Four teams with nine Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament continental titles among them, plus last season's runner-up, will fill Zalgirio Arena in Kaunas this weekend with great U18 talent. 

ANGT Kaunas: Players to watch 2019

Check out some of the likely protagonists:

#### U18 Rytas Vilnius – Azuolas Tubelis
Tubelis will be playing in his second ANGT after he helped Rytas to win the continental title last season by averaging 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in the ANGT Finals. The 2.05-meter forward did not play in the ANGT Kaunas tournament last year. He played for Lithuania at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2018 and led the team in scoring (14.3 points), rebounds (10.4) and blocks (a tournament-high 2.7) while also contributing 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals. He has a very strong body with long arms and is very versatile on offense. He has good shooting range, extending out past the three-point line, and can defend all five positions. One area he still needs to work on is his quickness.

#### U18 CFBB Paris – Timothe Crusol
Crusol will be playing in his third ANGT season and is expected to take even more leadership. He debuted in the ANGT Finals in 2017 and picked up 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 15 minutes over three games but did not appear in the ANGT Finals Championship Game, which CFBB won for the team's second continental title. He averaged 10.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists at ANGT Kaunas last season, and 4.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in last season’s ANGT Finals. The 1.92-meter point guard also has loads of international experience. He helped France to win the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 title, finish second at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 and third in the FIBA U18 European Championship 2018. Crusol is a good point guard who can score and has a good basketball IQ, but he needs to develop his speed.

#### U18 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar – Gleb Bednyakov
With Lokomotiv making its ANGT debut, Bednyakov will also be debuting in the competition. The 1.99-meter shooting guard has international experience, having averaged 5.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.7 steals at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, where Russia finished 16th and was relegated to Division B. In Russia's youth league this season, Bednyakov is averaging 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He is a well-built, athletic player who is quickly adding aspects to his game. He is aggressive but also smart and strategic. He is equally strong on offense and defense. Bednyakov is also a team player but is not afraid of taking over when the team needs it.

#### U18 Zalgiris Kaunas – Modestas Kancleris
Kancleris will be appearing in his third ANGT season after averaging 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds at ANGT Kaunas in 2017 and playing 6 minutes and not scoring a point over three games at the ANGT Finals that same year. Last season the 2.03-meter guard picked up 2.8 points and 3.3 rebounds at ANGT Kaunas. At the international level, Kancleris averaged 9.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.0 steals at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, where Lithuania finished sixth to miss out on qualifying for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. He is always ready to learn every day. His athletic abilities allow him to guard players on the perimeter or in the post. He is one of the best shot blockers of his age in the country. Kancleris is aggressive driving to the basket and on the offensive glass while also being solid from the outside. He still must improve his ball-handling with his left hand and his back-to-the-basket play.

#### U18 Stellazzurra Rome – Abramo Pene
Pene will be playing in his third ANGT season despite still being a year younger than the rest of the competition. He did not score but had 1 rebounds and 2 steals in 7 minutes of two games at the ANGT Belgrade in 2017. The 1.97-meter shooting guard averaged 2.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in helping Stellazzurra to the 2018 ANGT Kaunas first-place game. He also averaged 4.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in three games at the 2018 ANGT Finals. Pene is an outstanding one-on-one player with excellent athleticism. He has developed into a solid three-point shooter, and is an excellent defender and competitor. He remains an offensive work-in-progress, needing to use his left hand more and to understand game situations better.

#### U18 CSKA Moscow – Viktor Lakhin
Lakhin is ready to line up for his third ANGT campaign. At the ANGT Finals in 2017, he averaged 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds. The 2.08-meter big man collected 6.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.0 blocks at the ANGT Kaunas last season. Lakhin played internationally for Russia as well, averaging 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.1 blocks at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, where the team finished last and was relegated to Division B. He has played in two games for CSKA's second team, averaging 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 17 minutes. Lahkin has gotten physically stronger of late, which has improved his post play and ability to finish. He is still working on his shooting ability and his defensive versatility.

