Deividas Sirvydis has already etched his name in the annals of Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius history. But the star talent can add another mark as the first player to lead the U18 team to the title at the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Kaunas, which he did as the captain and MVP. 

Sirvydis keeps etching his name in annals of Rytas history

Sirvydis led Rytas in scoring with 17.0 points a game to go with 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals as Rytas knocked off U18 Stellazzurra Rome in the ANGT Kaunas final to book its ticket to the ANGT Finals in Belgrade in May.

"It's an amazing feeling," said Sirvydis, who recorded 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in the final against Stellazzurra. As was winning the MVP trophy: "It means a lot. A lot of great players from throughout Europe have played here and won the MVP title. It's the best thing I've ever had."

It was Sirvydis's third time playing in the ANGT after the 2016 ANGT Finals in Berlin and ANGT Kaunas last year, where he played just one game and then returned home because he was sick. So, he was extra excited to play and win the title this time.

"We wanted to win the tournament and we won the tournament and now we are going to Belgrade. And we will have the same goal," Sirvydis exclaimed.

The goal will be to help Rytas to its second-ever ANGT continental title following the crown in 2012 in Istanbul. And a championship would give Sirvydis a leg up on one of the club's biggest names - Jonas Valanciunas. The star center came up just short of winning the ANGT title in 2009 at the Final Four in Berlin, where Rytas lost to U18 FMP in the ANGT championship game.

Sirvydis has already eclipsed Valanciunas in two other aspects. The 2.00-meter guard made his Lithuanian LKL league debut on May 29, 2017, days before his 17th birthday, surpassing Valanciunas as the youngest player in Rytas history to play in the LKL. And on December 5, 2017, Sirvydis got into Rytas's 7DAYS EuroCup game against Partizan NIS Belgrade, which saw him overtake Valanciunas as the club's youngest debutant in the EuroCup.

The personable Sirvydis laughs when those facts are brought up. "I feel good. Valanciunas is a big star in the NBA and I was younger than him."

While many see a bright future for the youngster, Sirvydis's past was spent as a young globetrotter around Europe with his basketball-playing father. Virginijus Sirvydis was playing in Vilnius for Sakalai when Deividas was born in 2000. But the wingman father spent Deividas's young days bouncing around Europe, playing three years in Russia, two years in Germany and one season each in Cyprus and the Czech Republic.

"It was kind of fun," Deividas recalls of his time in other countries. But the younger Sirvydis really can't remember much specifically. And what about watching his father play? "Not really. I was a little boy and was sleeping during the games. After the games I could dribble and shoot on the court though," said Sirvydis, who would do the same at his father's practices.

It was those practices and after-game settings that brought Deividas into the game, which he began to play in earnest at around 7 years of age. And there was always his father to talk about the game. After retiring in 2012, Virginijus became a coach and is currently the assistant coach at LKL team Pieno Zvaigzdes Pasvalys.

"He gives me some advice. He watches every game and after each game, he talks to me and tells me what I did wrong," Deividas said.

What definitely was not wrong in Sirvydis's eyes was signing a long-term contract with Rytas. "It's everything. I was born in Vilnius and I want to play in Vilnius," he said.

And Sirvydis is already steeped in the tradition of Lithuanian basketball and talks of Zalgiris Kaunas as the archrivals, making it all the better to win the club's first ANGT qualifying tournament title since ANGT Siauliai 2013.

"It's the best feeling. All the time it's like the clasico, Rytas and Zalgiris. And we won the championship in Kaunas."

Just another mark for Sirvydis in the annals of Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius history.

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Sure, every team was happy when they grabbed a victory at the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Kaunas. But the satisfaction of winning a game might just be a bit more for Mathis Dossou-Yovo and the rest of the U18 CFBB Paris team.

Winning ANGT games has special meaning for Dossou-Yovo, CFBB

Mainly because the ANGT competition is one of the few chances where they can beat another team.

Dossou-Yovo played a major role in CFBB grabbing two victories and finishing fifth in Kaunas. The 2.02-meter big man collected 16.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals for an index rating of 22.8, the top PIR of the tournament, which helped him earn a spot on the all-tournament team.

"It's an honor. It feels good to be recognized," said Dossou-Yovo, a native of Chateauroux who came to Kaunas expecting to shoulder a lot of responsibility on CFBB.

"I knew I would need to be a leader," he said.

