It's very common to hear of rising stars in the basketball world who games were groomed by their basketball-playing fathers or brothers. But Joel Ayayi's early days of playing with his older sister are what helped him become a high-level talent.

CFBB's Ayayi learns from big sister

His older sister Valeriane Ayayi is one of the best players in French basketball and helped the French national team reach the semifinals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

“I was very proud to see her in the Olympics,” said Ayayi, who will be playing at his first EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Finals next month with U18 CFBB Paris. “She has always been my role model because I was always following her everywhere she was going. I’m very excited for her. I hope she continues like that and continues to get better.”

When asked how Valeriane, who is almost six years older, helps him in his game, Ayayi said: “After every game she sends me texts about how I played. When I was a child we were playing a lot of one-on-one. She was always helping me in getting better on my dribble and my shot.”

The younger Ayayi is excited about CFBB getting a wild card for Istanbul, where the team hopes to win its first ANGT title since 2010. “It’s big-time news. We are very excited. I think we could play a major role in this championship. I think we could win it,” he said. “We have to be focused on playing together and defend hard. If we play hard defense, we can get out in transition for easy baskets.”

Ayayi played a strong part in CFBB reaching the final of the ANGT Qualifier Kaunas, where they lost to host U18 Zalgiris Kaunas 62-57 after cutting a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to 1 point. “The final was very tough, but we learned a lot. And now we know how to win a tough game like that for the next stage,” said Ayayi, who averaged 9.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists, including 19 points in the title game.

The 1.93-meter Ayayi, who was one of five of the younger 2000-born players on the CFBB team in Kaunas, had already gone through a tough losing experience before. He and the French team lost to Croatia in the quarterfinals of the FIBA U16 European Championship 2016 and ended up finishing sixth. “We are very disappointed in our performance. We were looking forward to a title or at least a medal. We lost in the quarterfinals, in a tough game, because we didn’t play our game,” the Bordeaux native said. “But it was a good experience because now we know. You have to elevate your level in big games.”

Over the mid-term Ayayi is looking to improve his jump shot as well as his ball-handling and court vision. He said he really enjoyed watching the Real Madrid team last season. “I liked Sergio Rodriguez and Sergio Llull when they were both with Real Madrid. That was a great team to watch with their court vision. They are real floor generals. And to watch their passing qualities,” Ayayi said.

Even though Ayayi pays close attention and tries to learn by watching those players as well as the top French players around the world, the player he watches and learns from the most is his big sister, Valeriane, who continues to look out for him, too.



Sagarejo is not known for its basketball. In fact the city in eastern Georgia of about 12,000 residents is home to some of the world’s top freestyle wrestlers. Yet, U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade big man Goga Bitadze also calls Sagarejo home. 

Bitadze goes from land of wrestlers to talent-developing Mega

The 2.11-meter big man is a major reason why Mega reached the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Qualifying Tournament Belgrade championship game and was awarded a wild card for the ANGT Finals in Istanbul at next month’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.

“It’s really a big thing for Mega. We have a really talented team and we will do our best and I hope everyone will be healthy again,” said Bitadze, who averaged 16.5 points, 12 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 2.8 blocks in Mega’s run to the final in Belgrade. “It means a lot for this team, a lot.”

Basketball means a lot to Bitadze’s home country Georgia too - a country of around 4 million people. “We have a guy who was drafted with the number five pick in the NBA Draft (Nikoloz Tskitishvili to Denver in 2002) and a guy who plays for the Golden State Warriors and is a starter (Zaza Pachulia). We also have guys who are on leading teams in EuroLeague, Liga Endesa and other competitions. And we made four straight FIBA EuroBaskets and played well in those,” Bitadze said. “So I think that’s a lot for such a small country.”

Located about 60 kilometers east of the Georgian capital Tbilisi, Sagarejo, however, isn’t as well known for its basketball. “One of the best things about Sagarejo is that it’s such a beautiful region. There are a lot of mountains, and a lot of good sportsmen have grown up in this region. There are such warm and hospitable people and the food is good too.”