#### U18 Torrons Vicens L'Hospitalet – Daniil Cherneha
Cherneha will be appearing in his second ANGT after he collected 2.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.5 blocks last season at the ANGT L'Hospitalet. The 2.07-meter center played for Ukraine at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 Division B, averaging 7.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks. Cherneha also played at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2018 and picked up 1.2 points and 0.6 rebounds in 6 minutes. He has a good touch on his outside shot and uses both hands attacking the rim. He also plays hard inside with very good footwork in the low post. Cherneha is aggressive and runs the floor well despite being a taller player, finishing strong on the break. He plays hard on defense and has quick lateral movement to allow him to defend on the perimeter. He still struggles on defensive rotations and must work on his offensive decision making.

#### U18 DBA Copenhagen – Jonathan Klussmann
Just like Copenhagen, Klussmann will also be making his ANGT debut. The 1.90-meter guard has not only played internationally, but was the top scorer of the FIBA U16 European Championship 2018 Division B, scoring 25.0 points to go with 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.9 steals for Denmark. Klussmann has a strong body that he utilizes well to find contact and finish. He can shoot from long range and has an excellent eye for his teammates when he penetrates. He still needs to mature at the defensive end and take more responsibility there.

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Reigning continental champion U18 Rytas Vilnius will be out to repeat its status as winner of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Kaunas. But it will face a stiff challenge from three other past champions in the field, including a hungry host side, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas.

Zalgiris, Rytas rivalry headlines ANGT Kaunas qualifier

Joining the 2012 and 2018 champion Rytas and 2003 and 2007 title-holder Zalgiris in competing at Zalgirio Arena will be 2010 and 2017 winner U18 CFBB Paris and U18 CSKA Moscow, which is the record three-time champion from 2004, 2005 and 2006. The other four teams competing from Friday, February 8 to Sunday, February 10 will be U18 DBA Copenhagen, U18 Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, U18 Stellazzurra Rome and U18 Torrons Vicens L'Hospitalet. The eight teams are split into two groups of four and will play a round-robin format within each group. The two first-place teams from those groups will face off on Sunday in the ANGT Kaunas first-place game, whose victor will join ANGT Valencia winner U18 Valencia Basket and ANGT Munich winner U18 Real Madrid as the third team qualified for the ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain in May. The second-placed teams from each group in Kaunas will play for third place, the third-placed teams for fifth place and the fourth-placed teams for seventh place, also on Sunday.

Group A includes CFBB, Lokomotiv, L'Hospitalet and Zalgiris. CFBB, which used to be known as INSEP, has played in Kaunas the past four seasons, grabbing third place in 2015 and 2016, finishing in second place in 2017 en route to claiming the crown at the ANGT Finals, and then taking fifth place last season. The Russian club Lokomotiv will be making its ANGT debut. L'Hospitalet, meanwhile, will be playing its first ANGT event as a guest, as it was the home team for the ANGT L'Hospitalet between the 2007-08 season and this one. The Spanish club won its first ANGT game in 2015 and reached the semifinals in 2017 with two victories. Last season it was 1-3 in finishing seventh on its home court. For its part, Zalgiris will be out for revenge after losing to Stellazzurra in the final group game last season for its first-ever loss at the ANGT Kaunas, snapping a 22-game winning streak dating back to 2012. Zalgiris ended up placing third last season in Kaunas. Group B includes CSKA, Copenhagen, Rytas and Stellazzurra. CSKA has played at ANGT Kaunas in four of the last five seasons, also appearing at ANGT Rome in 2016. CSKA finished fourth last season and was third in 2017, the year it received a wild card for its first ANGT Finals appearance since 2007. Copenhagen will be making its debut under the DBA name but played at ANGT Kaunas in 2011-12 and ANGT Belgrade in 2014-15 as U18 Vaerlose BBK, taking fourth and sixth place, respectively. The Copenhagen team is no longer just a club, but also an academy run by the Denmark basketball federation. Rytas, meanwhile, did not lose an ANGT game all last season, going 4-0 in Kaunas and 4-0 at the ANGT Finals to hoist the trophy in Belgrade. After winning the ANGT L'Hospitalet in 2012 and ANGT Siauliai in 2013, Rytas had previously reached the ANGT Kaunas first-place game in 2016, losing to Zalgiris. The other team in Group B is Stellazzurra, which lost only two ANGT games all season, both of them to Rytas. The first was in the ANGT Kaunas first-place game and the other in the ANGT Finals Championship Game. The Italian club returns to Kaunas for its second season after playing in Belgrade in 2017 following a number of years hosting the ANGT Rome qualifier.