That is because Dossou-Yovo was one of five players on the current CFBB team who also hoisted the ANGT continental trophy last May at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Istanbul.

"We won in Istanbul and that was fantastic. We had a good team with good players," said Dossou-Yovo, who averaged 8.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.8 blocks in last season's finals. "That was amazing. We played good together. Those were good players, but also good friends and good men."

Since most of the leaders of that team have since left the organization, it is time now for the next group of players to step up for the two-time continental U18 champions.

Dossou-Yovo, who turned 17 years old on November 6, has a special bond with his teammates. It's something that is built over the course of seasons that are challenging to say the least.

CFBB – which used to be known in competitions as INSEP – is an academy where players develop for three years between the ages of 15 and 19. It has produced many of France's all-time greats over the past couple of decades, including Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Ronny Turiaf, Evan Fournier, Joffrey Lauvergne, Alexis Ajinca, Antoine Diot, Livio Jean-Charles and Leo Westermann.

But CFBB doesn't produce many victories.

As part of a cooperation between the French federation and the French leagues, CFBB and its young talents play in the French semi-professional NM1 third division against grown men. The team cannot be relegated or promoted out of the NM1. And that is a good thing, since victories have been few and far between.

CFBB came to Kaunas with an 0-17 record this season in the NM1. Last season, CFBB lost all 34 games in the NM1, making the fact that the team won the ANGT title all the more amazing.

In fact, CFBB's last NM1 victory came on April 16, 2016, when it beat Caen 93-87 in game 32 of the NM1 season. Its current 53-game losing streak since then is nothing though. That April 2016 victory snapped a 142-game losing streak, dating back nearly four years to January 21, 2012.

"We lose, but we don't like that. We want to win games too," said Dossou-Yovo, who has not yet won an NM1 league game in his career at CFBB.

Dossou-Yovo's best NM1 game this season came on November 11 when CFBB came closest to grabbing a win. The big man collected 12 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks in a 55-48 loss to Aubenas.

CFBB's next game was a 75-64 defeat against RAC Basket, the team's second-closest chance at a victory. Otherwise, things haven't been close. Thirteen of the team's 17 losses have been by more than 30 points and four have been by 50 points or more.

Still Dossou-Yovo, who started playing basketball when he was 10 years old, really values playing at CFBB. "It's an honor," he says. "It's a really good place to work and improve yourself as a player."

But it's not exactly a great place if you are looking to win games. That makes each victory that CFBB gets at the ANGT that much more meaningful.



Sure, every team was happy when they grabbed a victory at the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Kaunas. But the satisfaction of winning a game might just be a bit more for Mathis Dossou-Yovo and the rest of the U18 CFBB Paris team. 

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After leading U18 Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius to the title at the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Kaunas on Sunday, Deividas Sirvydis was named tournament MVP. 

MVP Sirvydis of Rytas headlines All-Tournament team

Sirvydis was second in the competition in scoring with 17.0 points per game, including 16 in Sunday’s AGNT Kaunas final victory over U18 Stellazzurra Rome. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 65.2 percent from two-point range, which was second-best in the tournament.

Joining Sirvydis on the All-Tournament Team are teammate Marek Blazevic, Stellazzurra’s Aristide Mouaha, Rokas Jokubaitis of U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and Mathis Dossou-Yovo of U18 CFBB Paris. Blazevic averaged 12.3 points, including 19 points in Sunday’s final. He also had 11 rebounds against Stellazzurra to average 8.0 boards a game, which ranked fourth-best in the tournament. Blazevic chipped in 1.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks for an average index rating of 20.50, which was second-best in Kaunas. Despite scoring just 6 points in the final, Mouaha led Stellazzurra in scoring with 16.3 per game, which tied for third-highest in the event. He also posted 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals. Jokubaits, who helped Zalgiris to third place, led the tournament in assists with 8.3 per game to go with 15.0 points and 3.8 rebounds. Dossou-Yovo, a fifth-place finisher with CFBB, led the tournament in index rating at 22.8, while finishing tied for third in scoring at 16.3 points per game and a third-best 8.5 rebounds a game. He also had 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.

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The 2018 Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT qualifying series tournaments continue this weekend in Lithuania. The rosters are stacked with top talents from those countries and many more. 

ANGT Kaunas Players to Watch in 2018

ANGT Kaunas features four former ANGT champions among teams from the host country, France, Italy, Latvia, Russia and Turkey. Here's a primer on some of the players to watch from the eight teams in action this weekend.

