Fans of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament can expect some real battles in the ANGT Belgrade qualifier at FMP Basket City Hall starting this Friday, March 31, and lasting until a champion is crowned on Sunday, April 1.

Former champs Mega, CFBB, Zvezda highlight ANGT Belgrade field

Fans of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament can expect some real battles in the ANGT Belgrade qualifier at FMP Basket City Hall starting this Friday, March 31, and lasting until a champion is crowned on Sunday, April 1.

The challengers for the fourth stop of the qualifying campaign including three former U18 continental champions: host and 2014 winner U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade; reigning champion U18 Mega MIS Belgrade; and two-time winners U18 CFBB INSEP Paris. 

The last team standing in Sunday's first-place game will secure the fourth ticket to the ANGT Finals, which will be played at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Kaunas from May 19 to 21. That last qualifier will join U18 Barcelona, which claimed first place at the ANGT Zadar; ANGT Patras winner U18 Joventut Badalona; and U18 Real Madrid, which took top honors at the ANGT Munich.

In Belgrade this weekend, he eight teams will split into two four-team groups and play each other in round-robin style. The two group winners will face off in the first-place game on Sunday. The four teams in Group A are Zvezda, U18 Partizan Belgrade, U18 Valencia Basket and U18 Next Generation Team Belgrade. Group B is made up of Mega, CFBB, U18 UMANA Reyer Venice and U18 Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

In Group A, Zvezda is playing in the competition for the 16th straight season since 2007-08. The host side won the ANGT Finals title in 2014 and finished as continental runner-up in 2015 and 2016. Zvezda claimed first place in the ANGT Belgrade for eight straight seasons from 2011 to 2018, but hasn't won it since then. Zvezda lost to Mega in the first-place game in 2018-19; finished sixth in 2019-20; and then came up one win short against Mega and U18 ASVEL Villeurbanne, respectively, in the last two seasons.

Partizan will be making its 15th tournament appearance, all of them in Belgrade except 2018-19 in Munich. Partizan finally took first place for the first time in its home city in 2019-20 – beating CFBB – but missed out on its first ANGT Finals berth because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Partizan, which also lost in this qualifier's first-place game in 2017-18, lost all four games for eighth place in 2021-22. Valencia returns to Belgrade for the second straight season and its seventh appearance overall. The Spanish side took first place at home in the 2018-19 ANGT Valencia qualifier, finished third and seventh place the next two seasons, and then went 2-2 for fifth place at ANGT Belgrade a year ago. The fourth Group A team is the NGT Belgrade side, a collection of young talents from around the continent coached by former EuroLeague star Petteri Koponen.

Group B is highlighted by the reigning champion, Mega, making its 12th straight tournament appearance since 2011-12. Mega has reached the last six ANGT Finals and was continental runner-up in 2017 and 2019. Mega won at ANGT Rome in 2015-16, finished second in Belgrade the following season and won the Belgrade qualifying tournament in both 2018-19 and 2020-21. Mega went just 2-2 at the ANGT Belgrade last season before using an invite to the ANGT Finals to win it all.

CFBB has hoisted the continental trophy twice, in 2010 and 2017. The French academy is participating in its 14th of the last 15 tournaments, missing only the 2020-21 season due to government restrictions because of the pandemic. After finishing third in Kaunas in 2017-18 and 2018-19, CFBB lost in the ANGT Belgrade qualifier's first-place game in 2021 and won the ANGT Varese qualifier last year. Reyer returns for the first time since 2019-20 to play in its sixth qualifier overall. The Italian side has never finished better than sixth place, its final placing at ANGT Belgrade in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Another team back in the mix is Efes, which hosted the ANGT Istanbul in 2020-21 and took fourth place, the same finish it had at the 2017-18 ANGT Belgrade qualifier.

Reaching the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals means just a bit more to U18 FC Barcelona guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Not only does it mean playing against the best on the continent, but the ANGT Zadar MVP will be going home, too. 