Reigning continental champion U18 Rytas Vilnius will be out to repeat its status as winner of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Kaunas. But it will face a stiff challenge from three other past champions in the field, including a hungry host side, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas. 

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European basketball fans watch Luka Doncic and recall his exploits in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the Slovenian national team.

U18 Madrid's Garuba: 'We learn from Doncic'

Usman Garuba watches him and recalls the lessons he learned from practicing against Doncic with Real Madrid, lessons that helped Garuba win the MVP award at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich.

Garuba led U18 Real Madrid to repeat as the ANGT Munich winner with averages of 16.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 26.5 performance index rating over four games last weekend.

Now, the 16-year-old would love to help Madrid win a second U18 continental trophy to match the one that Doncic raised in 2015.

"We all want this championship. We have a great team, we have a very great opportunity to win at home in Spain, and we are ready," Garuba said after Madrid's victory in Munich meant qualification to the ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, in May, during the EuroLeague Final Four in the same city.

"Doncic is the guy who everyone in Real Madrid's youth teams follows."

Garuba, who will turn 17 on March 9, recalls not only watching Doncic win the ANGT title back in 2015, but has distinct memories of playing against him in practice with the eventual EuroLeague champions last season.

"He's special. He's a very good player. I've never seen another player like that. I practiced with him last year and it was amazing," said Garuba, who helped Madrid practice through many injuries last season, but did not appear in a EuroLeague game yet.

"He didn't teach me anything specific, but he showed that if you work hard and stay humble that anything can happen. He's the guy who everyone in Real Madrid's youth teams follows. We follow him. We learn from him."

Another thing Garuba observed from Doncic is how to deal with the pressure of expectations as Madrid came to Munich as the favorite. Not only did he and his teammates rise to the challenge, but Madrid has now qualified for the ANGT Finals for a sixth consecutive time.

"It's very difficult sometimes playing for Madrid because everyone is focused on us. But we tried and played hard," said Garuba, who last season was named to the all-tournament team at ANGT Munich.

Garuba learned another valuable lesson away from Madrid last summer, when he played for Spain at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2018, looking to win his second U16 European crown following that of 2016, when he won the MVP honor as a 14-year-old. This time, Spain suffered its only loss of the tournament in the final, by 71-70 to Croatia, with Roko Prkacin hitting the game-winner with 3 seconds left.

"I learned that a final is a final," said Garuba, who collected 16 points, 18 rebounds and 4 assists in the final as an all-tournament team selection. "Anyone can win. We were the favorites, but anything can happen."

"You have to first think about defense, and everything else will come around."

Armed with the hurt of losing the U16 final and the motivation of implementing the lessons learned from Doncic, Garuba experienced another highlight on October 28, 2018, when he made his pro debut in the Spanish League.

"I was with the second team playing in Castilla-La Mancha. We finished the game and went to the bus and then they said to me that I would be playing with the first team the next day against San Pablo Burgos and I couldn't believe it," said Garuba, who collected 2 points and 2 rebounds in 3 minutes of the home game. "I didn't know the plays or anything, but they helped me a lot. And I am very happy for that."

Garuba, whose parents are from Nigeria but have lived in Spain for many years, has played in one more Spanish League game, scoring 7 points without a miss to go with 6 rebounds and 3 steals in mid-November, still sometimes practices with the Real Madrid pro team.

"I have to stay very humble and work hard. You have to first think about defense, and everything else will come around," Garuba said.

Wise words he learned by watching Luka Doncic do his thing.

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Deni Avdija already possesses an impressive list of career accomplishments including carrying U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv to the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich first-place game. 

Maccabi's Avdija is just #LivingTheDream

But the guard talent is more concentrated on just living the dream of being a basketball player.

Avdija was an MVP candidate in his performance in Munich and ended up being named to the All-Tournament Team as the event's leader in scoring (24.3 ppg.), assists (6.0 apg.). Steals (3.8 spg.) and performance index rating (31.5). He also ranked second in rebounds (11.0 rpg.).

"It's an honor to play here. It's good for me to play these minutes here and play and get this experience," said Avdija, who turned 18 on January 3. "It's an amazing competition and I'm proud that I am here and I am very proud that we are winning games and competing. I asked my senior team if I could come here and play and I respect their choice."

Avdija said being on the court with the guys he knows so well and playing against the best in Europe is special.