#### U18 Fenerbahce Dogus Istanbul: Efe Tirpanci
Tirpanci will be playing in his second ANGT after averaging 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block at ANGT Kaunas last season. He later posted 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 2.0 steals at the ANGT Finals. The 2.02-meter Tirpanci played last season as a small forward, but Fenerbahce is in the process of shifting him to point guard. Tirpanci has excellent court vision, drives aggressively to the basket and can finish as well. He also shoots a good percentage on his mid-range pull up shots. Tirpanci continues to improve his pass selection and his three-point shooting percentage. Fenerbahce also has him working on changing speeds when he dribbles to keep defenses off balance.

#### U18 VEF Riga: Oskars Hlebovickis
Hlebovickis is appearing in the ANGT for the second time. He collected 9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 steal in Kaunas last season. The 2.00-meter wing is playing in Latvia’s second division LBL2, where he is averaging 14.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.1 steals and has picked up three double-doubles. Hlebovickis, who was born in the capital of Poland, Warsaw, can play at both wing positions but also can play with his back to the basket. He also has international experience; Hlebovickis played three games for the Latvian national team at the FIBA U16 European Championship in 2016. He has a very high basketball IQ and is a good spot-up shooter.

#### U18 Zalgiris Kaunas: Rokas Jokubaitis
Jokubaitis will be lining up in his second ANGT after playing a major role in Zalgiris winning ANGT Kaunas last season. He averaged 10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists, including a team-high 18 points to go with 6 assists in the victory over U18 CFBB Paris in the Kaunas Final. In the ANGT Finals in Istanbul, the 1.91-meter point guard was worth 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals. Jokubaitis comes from a basketball family; both of his parents played the game and his sister still does. His father, Aivaras, was more of a low post player and played a handful of years in the Lithuanian first division. Rokas helped Lithuania win silver at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2016 and last summer averaged 10.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.3 assists at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017. An excellent playmaker, Jokubaitis can handle the ball very well and finish at the basket as well, though he needs to keep working on his shooting.

#### U18 Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius: Deividas Sirvydis
This will be the third season that Sirvydis is playing in the ANGT. He averaged 3.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals at the ANGT Finals in 2016. Last season he appeared in only one game at ANGT Kaunas, in which he produced 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 block before missing the rest of the tournament with an injury. The lefty helped Lithuania to the silver medal at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2016. His father, Virginijus, played many years in Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Cyprus and the Czech Republic before retiring in 2012 and now coaches in Lithuania’s second division. Deividas made his Lithuania professional league debut in 2016-17 and this season has played in two games in the 7DAYS EuroCup. The 2.00 meter wing can play both guard positions and both forward positions at the U18 level and can create shots for himself.

#### U18 Stellazzurra Rome: Paul Eboua
Eboua is set to appear in his second ANGT after he averaged 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.0 steal at ANGT Belgrade last season and will be out to improve on that campaign. The 2.03-meter swingman hails from Cameroon and came to Italy in 2015. He has only been playing basketball for three years. Eboua has elite athleticism and can shoot from behind the arc or attack the basket and finish above the rim. He is working on improving his ball handling to continue the transformation from small forward to shooting guard. Eboua recently missed three months due to an injury, so he might not be at his top form in Kaunas.

#### U18 Khimki Moscow Region: Dmitry Kadoshnikov
With Khimki playing in its first ANGT event since the 2011-12 season, Kadoshnikov will also be making his debut in the tournament. The 2001-born big man has already played internationally for Russia; he averaged 9.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals over the summer at FIBA U16 European Championship 2017. Kadoshnikov, who stands 2.01 meters, recorded three double-doubles in the tournament, including a 13-point, 20-rebound effort against Sweden. Last season, he helped Khimki’s junior team to the EYBL championship and was chosen MVP. Kadoshnikov is a physically gifted player with good leaping abilities. He is very active on the boards and also has good size and mobility. Kadoshnikov possesses a high basketball IQ and can take his shooting game outside.

#### U18 CSKA Moscow: Viktor Lakhin
Lakhin will be playing in his second ANGT after making the CSKA team for the ANGT Finals at the EuroLeague Final Four last season and averaging 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 steals. The 2.07-meter power forward played for Russia last summer at FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, where he averaged 9.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.1 blocks, including 14 points and 13 rebounds against Sweden. The Krasnodar native possesses good rebounding instincts and can play from the outside in. He is also an effective shot blocker as serves as a good rim protector. Lakhin still is working on his shooting skills and improving his post-up game.