Barcelona's Jakucionis can't wait to go home for ANGT Finals

Reaching the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals means just a bit more to U18 FC Barcelona guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Not only does it mean playing against the best on the continent, but the ANGT Zadar MVP will be going home, too. 

Jakucionis stood out all tournament in Croatia last weekend and helped carry Barcelona back to the ANGT Finals, where it hopes to claim a second U18 continental crown following its 2016 success. 

"It's very important. We have worked the whole season for this. We were practicing hard every day and we were thinking about this tournament," said Jakucionis, who had 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in Barcelona's 54-81 win over fellow Spanish side U18 Casademont Zaragoza in the first-place game. 

For the tournament, Jakucionis averaged 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals for a PIR of 25.0 to earn the event's highest honor. 

Taking first place sends Barcelona to Kaunas, Lithuania, for the ANGT Finals, which will take place from May 18 to 21, in parallel to the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four. As such, the victory in Zadar is sending Jakucionis back home. 

"That was my motivation in this tournament. Because I knew if we win this tournament we are going to my country. I look forward to seeing my family and friends there," said Jakucionis, who hails from Vilnius. 

The 16-year-old left Lithuania prior to the 2021-22 season. After receiving a good number of offers, he choose Barcelona. 

"I decided to go to Barcelona because I liked the environment, the practice and everything. And I have improved. I really love Barcelona," he said. 

Jakucionis said he talked shortly with Barcelona's Lithuanian coach and point guard duo Saras Jasikivicius and Rokas Jokubaitis. 

"I talked to them but not a lot," he said. "I like them a lot. But they did not have a big impact for me going there."

When asked what he likes most about Barcelona, Jakucionis highlighted the team chemistry: 

"All the coaches and players have good chemistry. They are cheering for each other. You can talk to each other like a friend, whether it's the first coach, assistant coach or physio. You can talk about everything with them."

Barcelona's head coach Roger Grimau is very impressed with Jakucionis. 

"He is one of the most professional players I have ever seen and he is only 16. He is so mature," said Grimau, who played 170 games over nine EuroLeague seasons - eight of them with Barcelona, with whom he won the 2003 EuroLeague title. 

Neither Grimau nor Barcelona fans should be surprised that Jakucionis helped the team win the tournament. He did, after all, help Lithuania win the title at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022.

Head coach

"He is one of the most professional players I have ever seen."

"That was amazing. Right from the start we really had good chemistry - just like in Barcelona. I feel the same energy," said Jakucionis, who averaged 9.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 3.4 steals in that tournament.

Jakucionis had already played his first season with Barcelona ahead of the U16 continental tournament and Lithuania faced off with Spain in the final. And he came up with his best game of the tournament with 15 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. 

"Playing against Spain, I had a lot of motivation to show them that Lithuania was not bad in basketball and that we can beat them," he said. "And we did, and it was amazing."

Next up for Jakucionis is a return home to Lithuania where he hopes to show the rest of the competition that Barcelona is not bad at basketball, either.

MVP Jakucionis of Barcelona heads ANGT Zadar all-tourney team

After he helped U18 FC Barcelona to take first place and lock up a spot at the ANGT Finals, [Kasparas Jakucionis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/kasparas-jakucionis/012197/) was named Most Valuable Player of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Zadar.

Jakucionis was joined on the All-Tournament by his teammate [Dame Sarr](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/dame-sarr/011666/), [Lucas Langarita](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/lucas-langarita/010885/) of U18 Casademont Zaragoza, [Toni Bilic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/toni-bilic/010915/) of U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana and [Mouhamed Faye](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/mouhamed-faye/012403/) from U18 Next Generation Team Zadar.

With 16 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for a performance index rating of 20, Jakucionis played a major role in Barcelona winning the first-place game 54-81 over Zaragoza. For the tournament, the Lithuanian averaged 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals for a PIR of 25.0. He ranked fifth in scoring, fourth in assists, tied for first in steals and second in PIR.

In the first-place game, Sarr collected 27 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals for PIR of 29. The Italian averaged 19.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.0 steals, resulting in a PIR of 17.8. With those averages, Sarr ranked third in scoring, tied for first in steals and ninth in index rating.