"I had so much fun coming here to this beautiful arena and playing with my best friends on the court and winning games. That's huge for me. That's what I play: to have fun and compete with my friends and fight with my friends. That's the best that I can ask for."

Avdija was the clear leader of the Maccabi team, which did not compete in the ANGT last season and last played in the ANGT Finals in 2006-07. He was hoping for some more magical moments in Germany after his last trip to the country ended with Israel winning its first national team continental crown when it captured the title at the FIBA U20 European Championship 2018 in Chemnitz.

"Goosebumps really. I can hardly express what it meant for me and what that team was like for me. A big, big, big experience and really an honor to represent my country and bring them the first gold medal and I will try my hardest to win all the trophies I can in the world," said Avdija, who averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals in that event. That performance earned him a spot on the tournament's All-Star Five – at the tender age of 17 years old.

"I think age really doesn't matter. I am not thinking about my age," Avdija explained. "When I play at the senior level I am not thinking about how young I am or how weak I am. I am not thinking about this. I am playing my game and really everybody has their own development pace. Everybody develops at different speeds and I am not worried."

The 2.05-meter guard has basketball greatness in his blood; he is the son of former Crvena Zvezda Belgrade team captain and Yugoslavian international Zufer Avdija. The younger Avdija has already made history with Maccabi when he became the youngest player to debut with the club. He was 16 years and 320 days. when he appeared in an Israeli League game against Ironi Nes-Ziona on November 19, 2017.

"I was nervous, but my teammates shared the ball with me. They wanted me to score and I am thankful for this," said Avdija, who missed his two three-point shot attempts in 3 minutes of action that night. Nearly a year later - on November 22, 2018 - Avdija made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut when Maccabi hosted Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul at Menora Mivtachim Arena.

"There I wasn't nervous. I was confident. I came into the game super ready and super motivated. I didn't get a lot of minutes but I tried my best and I am thankful that I scored that basket. It was very emotional for me. It's a moment that will stay with me all my life," said Avdija, who scored 2 points on one shot attempt in 2:28 minutes of action and has totaled 1:57 minutes in two other EuroLeague games this season.

Avdija said he is working hard to convince head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos to give him more playing time.



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"I am doing everything I can. I am working hard and I see myself in practices really getting better. Day by day I am progressing and making coach trust me more. I am trying to play good defense. I am not worried about playing, but am working and being thankful for the minutes I get. They are important. But I shouldn't worry. They will come," said Avdija, who is averaging 3.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 10.7 minutes over 12 games in the Israeli League.

Avdija practices solely with Maccabi's senior team so Munich was a chance to play with his boyhood friends - something he valued very much. But it was also just a chance to do something he truly loves and cherishes: playing the game. And that is something he expresses with every social media post with the hashtag #LivingTheDream. "It's so much fun. Every day I just say thanks for another day that I can touch the ball and score and be in gyms and just be with a lot of good guys and my teammates. It's really #LivingTheDream and I won't change it. That will always stay my motto."

Just living the dream while accomplishing great things.

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After leading U18 Real Madrid to the victory at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich, Usman Garuba was named Most Valuable Player of the event.

Garuba named MVP of ANGT Munich

Garuba, who made the ANGT Munich All-Tournament Team last season, collected 22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1 block as Madrid beat U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv in the ANGT Munich first-place game, securing Madrid’s sixth consecutive berth in the ANGT Finals. At age 16, Garuba was among the younger players at the event and will be eligible to compete again next season, too. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks for a performance index rating of 26.5 at the ANGT Munich. Joining Garuba on the All-Tournament Team were his Madrid teammate Amar Sylla, Deni Avdija of Maccabi, Jason George of host club U18 FC Bayern Munich and Dusan Tanaskovic of U18 Partizan NIS Belgrade.

Garuba ranked second in performance index rating, fourth in scoring, fifth in both assists and blocks and 10th in rebounds. He also led all players in two-point shooting (75.8%). Sylla averaged 14.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and an ANGT Munich-leading 3.0 blocks for a PIR of 23.8. Avdija led the tournament in scoring (24.3 ppg.), assists (6.0 apg.) steals (3.8 spg.) and PIR 31.5 and was second in rebounds (11.0 rpg.). George collected 15.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting a tournament-best 88.2% from the free throw line. Tanaskovic led the tournament in rebounds (11.3 rpg.), second in blocks (2.5 bpg.) and third in both scoring (16.8 ppg.) and third PIR (23.8).