#### U18 CFBB Paris: Yohan Choupas
Choupas enters the competition as a reigning champion after helping CFBB to the crown last season. At ANGT Kaunas, he averaged 4.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Those numbers dipped to 1.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.8 assists at the ANGT Finals. The Paris native spent the summer with the French youth national team; he produced 4.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists at FIBA U18 European Championship 2017. The 1.93 meter guard is spending his third season with CFBB and averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals this season in the French third flight. He has heated up recently with 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals over the last five games. Choupas is quick and defends well. He is still working on improving the consistency on his three-point shot.

Luka Samanic dominates the game as if he's played it for all of his life. But the freshly-crowned MVP of the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Ciutat de L'Hospitalet actually started late in basketball, which is why development is so important to the U18 FC Barcelona Lassa talent.

Development is priority for Barcelona talent Samanic

Samanic won the MVP award at the ANGT L'Hospitalet by averaging 23.3 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.8 blocks, 6.8 fouls drawn and an index rating of 33. Those numbers ranked Samanic first in rebounding and blocks, second in index rating and third in scoring, but were not enough for Barcelona to avoid a loss to local rival U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona in the final.

"To be MVP of this tournament means a lot, but in the end we lost the final game, which is the most important thing for me," Samanic said. "We wanted to win this and go to Belgrade and the Final Four. It's really nice to win this, but without the championship something is missing."

What's definitely not missing is star potential in Samanic, who turned 18 years old on January 9. The Croatian wowed fans all weekend in the Barcelona suburb with big dunks, bigger blocked shots, an unstoppable will around the glass and impressive consistency from the free throw line, where he made 29 of 34 shots (85%).

Even though his father played the game for many, many years, Samanic did not grow up playing basketball. Marko Samanic was a journeyman who extended his career out to 19 years, bringing Luka and the family to Belgium when he was 9 months old. The Samanics would also make stops in Slovenia and Germany.

It was in Slovenia that Marko Samanic would reach his highest level, playing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague in 2001-02 for KRKA Novo Mesto. He also played in the 7DAYS EuroCup for KK Zadar in 2002-03.

Luka said he would shoot and dribble after his father's practices as a young child, but his sport of choice was something different.

"All of my friends were playing football, and that's the main reason why I also started football," said Samanic, who also played handball and tennis before at last picking up basketball at age 11.

Playing those other sports helped the 2.08 meter forward develop his co-ordination, something that is often lacking for young, tall basketball players.

Samanic is excited about his development in his second season at Barcelona. He played last year at the ANGT L'Hospitalet and averaged 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.8 blocks as a backup player on a team that included the likes of Sergi Martinez, Arnas Velicka, Andrija Marjanovic and Nikola Zizic.

"My first year was tough, trying to adapt to Spain and the Spanish league. It was more about adapting," Samanic said. "The second year, I think I started to improve, to make my teammates better and my individual game and team game." With many of those top players from last season gone, Samanic knew it was going to be his time to lead the team.

"There was no pressure for me because we had to play like a team if we wanted to win. Of course, there is more responsibility for some players than others. But in the end we beat everybody as a team and we lost like a team also," he said.

When asked what he learned from the ANGT L'Hospitalet, Samanic said: "We have to sacrifice more for each other. With this tough rhythm of four games in three days, you have to be ready for everything."

Samanic knows he is very far from a finished player and that there are a lot of things he is working on.

"I need to work on my body and my shot, not only individual things, but also tactical things as well," he said.

His main goal is to become a professional basketball player.

"I want to reach as far as possible and my potential will help me accomplish that. This year I want to win as much as possible and develop as much as possible."

Despite getting a late start, Samanic is more than making up for lost time and has excellent chances of becoming a great player for many years.

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Most 18-year-old pro prospects with basketball-playing fathers would love to get on the court and show that they can beat their progenitors. Aleksander Balcerowski of U18 Herbalife Gran Canaria has a different situation. 

Gran Canaria's Balcerowski motivated by wheelchair-bound father

His father is still playing and was recently named to the European Championships all-tournament team in wheelchair basketball.

Indeed, Marcin Balcerowski is the young Gran Canaria center's biggest role model because his father is someone who lives out the motto of never looking back and living for today.