Sagarejo native Levan Tediashvili is a two-time Olympic freestyle gold medalist and four-time world champion and Arsen Mekokishvili won the freestyle wrestling Olympic gold in 1952. Bitadze did not grow up watching basketball, but his height led him to the game when he was 6 years old. “I was so active and tall, so my parents decided to let me try basketball,” Bitadze said. “No one influenced me because I wasn’t watching basketball a lot, but then I started loving basketball and watching it.”

Bitadze said he mainly liked fellow Georgian Tornike Shengelia, now playing for Baskonia Vitoria Gasteiz, as well as Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol from the NBA. “Shengalia because I liked to watch this big athlete move so quickly, while the other two dominated the game in the NBA,” Bitadze said.

Bitadze starred at the FIBA U16 European Championship Division B 2015 for Georgia with 14.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.7 blocks and then began hitting radars further west in Europe while he played for Vita Tbilisi in the VTB League in the 2015-16 season. And he landed with Mega in December 2015.

“There was a good league in Georgia and a good club, but I saw that Mega was really a good team for young players and I saw some guys were getting drafted in the NBA (from Mega), so I thought that I could be one of these guys someday,” he said. “The Serbian league and everything about basketball is so well run and that’s why I came here.”

Bitadze played his first ANGT qualifier late in 2015 after just a couple of weeks with Mega and averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds as Mega won the ANGT Rome title. He was worth 4.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks at the ANGT Finals in Berlin. Those numbers jumped drastically in Belgrade in late February.

“It was a little easier because I understood my coaching staff and teammates a lot more and I put in a lot of hard work with my team and I improved myself. So hard work pays off,” said Bitadze, who had three double-doubles at ANGT Belgrade, including 21 points and 18 rebounds in the final against U18 Crvena Zvezda MTS Belgrade. The big man was named to the ANGT Belgrade All-Tournament Team.

“It’s a really great experience to play against these great players, to challenge them and to learn some things from them,” he said. “My role is to get an advantage in the paint and lead the team in tough moments, to make my teammates better, and to motivate the team.”

Bitadze has also been averaging 10.6 points per game in the Serbian KLS league on loan at Smederevo as a 17-year-old. He has also posted 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 rebounds.

“I just try to do my best every game, to be ready to play against older guys than me, and to be a competitor,” Bitadze said. “I’m working on getting my body ready for some of the better leagues and working on my post game as well as trying to get my shot better and use my height advantage.”

Bitadze and his teammates learned a valuable lesson in the ANGT Belgrade final - losing 74-61 after Zvezda jumped out to a 25-2 lead after eight minutes: “I learned that one quarter can change the whole game.” Just like he is doing his best to help change the face of basketball in Georgia.

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U18 CSKA Moscow is the record three-time champion of the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT. But the Russian powerhouse is back at the ANGT Finals for the first time since 2007 thanks in large part to an ex-swimmer with a good connection to Alexey Shved.

U18 CSKA's Khomenko switched swimming for basketball after meeting Shveds

Alexander Khomenko collected 14.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals as CSKA finished third at the ANGT Qualifying Tournament Kaunas.

CSKA, which won three straight continental titles from 2004 to 2006, was then awarded a wild card for the ANG Finals, taking place May 18 to 21 at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Istanbul.

"Ten years is a long time. It means a lot for our club and we are happy that we got a wild card," said Khomenko, who was playing in his second ANGT tournament after having averaged 4.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists at ANGT Rome in 2015-16.

"We are looking forward to the unique opportunity to fight for the win in Istanbul. It will be hard but it's a great experience for all of us."

Khomenko and CSKA are drawn into Group A along with U18 Crvena Zvevda MTS Belgrade, reigning champions U18 FC Barcelona Lassa and U18 CFBB Paris. The 1.90-meter guard is hoping to double down on his experience and watch the CSKA senior team, if they reach the Final Four.

"I hope we will manage to watch the games of Final Four where I hope CSKA will participate. I know that we will have our own schedule and no time to walk around and relax, but to support our main team is important," he said.

Basketball used to mean a lot less to Khomenko, who actually grew up swimming and participating four years in the water. Khomenko did not start to play basketball until the first grade in Belgorod.

One of the big basketball names in Belgorod is Alexey Shved, whose father Victor Shved was Khomenko's first coach.

"Victor Shved's wife came to our school to look for newcomers for the basketball school. So she invited me to come and to try playing basketball. Frankly speaking, I didn't want to go there at first. But my mother insisted. She said, 'You should try it, maybe you will like it.' And I did."

