This week-end the city of Vrsac will host the Final Eight of the U-18 Serbian Championship. The best prospects of that country will fight for the title, with eight squads trying to arrive the far as possible: Hemofarm Vrsac, Novi Sad, FMP Zeleznik, Zitko Basket, Partizan, Beovuk, Mladost and Knjazevac. Local team finished at the top of regular season (20-2), losing only two games in the full season (both on the road): against Partizan (80-78) and Novi Sad (91-63). Is one of the favourites (maybe the favourite), but let's take a look to all of them.
The games and schedule will be: Zitko - Partizan (Friday, 12.30h), FMP - Beovuk (Friday, 15.00h), Novi Sad - Mladost (Friday, 17.30h) and Hemofarm - Knjazevac (Friday, 20.00h). The semifinals will be Saturday (15.30h and 18.00h) and the Final, Sunday (17.00h). The game for the third position will be at 14.30h.
-Hemofarm (20-2): Luka Mitrovic ('93) is its leader. The power-forward won the bronze medal in the U-16 European Championship in Kaunas (Lithuania). Really smart and skilled, he has shown his potential in several games this season, like at home against FMP (24+12 and 39 valoration) and KG 06 (31+18 and 41 valoration). He is averaging 16.2 points and 7.8 rebounds for a 19.9 valoration. Guard Petar Lambic ('92) is the other reference. The prospect, who played the Jordan Brand Classic in 2008 at New York, is also one of the most valuable players of the competition, even he struggles at three points line (26%): 15.2 points and 5.5 rebounds for a 18.7 valoration. Eurohopes contacted Mitrovic, who explains that "the tournament will be very hard, with a lot of good teams. We have more chances to win the title because we play at home, but we must play the best we know". The serbian adds that "we are training very hard. and I hope that there will be a lot of people to help us to win the trophy".
-Novi Sad (19-3): they made a great regular season, finishing with the same wins as FMP Zeleznik. Its main weapons are forward Vukasin Petkovic ('92) and guard Bogic Vujosevic ('92), without forgetting 2.08 center Bozo Dumic ('92). Petkovic missed last two regular season games due to an injury, but he expects to be ready for Vrsac. He has made some crazy games, like at Zdravlje (31 points with 5/7 threes, 7 rebounds and 42 valoration). He is averaging 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds for a 21.7 valoration. About Vujosevic (best stealer and passer of the league), played the U-16 European Championship at 2008 in Italy, and reached also big stats during the season (32 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds in the losing effort at FMP). He is averaging 14.8 points, 4.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 3.1 steals for a 20.0 valoration. Eurohopes contacted Petkovic: "my expectations and expectations of my team are that we are going to play the final. We are thinking that the most important thing is that we are going game to game".
-FMP (19-3): one of the best europeans factories is also at the top, like usually, and they will try to repeat the title of last season. With younger players than the rest of teams they are showing a good level in the competition. Nenad Miljenovic ('93) -at the pic- and Nikola Siladi ('92) are their leaders, but without forgetting prospects like Nikola Pavlovic ('93), Nemanja Bezbradica ('93) or younster Vasilije Micic ('94). Miljenovic won the bronze medal last summer in the U-16 European Championship at Kaunas (Lithuania), being part of the All-Tournament Team. He is the best european prospect of his age according Eurohopes. For sure he will be one of the main attractions after reaching a couple of times a 40 valoration this season (44 and 48). He is averaging 18.2 points and 5.8 assists for a 23.7 valoration. Beside him there is Siladi, who recently sign his first professional contract (view the pic). He won the MVP award on last edition of the NIJT of Belgrade, leading FMP to the title. He is averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for a 18.3 valoration. Miljenovic sent a clear message to Eurohopes fans: "we understand that everyone want to beat us because we are the serbian and Euroleague junior champions, but I think that we have good team. We are well prepared and just go step by step, game by game, and do our best. This is a tough tournament, you dont have a chance for mistake so we have to be focused and concentrated every game. Hemofarm is obviosuly the favourite because of home court advantage, but Novi Sad is right up there with them. Everyone can beat everyone".
-Zitko Basket (13-9): Last week they won the U-18 Cholet Tournament in France; showing their potential. They don't have a tall team, and its style is "run & gun". Power-forward Bogdan Bogdanovic ('92) and shooting-guard Perica Bobic ('92) are their references. Bogdanovic has made an amazing final season, averaging 26.3 valoration in eleven games. He has been one of the most valuable players of the league, like most of the tournaments he plays. He is averaging 21.8 points and 7.6 rebounds for a 22.6 valoration. His teammate Bobic, who played the Jordan Brand Classic in 2008, is their other weapon: 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds for a 16.1 valoration. Bogdanovic explained to Eurohopes that "I think that we've done a big success arriving to the Final Eight. We аre the only team in this league that had to go through two qualifications to play this competition (we were a low-ranked squad). We are not favourites but we can win any team".
-Partizan (12-10): 2.20 center Nemanja Besovic ('92) is its leader, while Marko Josilo ('92) and Nikola Vujovic ('93) are also playing in a good level. Besovic, who won the gold medal last summer in the U-18 European Championship at Metz (France), finished in the top-10 of regular season's MVP. The center is averaging 14.9 points and 8.5 rebounds for a 21.5 valoration. About Josilo, the 1.97 guard finished the regular season with 12.4 points and 7.1 rebounds for a 17.6 valoration. Partizan will have a tough job against Zitko Basket.
-Beovuk (13-9): Difficult, very difficult for them will be beat FMP Zeleznik in the quarter-finals. With a 13-9 record they've made good results in the regular season, but now they will try to surprise Miljenovic & Co. Nikola Socanac ('93) and Aleksa Sutic ('92) are their references. Socanac, with his scoring capacity and his three-points line threat, is basic. The guard is averaging 19.8 points and 35% behind the arc with a 13.9 valoration. Beside him Sutic also does a good job: 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds for a 12.9 valoration.
-Mladost (12-10): Marko Gujanicic ('92) is the man. He won the trophy as the MVP of the competition after breaking the stats, like the 45 valoration at FMP (34+11) or the 42 at KG 06 (30+11). He ended the regular season averaging 21.0 points and 12.4 rebounds for a 27.0 valoration. No comment. His teammate Lazar Markovic ('93) -one year younger- helped in the rebound (7.1 boards). Gujanicic explained to Eurohopes that "Novi Sad has a lot of good players and we go to Vrsac with many injured. It'll be tough for us".
-Knjazevac (12-10): They have a tough mission. In the opener day they face local squad, Hemofarm. Lazar Spasic ('92) and Dragan Savic ('93) are their most important pieces. Spasic has made a good regular season: 15.5 points and 2.9 assists for a 16.6 valoration. Beside him Savic also has shined: 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 11.5 valoration.
Photo: FIBA Europe / Tomas Tumalovicius