Marcin was a mid-level basketball player in Poland until 2000, the year Aleksander was born, when he got in a car accident and was thereafter bound to a wheelchair.

"It was quite hard. He didn't want to stop the game. He found out there was basketball for wheelchair players and he decided to try a new career, a new life," Balcerowski said.

Aleksander's father was discovered by a scout for a German club and his wheelchair basketball career not only took off, but continues. He helped Poland finish in sixth place at the 2017 European Wheelchair Basketball Championship and gain qualification for the 2018 World Championship. Marcin Balcerowski was selected as one of the top five players in the event, and he currently plays for BG Baskets Hamburg in the top league in Germany.

When asked how his father motivates him, Balcerowski says: "Never give up, that's my father. He's one of the biggest examples for me to always keep your mind straight ahead and never look back."

And what about Aleksander trying wheelchair basketball?

"It's very hard," he said. "The hardest thing for the new guys after an accident is just starting. My father gained 20 kilos after the accident. He wasn't moving. You have to start moving with only your arms. Their arms are so strong. You have to move for 40 minutes, just with your arms, shooting and everything. And that is the hardest thing, getting used to that."

Aleksander has never played his father one-on-one in wheelchairs. They have played one-on-one with him on his feet and Aleksander won that encounter. "But he beats me when we shoot," Aleksander adds.

The last time Aleksander played at the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT, he was just recovering from a broken leg before playing his first games at the ANGT L'Hospitalet following four months of rehab. This year, the 2.15-meter big man is fully fit and showing some off a skillset which has some believing he can play at the highest levels as a pro.

"I wanted to show here everything that I didn't show last time. Everything that I am doing now," he said. "I see my game as playing everywhere. I want to be a complete player, doing everything. I am trying to do more things, and I know I will get better by making mistakes. I see my game like Kristaps Porzingis, something like a big guy who can do everything."

The calendar year that just passed was quite a special one for Balcerowski. First, there was his return to the court for the ANGT L'Hospitalet. Then he began practicing this season with Gran Canaria's senior team. And that led to Balcerowski being among the 17 players nominated for Poland's senior national team for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers in November.

The youngster, who only turned 18 years old on November 19, did not make the Polish team for the qualifiers, but it was an invaluable experience.

"It was such a great time with those great players. They are such good guys. It was the first time I was there and they treated me like i was always there, like one of them," said Balcerowski, who has yet to play for Poland internationally after breaking his leg before the FIBA U16 European Championship 2016, which was hosted by his native Poland. "I hope I come back there very fast."

Then just a couple of weeks later, on December 6, Balcerowski got in Gran Canaria's 7DAYS EuroCup game against Tofas Bursa. He played 1:22 minutes and even scored 2 points on his only shot.

"I'm still young, I need to get stronger. Those guys are a lot stronger than me. They have more confidence. They have been playing almost 10 years some of them," he said.

The main thing for Balcerowski is just playing.

"I love this game. I don't know what I would do without this game," he says. "So I am always trying to think that I can always be better. I don't need to stop. I can do everything I do wrong better. I just need to keep working hard each day, and that's it. I'm not thinking about all this talk of the future. Just think about the day you are living now."

Balcerowski's father couldn't have said it any better.

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Even though U18 FC Barcelona Lassa lost in the Final of the Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Ciutat de L’Hospitalet on Sunday, Barcelona star Luka Samanic was named tournament MVP.

Barcelona's Samanic named ANGT L'Hospitalet MVP

Samanic was third in the tournament in scoring with 23.3 points per game, including a team-high 27 in Sunday’s championship game loss to U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona. He led the competition with 14.8 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game and was second in averaged performance index rating at 33. The Samanic Croatian also averaged 3.0 assists and hit 29 of 34 free throws (85.3%).

Joining Samanic on the All-Tournament Team were Biram Faye of U18 Herbalife Gran Canaria, Theo Maledon from U18 ASVEL Villeurbanne, Joel Parra of U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona, and Morgan Stilma of U18 Unicaja Malaga. Maledon, Stilma, Faye and Parra were first, second, fourth and eighth in scoring respectively at L’Hospitalet. Maledon posted 28.8 points, led the tournament in assists with 6.8 per game and also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals. Stilma, whose 42 points in the fifth-place game were 1 point shy of the all-time single-game record, finished with 26.3 points per game. He also ranked third in rebounds at 11.8 per game and first in index rating with 34 per game. Faye posted 20.8 points, was second with 14.3 rebounds per game and third in index rating at 31.3 while Parra averaged 16.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals in helping Joventut win the title.