Langarita was held in check in the first-place game with 6 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block. But he was great the rest of the tournament, picking up 18.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks for a PIR of 19.0. The guard ranked sixth in scoring, fifth in rebounds, first in assists, fourth in blocks and seventh in PIR.

Faye dominated play inside for NGT Zadar with 14.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks, coming out to a PIR of 24.0. He ranked first in rebounds and blocks, third in index rating and 12th in scoring.

Bilic, for his part, tallied 21.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals for an average PIR of 20.0. He was the leading scorer, fifth in PIR and ninth in assists.

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U18 Casademont Zaragoza v U18 FC Barcelona (2023-03-05T15:45:00.000Z)

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U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv v U18 Zadar (2023-03-05T11:15:00.000Z)

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ANGT Zadar, Blog: Helsinki tops Stellazzurra 84-92 for 7th place

Michael Ruzic failed to meet his own expectations in the first game of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Zadar. Then he bounced back and had one of the best games of the event. 

Zadar talent Ruzic making sure he gets up after struggles

Michael Ruzic failed to meet his own expectations in the first game of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Zadar. Then he bounced back and had one of the best games of the event. That was just the latest example of the U18 Zadar talent getting back after going through a tough experience.

In Zadar’s opening game against U18 Next Generation Team Zadar, Ruzic made just 2 of 10 shots and scored 6 points after being chosen before the tournament as the club’s player to watch. The next game against U18 Helsinki Basketball Academy, Ruzic made 10 of 13 shots and 9 of 9 free throws in scoring 29 points to go with 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks for an index rating of 41 in a 92-67 victory.

"It was a poor performance. I just realized that I put unnecessary pressure on myself to perform well. Overnight I just reset myself to relax, stay composed and don’t live in the past. And that resulted in a best performance," said Ruzic, who also went for 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks in the team’s final group game against U18 FC Barcelona.

The name Ruzic is not a new one at Europe’s highest level; his father Tomislav Ruzic played four seasons in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague from 2000-01 to 2004-05 with Zadar, Cibona Zagreb and ASVEL Villeurbanne.

"He did tell me stories but I don’t really remember them because I was really young. But he shares his experience with me. He’s always giving me advice before games and sharing his wisdom and I will always be thankful for that," said Ruzic about his father, who played 53 games in the EuroLeague as well as 51 games during four seasons in the 7DAYS EuroCup - including 2008 to 2010 for Zadar and as late as 2013-14 for Besiktas Istanbul.

"You may get knocked down, but keep moving because it’s never about how you fall but how you get back up."

The younger Ruzic was born in Besancon, France, while his father was playing for Besancon Basket in 2006-07. Michael also lived in Antalya, Turkey, when his father played for Bld Antalya in 2007-08.

The victory was Zadar’s first in the ANGT in 14 years dating back to the 2008-09 season. The last time the Croatian club participated in the tournament was the 2009-10 campaign at the ANGT London. And now Ruzic and his teammates have the chance to compete on the biggest stage at home.

“It feels great that we can play on our home court in front of our home fans because it’s a really special feeling," he said.

Ruzic is having a strong season for Zadar’s second team in the second division. But it came after one of the biggest disappointments in his young career.

He averaged 7.0 points and 5.4 rebounds playing for Croatia at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022. But the team finished 14th and was relegated to Division B for this summer.

"I learned a lot. No matter how bad things get, no matter how many bad things happen you must always rise above that and continue moving forward. You may get knocked down, but keep moving because it’s never about how you fall but how you get back up," he said.

Ruzic said he returned to Zadar having lost a lot of weight and with an injury that hampered the start of this season. But it was that stick-to-it attitude that got him back on track.

"I stayed focused. I just worked hard and I was able to show my talent and potential in the Croatian B division and thanks to my coaches and the staff I was able to do that," said Ruzic who is averaging 6.2 points and 3.7 rebounds this season for Jazine.

And now Ruzic has another high point to look back on as he moves forward.

Zadar talent Ruzic making sure he gets up after struggles 

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