A largely new crop of young players comes each season to the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament. 

ANGT Munich: Players to watch 2019

Going into the second qualifier, in Munich starting on Friday, January 25, here are some players to watch.

#### Partizan NIS Belgrade – Dusan Tanaskovic
Tanaskovic will be playing his third ANGT after having participated in the Belgrade qualifier the last two seasons. In 2016-17, the 2.08-meter big man averaged 3.0 points, and last season he followed that up with 6.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game. He also has played two tournaments with the Serbian youth national teams, helping the country to third place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, averaging 4.3 points and 4.4 rebounds. Last summer, the right-handed center averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks for a Serbia team that finished 10th at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018. Tanaskovic is an excellent low-post player with fantastic passing abilities. He can control the paint both offensively and defensively and is a solid mid-range shooter. One of the main areas he needs to work on is his strength and conditioning.

#### FC Bayern Munich – Jason George
George will be playing in his second ANGT after averaging 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists for ratiopharm Ulm at the ANGT Munich last season. The 2.01-meter forward moved from Ulm to Bayern before this season. Last summer he played for Germany at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2018 and averaged 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists for a team that finished sixth. The previous summer, George averaged 4.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017. He has great athleticism and is a strong offensive rebounder. George excels in the open court and fastbreaks, and he can defend all four guard and forward positions. He still needs to work on his shot.

#### ratiopharm Ulm – Zach Ensminger
Ensminger will be appearing at his second ANGT after averaging 8.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists for Ulm at the ANGT Munich last season. The 1.95 meter-point guard is the son of Chris Ensminger, an American who split five seasons in the EuroLeague and EuroCup between 2004 and 2010, and is now Ulm's Orange Academy director of player development. The younger Ensminger is a good floor leader and tough competitor. He has great court vision and is good at running the pick-and-roll and getting the ball to teammates at the right moment. He has an excellent mid-range game off the dribble and is a solid rebounder at both ends. He still must become more consistent on his three-point shot as well as at moving and playing off the ball on offense.

#### Panathinaikos OPAP Athens – Aristotelis Sotiriou
Sotiriou will be playing his second ANGT event after averaging 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals at the 2017-18 ANGT L'Hospitalet qualifier for Promitheas Patras. The 2.03-meter forward also has experience with Greek national teams, winning the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 Division B title as he averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals. Sotiriou is very effective penetrating to the basket and runs the floor well in offensive transition with the ability to finish on the break. He is athletic and aggressive on offense and also has a knack for the offensive rebound. He must work on his consistency from the outside and improve his defense, especially near the rim.

#### ALBA Berlin – Malte Delow
Delow will be playing in his second ANGT event after he averaged 2.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals for ALBA at the ANGT Munich qualifier last season. The 1.97-meter shooting guard has not yet played for Germany internationally. The 2001-born guard is averaging more than 22 minutes in the German ProB third division, putting up 6.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Delow is a good shooter and one-on-one player who is not selfish and passes the ball very well. He's a good defender who usually guards the opponent's best player. Delow still needs to improve on reading the pick-and-roll as well as taking on more responsibility.

#### Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv – Deni Avdija
Avdija will be playing in his first ANGT as Maccabi returns to the competition. He starred at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, averaging 15.3 points, 12.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks. Last summer, he helped Israel to win its first-ever international title by claiming the FIBA U20 European Championship 2018. Avdija, who is the son of former Yugoslav national team player Zofer Avdija, averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 steals in being named to the all-tournament team despite being just 17 years old. The 2.04-meter guard has already appeared in three Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games for Maccabi , playing a total of 4 minutes, 35 seconds and picking up his first basket. Avdija is great at driving to the basket, owns a good three-point shot, and passes extremely well. A smart player, he must still improve his defense on guards and his mid-range shot.

#### Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt – Len Schoormann
Schoormann will be making his ANGT debut though the 2002-born, 1.90-meter combo guard played for Germany at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 and averaged 6.9 points and 2.0 rebounds. He was named as the MVP of the German U16 league NBBL in 2017-18. This season, Schoormann has already become a go-to guy at 16 years old playing in the German ProB third division, where he put sup 5.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He is very athletic and explosive, which makes him a high-flyer. Schoormann is an excellent defender with a good motor. He still must work on his shooting consistency and become a bit more controlled with the ball.