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ANGT L'Hospitalet features teams from France, Greece, Italy and naturally, Spain, and the rosters are loaded with top talents from those countries and many more. 

ANGT L'Hospitalet Players to Watch

The 2018 Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT qualifying series tournaments start this weekend in the Barcelona suburb of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. Here's a primer on some of the players to watch from the eight teams in action this weekend.

### U18 ASVEL Villeurbanne: Theo Maledon

Maledon will be participating in his third ANGT. He played in the 2016 ANGT Finals for U18 CFBB Paris and then helped the French showcase team to the ANGT title last season. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals in 2016-17, including 13 points and 3 assists in the ANGT Championship Game. In the off-season, the Rouen native moved from the CFBB to ASVEL Villeurbanne. Before that Maledon took part for the second time at the FIBA U16 European Championship and played a major role in France winning the 2017 U16 crown with averages of 14.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.6 steals. The young talent has debuted in the French ProA as well as the 7DAYS EuroCup, but his main action has come in the French U21 league, where he has been worth 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Maledon has good size for a playmaker and is extremely mature for his age. He is also working on improving his three-point shooting.

### U18 FC Barcelona Lassa: Nikola Zizic

Zizic is a veteran in the ANGT as he will compete for the fourth season. The Montenegrin big man is the only Barcelona player left from the 2016 ANGT title winning team. Last season he averaged 8.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.9 blocks. The native of Podgorica represented his country last summer as well and averaged 7.3 points and 4.0 rebounds at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2017. Zizic is a good rebounder at both ends of the court and is a good passer for his size. He is a strong finisher near the rim with a series of hook shots. Zizic is also a good teammate and learns quickly. He always competes at a high level with a lot of passion, making him a good example for his teammates with his hard work and perseverance.

### U18 Herbalife Gran Canaria: Aleksander Balcerowski

Balcerowski made his ANGT debut last season for Gran Canaria when he collected 5.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 blocks at L’Hospitalet. The Polish big man also competed in the three-point contest despite standing 2.15 meters. A native of Swidnica, Balcerowski debuted in the 7DAYS EuroCup and the ACB this season, becoming the youngest player in Gran Canaria history to appear in the ACB. He has not yet played for Poland internationally; Balcerowski missed the FIBA U16 European Championship 2016 in Poland with a broken leg and Poland ended up being relegated to Division B. Balcerowski, who turned 17 in November, was among 17 nominees for the Polish senior team for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers in November - though he was not picked for the games. He has good athleticism for his size and is working on improving his outside game. Inside, Balcerowski has a good variety of moves.

### U18 Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona: Joel Parra

Parra will be playing his second ANGT after debuting last season in L’Hospitalet where he averaged 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in helping Joventut reach the final. The Barcelona native, who stands 2.02 meters, scored 21 points in the semifinals. Parra played at the FIBA U18 European Championship last summer and averaged 10.0 points and 2.4 rebounds as Spain finished second. In early December, he made his ACB debut against Unicaja Malaga. Parra, who in 2016 was a member of the Spain squad that won the FIBA U16 European Championship, finishes well in transition, is aggressive in one-on-one situations and can play both inside and outside. He is a very capable passer, who is technically strong and has a strong winning instinct. Parra is now in his 12th season in the Joventut system.

### U18 Torrons Vicens L'Hospitalet: Gerard Sola

Sola will be playing at his first ANGT event. The 2.01-meter forward is transitioning from an inside player to the outside. He is developing his perimeter game and working on his outside shooting. Sola has excellent athleticism and powerful leaping ability that allows him to help out on the offensive boards. He can also finish around the rim. With his background as a big man, Sola can post up smaller players and can also attack bigger players with his quickness.

### U18 Promitheas Patras: Dimitrios Karaiskos

With Promitheas making its first appearance in the ANGT, Karaiskos will also be playing for the first time. The 2.07-meter power forward averaged 7.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks for Greece at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 Division B. In doing so, Karaiskos helped Greece earn promotion to Division A by winning the title; his top game was 19 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks against Switzerland. The 2001-born Karaiskos is averaging 17.5 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game in the Greek U18 championship this season. He is very intelligent with a great understanding of the game. Karaiskos is an excellent passer from the low and high posts and can finish around the basket with a soft touch with both hands. He has good mechanics on his shot, which extends out to the three-point line. Karaiskos can also play with his face to the basket. He can rebound well and has the makings of an effective shot blocker.