And after his four years of swimming it was time to move onto basketball.

"I tried to combine it with basketball but then it was necessary to choose one. I chose basketball," Khomenko said.

Khomenko and Shved were able to build up a pretty strong bond.

"Alexey visits Belgorod every summer. And his father always set Alexey as an example, showing us his early games in CSKA," Khomenko said.

About the relationship with the former EuroLeague champion and current Khimki star, Khomenko added: "We communicate in Belgorod, where Alexey comes to practice and I have vacations in summer. Me and some other local players practice with him. We help each other to progress.

"Last time, Alexey showed me his drills, gave some advice to try some things on the court. It was also interesting to listen to his stories about the NBA."

Khomenko has grown into one of the leaders of the CSKA team along with Aleksandr Ershov and Yury Umrikhin.

"We always do a lot of work on the court, but as a team we are always together. We help each other all the time. If one player makes mistakes or his shots fall out, then the other one is ready to support him," Khomenko said.

When asked what CSKA must do to be successful in the ANGT Finals, Khomenko added: "We need to play really good on defense, do not worry about our opponents and be ourselves. 'One for all, all for one' - just like with the senior team."

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The fact that U18 Zalgiris Kaunas has reached the ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Finals in Istanbul should not be a surprise. After all, the captain of the team is Ignas Sargiunas, and great results just seem to follow him wherever he goes.

Sargiunas gets used to great results with U18 Zalgiris

Zalgiris remained undefeated in ANGT Qualifying Tournament Kaunas games at Zalgirio Arena in January to book its fourth straight trip to the ANGT Finals. And Sargiunas played a major role, averaging 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals in the four games. That showed evidence of progression from his numbers in the same qualifying event a year ago: 6.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals.

The 17-year-old guard admitted that the Lithuanian powerhouse sensed the weight of expectations from Zalgiris fans as the club came into this year's tournament with 12 straight qualifying tournament wins.

"We are happy to have a ticket to Istanbul," said Sargiunas, "We felt the pressure this year because our team really didn’t have any elite stars or leaders. We really had to play like a team. Also our arena and Zalgiris haven't seen a loss for four years, but we did our job and won a title."

Great results have become almost normalcy for the Kaunas native.

In addition to winning two ANGT Kaunas titles, Sargiunas helped Lithuania to the silver medal at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2015. He then added another silver at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2016 and a third-place finish at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2016. "This two-year span is really full of titles for most of the 1999-born players on this team," said Sargiunas, who teamed up with Zalgiris teammates Grantas Vasiliauskas and Lukas Uleckas for those national team accomplishments.

"It’s really great. We worked hard for that. I'm happy to compete at tournaments like that and happy to get medals."

Zalgiris meanwhile will be heading to Istanbul knowing that, due to the lack of superstars that Sargiunas mentioned, it must truly work as a team to grab a third continental title. Sargiunas was one of five Zalgiris players to average between 9 and 10.3 points in the tournament. "We did a great job on defense and shared the ball on offense," he said. "We played team basketball. That’s how we got the victory. We wanted it very much."

Sargiunas values every game he plays for this Zalgiris even more since he serves as the captain.

"This is the first time I am captain of any team I have played for, so you have even more responsibility. You have to take care of the team. You also have more pressure," he said.

Even though Zalgiris will be playing at its fourth straight ANGT Finals - and now 13 of the 15 editions in the competition’s history - the two-time champion last reigned over Europe in 2007. Their other title was the inaugural ANGT crown in 2003. The last time Zalgiris reached the ANGT Championship Game was 2011, losing to U18 KK Zagreb. "We will try our best in Istanbul, just like in Kaunas," Sargiunas said. "We will fight and try to win every game. We will fight for the title."

And Zalgiris actually has good chances with a winner like Sargiunas on board.

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Look at the U18 FC Barcelona Lassa roster and you see plenty of flashy weapons like Sergi Martinez and Luka Simanic or Arnas Velicka and Andrija Marjanovic. 

Zizic appreciates doing dirty work for Barcelona

But there is another guy down in the blocks doing loads of dirty work.

