By Ruben Alcaraz

 

We will travel next days to the beautiful Canary Islands to check the evolutions of U17 national teams of United States, Spain, Australia and Latvia. A week before the FIBA U17 World Championship will start at Lithuania, USA, Spain and Australia will use these games to get ready for the main event. Like usual, USA comes very strong led by the best player of the 2013 class Jabari Parker and high ranked Beejay Anya and Johnathan Williams. Team coached by Don Showalter expects to repeat the gold medal earned at FIBA U17 World Championship at Germany in 2010. They will face Latvia in the first game of the Spanish tournament. Latvia is the only team of participants that will not take part at World Championship but they are making a compact team after finished 6th at the last U16 European Championship. Their best players are Rolands Smits (’95), currently at 10th position of our 1995 ranking, and Kristaps Porzingis (’95). Point guard David Geks (’95) could be one of the sweet sensations of the tournament.

The other semifinal will face host Spain against Australia. The Spanish team is one of the contenders to reach the final games at Lithuania and will show tremendous potential with players like Ilimane Diop (’95) -at the pic- and Agustí Sans (’95). Team coached by Alejandro Martínez will not have an easy game against Aussies. Guy Molloy coaches a talented team where Nick Duncan (’95) and Dante Exum (’95) are their better players.

The main attraction of the Gran Canaria Tournament is watch two good European teams like Spain and Latvia in front of two powerful teams like Australia and USA squad in a great preview of the upcoming U17 World Championship. Eurohopes will keep you updated every day at Eurohopes.com and through Twitter (tournament is played Sunday & Monday).

 

Twitter of the author: @filipy09

 

Photo: Elite Cup (Ilimane Diop)