Eight teams. The best squads of the U18 Division "A" European Championship of Wroclaw (Poland) will play tomorrow the quarterfinals of the event. Big names there. But this is not enough to win the Gold. Poland is the main favorite with its 1993 generation (Karnowski, Michalak, Ponitka, Niedzwiedzki, Gielo). But we cannot forget Spain, the only unbeaten (6-0), with some of the prospects who won the U16 EC in 2009 and some great additions. What are the match-ups? Spain-Croatia (13.30h), Turkey-Lithuania (15.45h), Poland-Italy (18.00h) and France-Serbia (20.15h).
Spain-Croatia: Six games, six wins. Spain is playing a great basketball, scoring a 43% from downtown (the best of the tournament). No teams score more than them (81.0). Jaime Fernández ('93), with good minutes this year in ACB with Estudiantes, is its leader with 14.2 points and 5.2 assists, but 6'6'' SF Alex Abrines ('93) -his first event with a NT- adds 14.0 with 4.7 rebounds. 6'6'' F Daniel Diez ('93) -at the pic-, from Real Madrid, also an important key: 12.8 points and 9.7 boards. At croatian side -the second best defense (62.3), 6'6'' SF Mislav Brzoja ('94) is the man. He is the best of his team in points (15.3), rebounds (7.0), assists (2.5) and steals (2.7). No comment. 6'8'' F Marko Ramljak ('93), their other weapon: 12.2 points and 6.7 boards.
Turkey-Lithuania: Even they already lost two games (Poland and Germany) turkish kids have been showing they are really dangerous, led by 6'8'' F Berkay Candan ('93), who is averaging 11.0 points and 51% FG. Beside him youngster Kenan Sipahi ('95) is surprising once more with his madurity playing: 10.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Tayfun Erülkü ('94) adds 10.7 with 37% behind the arc. For Lithuania 6'9'' C Simonas Kymantas ('93) is making a huge job inside the paint (11.2+8.3), while forward Osvaldas Olisevicius ('93) is nailing also 11.2, pulling down 5.7 rebounds. The MVP of U16 EC 2009 in Kaunas, Tauras Jogela ('93), is averaging 8.2 with 4.0 boards. They lost last two games (France and Spain). Eventhough, they have the fourth best offense (77.5).
Poland-Italy: Hosts only lost one game (Croatia), with Mateusz Ponitka ('93) leading the team with 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds. But he isn't alone. 6'11'' PF Piotr Niedzwiedzki ('93) adds 12.0 points and 6.8 rebounds, while 6'6'' SF Michal Michalak ('93) has 11.8 and 6.0. 7'0'' Przemek Karnowski ('93) will be a huge problem for italians (11.8+7.5). Liberty Flames (NCAA) signee Tomasz Gielo ('93) is averaging 8.7 and 6.3 boards. Poland is the best team in rebounds (45.3). And Italy? SG Amedeo Della Valle ('93) is one of the big names in the tournament after averaging 17.7 points (54% FG). Beside him 6'8'' PF Amedeo Tessitori ('94) is also making a good job: 12.0 points and 5.2 boards. Italy has the second best offense (79.0), only worst than Spain.
France-Serbia: Really interesting match-up between these two squads. At one side 6'8'' C Mouhammadou Jaiteh ('94), from INSEP, is the best of his team in points (10.7) and rebounds (9.8). The inside power of french prospects is hard, with Livio Jean-Charles ('93) adding 9.7 and 5.7. Shooter Hugo Invernizzi ('93) is scoring 8.8, but struggling at 3 points line (24%). Serbians have the absence of Alexander Cvetkovic ('93), but 6'3'' PG Vasilije Micic ('94) is taking the reigns with 11.2 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds. Other players shining? Stefan Popovski-Turanjanin ('93) is with 10.0 points and 2.2 rebounds, while Dorde Milosevic ('93) has 9.3+3.2. Nenad Miljenovic ('93) is not playing as the people expected, even he is with good stats: 9.3 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 23 minutes.
In the battle to avoid the relegation to Division "B" Greece and Ukraine are with a 2-1 record, while Czech Republic and Finland are with 1-2. Still three games for each team. The last two will go down.
Photo: FIBA Europe / Wojtek Figurski