Nikola Zizic may be a year younger than the others, but he has a veteran's experience in the EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT, the finals of which his team returns to from May 17 to 21 in Istanbul to defend their continental title from a year ago.

The Montenegro center will not turn 17 years old until April 11 but he is already playing in his third ANGT for Barcelona. He appeared for 3 minutes in two games in 2014-15, then averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds at the ANGT L'Hospitalet last season. This time around, the 2.08-meter big man was a rock of consistency in guiding Barcelona to the ANGT L'Hospitalet title with 8.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.

"It was my third L'Hospitalet tournament and the first I actually won, so I am really happy about this. I am extremely happy for my team and my teammates for showing the best they could," Zizic said. "We had a really great team. We were supposed to win this championship. We had the quality, we had everything. The only thing we were waiting for was getting it all together. We were playing a little individually before the tournament. But in the end we understood that he most important thing is the team. That's why we won."

In the final against U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona, Zizic played a major role in getting Barcelona its first L'Hospitalet title since 2011 with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 1 block. That victory means that Barcelona will return to the ANGT Finals in Istanbul to defend the continental junior title it won for the first time last season as a wild card.

Zizic believes he is helped by having a group of high level players around him on the court.

"The player can play even better if he has great teammates," he said. "I know that I have great teammates, and they all have their weapons."

Barcelona coach Alfred Julbe said Zizic reminds him of former Slovenian star Vinko Jelovac, who helped Yugoslavia win a silver medal at the 1976 Olympics, gold at the 1970 World Championship and three EuroBasket crowns in the same decade.

"He's the type of old school, old way Yugoslavia," Julbe said about Zizic. "He reminds me of, going far back, Jelovak - thick. He has better technique than it looks. He has better touch, better movements than it might look.

"He has a very nice touch with his left and even sometimes with his right. He still needs to improve on his lateral movement and speed and leaping ability. But he is playing his first year as a junior and we are satisfied with him."

Zizic has been in the Barcelona system for three years total, and the Podgorica native appreciates the opportunity being given to him. "I'm really grateful that I am part of this team," Zizic said. "Barcelona gave me something different. It's an incredibly organised club. It's a unique pleasure to be part of this club. Most of all we are not just a club, we are treated like family."

Zizic was part of the family when it won the ANGT continental crown last year in Berlin, but he did not play in the championship game in the German capital. This time, he will have a chance to play a major role in Barcelona's attempt to repeat in Istanbul in May. If they are successful, Zizic and his teammates will become the first repeat champion since U18 FMP won back-to-back in 2008 and 2009.

"That would actually mean the world to me, to prove that we are as good as everybody says we are," said Zizic. "I believe in my teammates. They are going to bring me that title."

No doubt Zizic, the man in the middle, will be doing the dirty work for them.

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The greatest gathering of young club basketball talent in the world, the 2017 EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT, is now set for its final phase with the announcement of four teams receiving invitations to join four winners of qualifying events to decide among them a continental junior champion in Istanbul this spring.

Four invitees complete 2017 EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT field

The 15th anniversary edition of the ANGT Finals will be played from Thursday, May 18 to Sunday, May 21 in the Turkish metropolis, featuring six former champions.

The four invitees announced this week are U18 CFBB Paris, U18 CSKA Moscow, U18 Fenerbahce Istanbul and U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade. They will join qualifying tournament winners U18 FC Barcelona Lassa, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas, U18 Real Madrid and U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade.

Barcelona is the defending champion, while Real Madrid and Crvena Zvezda were champions the previous two years. CFBB Paris, formerly called INSEP, triumphed in 2010. Zalgiris took the trophy twice, both in 2007 as well as the inaugural tournament in 2003. CSKA was three time champion from 2004 through 2006. All told, the teams coming to this year's finals have claimed nine of the 14 titles to date.

In Istanbul, a dozen group games will be played over the first three days at the Ahmet Comert Arena. For the championship game on Sunday, the two winners of their groups will move to the adjacent Sinan Erdem Dome, site of that weekend's Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four, to play for the trophy on the same floor where the continental men's club champion will be crowned later that night.

