had done before," Sylla remembered. "It happened that they invited me to play with them and I tried it. Three months later I was playing and practicing at a good level."

In addition to being at the Seed Academy, Sylla also went to the camp of NBA player Gorgui Dieng.

"That was a fantastic experience. They gave me everything to let me improve and grow as a player and also as a person. An agent watched me while I was playing there and talked to my mom. After that conservation, I came straight to Madrid," he said.

The move from Senegal to Spain at age 15 did not necessarily go over well with Sylla's family.

"Let's say they were not very happy with the decision I made," said Sylla, who has a 14-year-old sister playing basketball in Senegal. "Even one of my coaches told me that the United States basketball model should be my sole objective. I thought that would be more complicated than going to Spain and I wanted to take advantage of my time. It was finally my mom who supported me in my decision to go to Spain. I feel I took the right option because nowadays I am very happy in Madrid."

"Whenever I go back to Senegal, people come to talk to me. Parents make me an example for their children."

Coming so late to basketball, Sylla actually was a bigger football fan growing up and Real Madrid had a special place in his heart.

"I loved Real Madrid, but the football team. I did not know so much about basketball yet," he said. "I played football. Everybody plays football in Senegal, and I was one of thousands who loved and dreamed about becoming a football player. I stopped when I came to Spain."

And joining the famous Los Blancos meant a lot to Sylla.

"I felt extremely proud. Now, whenever I go back to Senegal, people come to talk to me. Parents make me an example for their children," Sylla said. "They ask me about Real Madrid football players and about what the club is like. They would love to come here, but I always tell them that it is not an easy way. A major effort, sacrifice and skills are needed to play for Real Madrid. That is not easy at all, but I support them as much as I can."

Just like a good role model would.



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Guillem Ferrando grew up watching Valencia Basket games live, so that makes it all the more special for the guard to lead U18 Valencia Basket to the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals. 

Life-long fan Ferrando thrilled to lead Valencia to first ANGT Finals

Ferrando was one of the leaders for Valencia in booking its first ticket to the ANGT Finals as he averaged 9.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists at the ANGT Valencia while still just a 16-year-old.

Valencia surprised many observers when it won the first qualifying tournament of the season, even though it was hosting the event.

"I remember it with lots of feelings. I remember it as something amazing that I may never again enjoy in my life. They were such hard games. The reason we won was because we played together as a team, helping each other,” Ferrando said.

Valencia did not have one standout star as five players averaged between 8.8 and 14.0 points with three different players leading the team in scoring in the four games. And that worked to the team’s advantage.

"It was something very important. The scouts of the other teams didn't know which player was going to be the best each game. The first one it was Alejandro Ortega, and it was Marc Garcia in the first-place game. It was very important to achieve the win," he said. "We played together as a team, encouraging each other. Everyone was focused. When someone joined the game from the bench, they gave it 100 percent. That helped us a lot."

It also helped that the Valencia players felt an even bigger connection to the team since nearly all of them are from Valencia or the region.

"It is something really special to compete against the best teams in Europe with people of your city. We have spent so many years playing together and it is a great feeling to share that feeling with them," said Ferrando, who is from Benifairo de la Valldigna, located just outside of Valencia.

Sharing Valencia basketball with the fans of the city is something that Ferrando has been doing for many years. Ferrando started playing basketball when he was 6 years old and he joined the Valencia club when he was 12 years old. Valencia Basket was always something that had a special place in Ferrando's heart.

"I have spent all my life watching basketball. Since I was a child I had Valencia Basket season tickets and I used to come every week and I watched a lot of ACB league games on TV," Ferrando said.

Ferrando's chances to improve increased with the September 2017 opening of the L'Alqueria del Basket facility, which includes nine indoor courts as well as a couple of outdoor courts adjacent to Valencia Basket's arena, Pabellon Fuente de San Luis.

"It is something amazing. By building these facilities, the club helps us in our daily work, improving our shooting, our skills, and making real the possibility to improve as a player every day. And it is very important for us," said Ferrando, who has averaged 8.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.8 steals for Valencia's second team in the EBA league.

The L'Alqueria del Basket has helped Valencia grab one of the much sought-after eight spots in the ANGT Finals for the first time, meaning Ferrando and co. will play at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four at Vitoria-Gasteiz.

"It is something very special. We are going to enjoy it like we are little kids. We are going to play our best and try to win until the end," he said.

Regardless of how Valencia performs in Vitoria-Gasteiz, just the club being there will mean so much for Ferrando, since it's been his life-long favorite team.



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The field for the 2018-19 Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals is now set after three teams were awarded wildcard entries to join reigning champion U18 Rytas Vilnius and the four teams that punched their tickets by winning the qualifiers across Europe.

Field set for EB ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz!

U18 FC Bayern Munich, U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv and U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade were invited to compete alongside already-qualified U18 Valencia Basket, U18 Real Madrid, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade for the 17th edition of the event. The games will take place from May 16 through 19 in parallel with the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.

The field features three other past champions in addition to last year's winner. Zalgiris lifted the trophy in both 2003 and 2007, Zvezda was the 2014 champion and Madrid took the title in 2015. Adding in Rytas's first triumph in 2012, the teams coming to this year's finals have claimed six of the 16 titles to date.

The finals will see the eight teams divided into two groups of four, which will play a round-robin format during the first three days of the event at Polideportivo Mendizorrotza. Sunday's championship game will take place at Fernando Buesa Arena and will serve as the prelude to the game later that day on the same floor that will crown this season's EuroLeague champion.

Group A of the Finals is comprised of ANGT Belgrade winner Mega, ANGT Kaunas victor Zalgiris, ANGT Munich runner-up Maccabi and ANGT Munich 5th place team Bayern. Group B features ANGT Valencia winner Valencia, ANGT Munich winner Madrid, ANGT Belgrade runner-up Zvezda and ANGT Kaunas runner-up Rytas.

Many of the greats of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup took part in Euroleague Basketball's showcase U18 event over the years. Among them are stars such as Luigi Datome (Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul), Thomas Heurtel (FC Barcelona Lassa), Mantas Kalnietis (LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne), Nikita Kurbanov (CSKA Moscow), Nikola Milutinov (Olympiacos Piraeus) and Goga Bitadze (Buducnost VOLI Podgorica).

Entrance to all games of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals is free of charge, allowing both local and visiting fans to see many elite young talents in European basketball compete against each other, who will be the future stars of the EuroLeague and EuroCup.