### U18 Unicaja Malaga: Morgan Stilma

Stilma will be playing in his second ANGT after helping Unicaja reach the ANGT Coin final last season with 11.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks, including 13 points and 6 rebounds in the title game against U18 Real Madrid. The 2.02-meter big man is the son of a Dutch father and Italian mother; he was born in Fuengirola, near Malaga. Stilma can play both low post positions and is a hard worker. He gives a strong effort on defense with a good rebounding presence – both offensively and defensively. Offensively, Stilma compensates for his lack of size with activity and versatility. He has a wide variety of moves around the rim and his shooting range extends out to the three-point line.

### U18 Virtus Bologna: Mikk Jurkatamm

Jurkatamm takes his first shot at the ANGT in his second season in Italy. The 1.95-meter shooting guard has already played for Estonia internationally; he averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2016. Jurkatamm comes from a basketball family; his brother Taavi plays collegiately for the University of San Francisco in the United States and his father Veiko Jurkatamm also played basketball. Jurkatamm helped Virtus to the U18 Italian title last season. He is a natural three-point shooter, who is also a good passer and works well with a team. Jurkatamm has improved his athleticism and his quickness, making him more able to attack the rim. He is also working on his ball-handling and becoming a more complete point guard.

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U18 FC Barcelona Lassa will be out to defend its title at Euroleague Basketball ADIDAS NEXT GENERATION TOURNAMENT Ciutat de L’Hospitalet when the 2017-18 ANGT campaign gets underway on January 5-7 in the Barcelona suburb of L’Hospitalet.

ANGT L'Hospitalet preview: Barcelona out to defend title

The 2016 continental champion is one of two former ANGT winners in the field, which also includes a debutant and two teams that did not play last season.

Last winter Barcelona claimed its first ANGT L’Hospitalet crown since 2011 after having reached the qualifying tournament final the previous two campaigns - losing to U18 Real Madrid in both 2015 and 2016. This season, Barcelona headlines Group B, which also includes U18 ASVEL Villeurbanne, U18 Promitheas Patras and U18 Unicaja Malaga. ASVEL is competing in the ANGT for the fourth time, but the first since 2014-15 when it finished 1-3 in L’Hospitalet. The other two appearances by the French club came in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Greek club Promitheas will be making its debut in the competition. Playing in the A1 National division for the second straight year, the club founded the NOUS youth program in 2014. Unicaja returns to L’Hospitalet for the first time since the 2013-14 season, in which it lost to U18 Real Madrid in the final. Last season, Unicaja hosted ANGT Coin and lost in the final to Real Madrid. The previous two seasons, Unicaja played at ANGT Rome, where it finished fifth in 2015-16 after losing the final to U18 StellaAzzurra Rome in 2014-15. Unicaja went to the ANGT Finals in 2014-15.

Group A includes 2013 ANGT champion Divina Seguros Joventut Badalona, U18 Herbalife Gran Canaria, host U18 Torrons Vicens L’Hospitalet and U18 Virtus Bologna. Joventut lost to Barcelona in the ANGT L’Hospitalet Final last season after finishing fifth in 2014-15 and sixth in 2015-16. Gran Canaria returned to the competition last season after not playing since 2011-12. It lost to Joventut in the L’Hospitalet semifinal last season. L’Hospitalet has become a tough team over the past few seasons. In 2015-16, L’Hospitalet picked up two victories and finished fifth and then last season the hosts knocked off U18 Panathinaikos Superfoods Athens and U18 Cedevita Zagreb in group play to reach the semifinals, where they lost to Barcelona. The final team in the group is Virtus, which did not play in the competition last season. The Italian club finished third at ANGT Rome in 2015-16 after losing all four games and finishing in last place in Rome in 2014-15.

The teams will face each of the other three sides in their groups over the first two days of the competition. The final day of action on January 7 will be highlighted by the top team from each of the groups squaring off in the final. The second-placed teams from the groups will play for third place, the third-placed teams for fifth and the fourth-placed sides for seventh place. Unlike past seasons, there will be no semifinals at ANGT L’Hospitalet this season. The ANGT L’Hospitalet schedule also includes a three-point shooting contest between the third-place game and final.

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