ANGT alumni continue to feature legends in the making. Many players who participated in previous events can be seen playing major roles on Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and 7DAYS EuroCup rosters today, including Bogdan Bogdanovic and Luigi Datome (Fenerbahce Istanbul), Mantas Kalnietis and Milan Macvan (EA7 Emporio Armani Milan), Nikita Kurbanov and Milos Teodosic (CSKA Moscow), Luka Doncic and Jonas Maciulis (Real Madrid), Gal Mekel (Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv) or Cedi Osman (Anadolu Efes Istanbul).

Entrance to all games of the EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT is free of charge, allowing both local and visiting fans to see many elite young talents in European basketball compete against each other, the future stars of the EuroLeague and EuroCup.

<table class="table" style="width: 100%;" width="100%">
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th style="padding: 8px; border-bottom: 2px solid #ddd; background-color: #ccc;" colspan="2"><strong>GROUPS</strong></th>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <th style="padding: 8px; border-bottom: 2px solid #ddd; background-color: #ccc; text-align: center; width: 50%'">            
            Group A
            </th>
            <th style="padding: 8px; border-bottom: 2px solid #ddd; background-color: #ccc; text-align: center; width: 50%;">
            Group B 
            </th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody style="background-color: #ffffff;">
        <tr>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">            
            U18 CFBB Paris
            </td>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
            U18 Fenerbahce Istanbul
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">            
            U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade            
            </td>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
            U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">          
            U18 CSKA Moscow           
            </td>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
            U18 Real Madrid
            </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">          
            U18 FC Barcelona Lassa
            </td>
            <td style="padding: 8px; text-align: center;">
            U18 Zalgiris Kaunas 
            </td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

### GAME SCHEDULE

#### Thursday 18 May, 2017

09:00 - U18 CRVENA ZVEZDA MTS BELGRADE vs. U18 CSKA MOSCOW

11:00 - U18 CFBB PARIS vs. U18 FC BARCELONA LASSA

13:00 - U18 MEGA BEMAX BELGRADE vs. U18 REAL MADRID

15:00 - U18 FENERBAHCE ISTANBUL vs. U18 ZALGIRIS KAUNAS

#### Friday 19 May, 2017

09:00 - U18 CFBB PARIS vs. U18 CRVENA ZVEZDA MTS BELGRADE

11:00 - U18 CSKA MOSCOW vs. U18 FC BARCELONA LASSA

13:00 - U18 ZALGIRIS KAUNAS vs. U18 MEGA BEMAX BELGRADE

15:00 - U18 REAL MADRID vs. U18 FENERBAHCE ISTANBUL

#### Saturday 20 May, 2017

09:00 - U18 CFBB PARIS vs. U18 CSKA MOSCOW

11:00 - U18 CRVENA ZVEZDA MTS BELGRADE vs. U18 FC BARCELONA LASSA

13:00 - U18 REAL MADRID vs. U18 ZALGIRIS KAUNAS

15:00 - U18 FENERBAHCE ISTANBUL vs. U18 MEGA BEMAX BELGRADE

#### Sunday 21 May, 2017

10:00 - 1ST PLACE GROUP A VS. 1ST PLACE GROUP B

Aleksa Uskokovic just wants his team to play good basketball and doesn’t want to bask in individual glory.

Uskokovic latest to take charge of Zvezda dynasty

But the guard claimed his spot in a growing line of champions as tournament MVP after U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade won its seventh consecutive EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Qualifying Tournament Marko Ivkovic Belgrade title.

"It's unbelievable for me and the whole team. It’s a great success again for us," said Uskokovic, who averaged 16.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals in the tournament and had 20 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in the final against U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade. Uskokovic follows in the footsteps of past Zvezda players who won the title in Belgrade including Marko Guduric, Dusan Ristic, Nikola Rebic, Nikola Rakicevic, Vojislav Stojanovic, Stefan Lazarevic, Aleksa Radanov, Borisa Simanic and Aleksandar Aranitovic.

"It's demanding to be the main player in this team," Uskokovic admitted. "I just try to do what the coach and club expects from me: to be a main playmaker and give assists to the team. I just want to play very good basketball."

This is the second go-around in the ANGT for Uskokovic, who was part of the Zvezda team that won the Belgrade crown last season and then reached its third straight ANGT Finals Championship Game last season. The Belgrade native made a big jump even last season within the club. After averaging 4.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals at ANGT Belgrade, Uskokovic collected 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.3 steals at the ANGT Finals in Berlin.