#### Real Madrid – Mario Nakic
Nakic will be playing his second ANGT after he helped Madrid win the ANGT Munich last season as that qualifier's MVP, averaging 15.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steals. At the ANGT Finals in Belgrade, the 2.00-meter forward collected 17.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.7 steals. Nakic, the son of three-time EuroLeague champion Ivo Nakic, has yet to play internationally. He is an offensive talent who can play both guard spots plus the small forward position. He can dominate with his physical strength and technical skills, including shooting. He also plays in the low post and rebounds at both ends of the court. Nakic still must be a bit more consistent defensively and improve his team-leading skills on the court.

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The 2015 continental champion, U18 Real Madrid, returns to Bavaria this week looking to defend its title in the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Munich.

Madrid aims to keep ANGT Munich crown

If successful, Madrid will book a ticket to the ANGT Finals for a sixth consecutive year.

Looking to stop Madrid from qualifying in the tournament, which runs from Friday through Sunday, will be quartet of German sides – host U18 FC Bayern Munich, U18 ALBA Berlin, U18 Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt and U18 ratiopharm Ulm – as well as U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv of Israel, U18 Panathinaikos OPAP Athens of Greece, and U18 Partizan NIS Belgrade of Serbia.

The eight teams are split into two groups of four and will play a round-robin style format within each group at the Audi Dome in Munich. The group winners will face off on Sunday for the ANGT Munich title and join ANGT Valencia winner U18 Valencia Basket as the second team qualified for the ANGT Finals in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain in May. The second-placed team from each group in Munich will play for third place, the third-placed teams for fifth place and the fourth-placed teams for seventh place, also on Sunday.

Group A includes host team Bayern, Maccabi, Partizan and Skyliners. Bayern is playing in the ANGT for the sixth straight season and hosting a qualifying tournament for the second year in a row after having played previously in Rome, Kaunas, Belgrade and Coin from 2014 to 2017. Last season Bayern became the first German team to reach the championship game of a qualifier, but ended up losing to Madrid for a 2-2 record. Bayern was later given a wild card for the ANGT Finals, where it went 0-3. Maccabi is back in the ANGT after missing out last season. The Israeli powerhouse was seventh at ANGT Belgrade in 2017 after losing in the semifinals of ANGT L'Hospitalet in 2016. Partizan has been a staple of the ANGT Belgrade tournament but now comes to Munich after reaching and losing the ANGT Belgrade final to host team U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade in 2012, 2015 and 2018. Skyliners will be playing in the ANGT for the second time after going winless in Kaunas in 2017.

Group B is topped by Madrid and also includes ALBA, Panathinaikos and Ulm. Madrid took the ANGT Munich crown last season after winning the qualifying tournaments in Coin in 2017 and L'Hospitalet in 2015 and 2016. The Spanish giant won the continental trophy in 2015 thanks to Luka Doncic. Its loss to Ulm last season in Munich snapped a 21-game winning streak in ANGT qualifying games, dating back to the final of the 2013 ANGT L'Hospitalet against U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona. ALBA returns to Munich, where the team finished third last year, matching the club's placing from ANGT Belgrade in 2015, which was followed by a fifth-place showing in Belgrade in 2016 and sixth place in L'Hospitalet in 2017. Panathinaikos will appearing in the competition for just the second time after going winless in L'Hospitalet in 2017. Ulm will also be playing for a second time, and the second time in Munich, after going 2-2 last season for seventh place, including the aforementioned win over eventual ANGT Munich winner U18 Real Madrid.

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U18 Virtus Bologna fell just short of winning the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Qualifier Valencia title. 

Camara shines brightly at his second ANGT

One big reason – literally and figuratively – that the Italian side reached the title game was the play of center Gora Camara, who shined bright in his second go-around in the competition.

Camara led the ANGT Valencia in rebounding with 15.5 boards per game and was second at the event in performance index rating at 24.0 to go with 12.3 points and 1.3 steals per game. Those numbers helped Virtus to the title game, where it lost to host U18 Valencia Basket, and they resulted in Camara in winning the MVP award.

"My team helped me to win the MVP title," Camara said after the 82-71 loss in the championship game, where he struggled with foul problems and was held to just 8 points and 8 rebounds in 18:12 minutes before fouling out. "I wanted to win the EuroLeague title, but we can't change the past. Valencia was probably more ready than us and the next time we have to be more ready to win."

Despite heading home with the bitter taste of defeat against Valencia, it was a special honor for the 2.14-meter big man from Senegal.

"It was important for me to win the MVP award. It could have been better if we also won the tournament. At least we have something to bring home. I won the MVP award because I did all I could for my team to win. I didn’t come here to win the MVP, but to win the tournament," he said.

Part of Camara's showing in Valencia was collecting 15 points and 26 rebounds against U18 Movistar Estudiantes Madrid. That rebound total broke the all-time ANGT single-game mark of 24 previously held by Jonas Valanciunas and Marko Pecarski. 

"I got a lot of rebounds because I knew that it was important for the team to win. I didn't believe that I got 26 rebounds," said the big man.

Camara, who will turn 18 years old in April, was playing his second ANGT after lining up for the Italian club at ANGT L'Hospitalet last season when he averaged 6.5 points and 9.5 rebounds for a Virtus team that finished sixth. Those final numbers could be considered disappointing after Camara's first game saw him collect 16 points, 23 rebounds and 2 blocks against U18 Torrons Vicens L’Hospitalet. He totaled just 10 points and 15 rebounds combined in the final three games. 

"Last year in L'Hospitalet I didn’t show my potential. This year I had the opportunity to show my real potential and I gave to my team all I could give," said Camara, who had only been with Virtus a couple of months by the time of last season's L'Hospitalet tourney.

Camara arrived in Bologna shortly before the 2017-18 season and did so without speaking any Italian.

"At the beginning, it was very difficult, because I didn't know the language, but now my Italian is better, and that helps me play better," Camara said.

The Dakar native has only been playing basketball since 2015 and learned the game in Senegal at the Dieda Basketball Academy. Camara came into the ANGT Valencia happy to be healthy after missing about two months this season with a pinched nerve in his leg after being kicked during a game earlier this season. He has already played in three games in the Basketball Champions League for Virtus' top team and has tallied 1 point, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 20 minutes of total action in late October and early November.

"The Basketball Champions League games helped me play better in the tournament. I can see that the players here have less experience than me because I played with the first team in the Champions League," he said.

Camara has been working hard on his game as well as his education, the commitment to the latter which kept him from playing for his native Senegal this past summer when the country reached the final of the FIBA U18 African Championship 2018 and thereby qualified for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019.

"Last summer I went back to Senegal, but had to come back to study. There is a chance to play the U19 World Cup. Senegal would like to bring me there, but it depends on the season," Camara said.

That would be a big chance for the big man, who has already shown that he can excel in Europe's top youth club competition – even more so his second time around.



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Gora Camara, who helped U18 Virtus Bologna reach the championship game of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Qualifier Valencia, was named the tournament's MVP on Sunday.

Camara named ANGT Valencia MVP

Camara led the event in rebounding with 15.5 boards per game and was second in performance index rating at 24.0. He also was 11th in scoring with 12.3 points and collected 1.3 steals per game while shooting 55.9% from the field. The 2.14-meter Senegal-born center was held to 8 points and 8 rebounds in Virtus's 82-71 loss to host U18 Valencia Basket in the championship game as he struggled with foul trouble.

Joining Camara on the All-Tournament Team were Marc Garcia of champion Valencia, Ariel Hukporti of U18 Porsche Ludwigsburg, Tom Digbeu of U18 FC Barcelona Lassa and Aleix Haro of U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona. Garcia averaged 9.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals with a PIR of 11.3. He played a huge role in Valencia winning the crown with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals for an index rating of 30 in the victory over Virtus. Hukporti ranked second in the tournament in scoring and rebounds with 18.0 points and 15.2 rebounds and was tops in index rating at 26.7 and in blocks with 1.8, while also averaging 2.5 steals. Digbeu collected 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals for an index rating of 15.8. Haro ranked third in scoring with 17.8 points, second in assists with 5.0 and fifth in index rating at 18.8 to go with 2.0 steals while hitting 85.2% of his free throws.

Gora Camara, who helped U18 Virtus Bologna reach the championship game of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Qualifier Valencia, was named the tournament's MVP on Sunday. 

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