He then watched the leaders of last season’s team - Simanic, Radanov and others - move into senior basketball and took over the team. And with Crvena Zvezda that means winning.

"Every year we just want to win this tournament. This is a great tournament for us and a great opportunity to show our great game," Uskokovic said. "It is tradition for us. We just try to win every year. We did that and I am so happy."

Uskokovic is happy, but not satisfied. This is just the first step. He and the rest of the team is aiming for a return to the ANGT Finals Championship Game, which would be its fourth consecutive.

"Now we will be going to Istanbul and our target it the title," said Uskokovic, who would like to add a second ANGT crown to the club’s trophy case following the 2014 title. "U18 FC Barcelona Lassa, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and U18 Real Madrid will be in Istanbul. Every year we want to play our best and represent our club. I don’t know what we will be able to do in Istanbul. But I know that we will give our best and we want to win the title."

Spoken like a true leader of a long-time winning organization.

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U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade point guard Aleksa Uskokovic was named the MVP of the EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION Qualifying Tournament Marko Ivkovic Belgrade on Sunday.

Zvezda's Uskokovic leads All-Tournament team in Belgrade

Uskokovic had an all-round effort in the title game, collecting 20 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds in Zvezda’s 74-61 win over the local rival U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade. Uskokovic averaged 16.8 points on 41.7% three-point shooting, along with 5.3 assists, 3 rebounds and 2.3 steals over four games, leading Zvezda to its seventh straight tournament title, and a place at the ANGT Finals this coming May in Istanbul, Turkey.

Joining Uskokovic on the All-Tournament Team was his teammate, forward Zoran Paunovic who averaged 11.5 points, 6 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.3 assists off the bench, center Goga Bitadze of Mega with his average of 16.5 points and 12 rebounds, also Mega’s forward Nikola Miskovic who averaged 16.5 points and 7 rebounds, as well as Amit Ebo of Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv who posted 22.8 points per game.

U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade point guard Aleksa Uskokovic was named the MVP of the EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION Qualifying Tournament Marko Ivkovic Belgrade on Sunday. 

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Looking at the roster for the U18 Get Better Academy Prague, one name stands out.

Basketball pedigree helps Welsch lead GBA Prague to debut win

Marek Welsch comes from a major basketball family in the Czech Republic, and that connection helped GBA to its first win at the EUROLEAGUE BASKETBALL ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Qualifying Tournament Marko Ivkovic Belgrade.

Welsch collected 15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals as GBA beat U18 Spars Sarajevo 54-46 in its debut game in the competition.

"This means so much for our academy," Welsch said. "This is a huge tournament, but we came here not to just show ourselves, but to win the whole thing."

The 1.80-meter point guard, who will turn 18 years old in late October, said the victory also means a lot because Spars is a team that reached the final at ANGT Belgrade last season and twice has played at the ANGT Finals.

"It's going to help us because Spars is a great team, a finalist from last year," he said. "So we beat a great team and we have a lot of confidence right now for the coming games."

Welsch is one the main leaders of the GBA team as the only player with more than 30 minutes against Spars. And there is a rich history of basketball running through his blood.

His father Petr Welsch played professionally for years, mainly in the Czech Republic and Poland. He said his father retired due to injury when Marek was 10 years old. And Marek's uncle is Jiri Welsch, who played in the EuroLeague with Union Olimpija Ljubljana and Unicaja Malaga. Jiri, who is still playing, also competed for four NBA teams between 2002 and 2006. When he gets the chance, Marek still watches his uncle play for Czech giant CEZ Nymburk.

"Basketball is basically the only sport in our family," Welsch said. "Everyone has been through it. I want to keep grinding and become a pro and then pass the torch to another generation."

The sport gives Marek a strong bond with his father.

"We talk about basketball 24/7. He helps me a lot with my game. After my game is finished, I go home and watch it again with my dad. We analyse it and talk about my weaknesses so I can work on them," said the younger Welsch.

"My uncle doesn't have as much time because he's still playing, but when we meet we also talk basketball."

That love for the game has carried the Welsch family to big success and Marek Welsch hopes to keep it going. He has already helped GBA write history at the ANGT Belgrade!

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