By Luka Drca
Thijs De Ridder (’03) - 6’7, PF, BELGIUM
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Strong player with good length. Decent athlete, runs the floor well. Plays with high energy, great motor. High basketball IQ. Skilled driver, has good vision and fundamentals attacking the basket. Lacks some explosiveness to finish but finds open spots and ways to score. Solid spot up shooter but has to pick his shots. Active rebounder on both ends of the court. Averaged 19.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks.
Konstantin Kostandinov (’03) 6’8, PF/C, BULGARIA
Forward with legit size and frame, early bloomer. Lacks burst but has good leaping ability. Plays at one speed. Skilled and talented but mainly lives out of his physical and athletic toos. Slasher, can put the ball on the floor and attack on a straight line. Can finish with both hands and hit some runners. Poor shooting, takes too many jump shot, inconsistent motion. Very aggressive rebounder. His motor and physicality comes and goes, not always focused. Averaged 14.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.6 blocks.
Zayd Muosa (’03) - 6’6, PG/SG, CYPRUS
Big wing, played mainly as a point guard. Aggressive, very good attitude, big personality. High basketball IQ, plays under control, moves the ball. Very good vision. Decent ball-handling. Lacks some touch as a scorer but has to force a lot of shots for his team . Not a natural shooter, can hit some shots but has unorthodox mechanics and is not reliable from outside the arc. Averaged 11.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 6.2 turnovers, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks.
Gustav Knudsen (’03) - 6’7, SG/SF, DENMARK
Wing with good size, length and promising frame. Solid athlete. Has high basketball IQ and proper decision making. Fundamentally sound player. Aggressive slasher, versatile finishing with both hands, attacks hard the rim. Capable of making plays for others, good passer and sees the whole court. Able to post up smaller players. High-level defender, physical and committed, has good feet. Jump shot is a major area of concern. Averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Noah Sorensen (’03) - 6’4, PG/SG, DENMARK
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Crafty combo guard with high basketball IQ and good understanding of the game. Plays under control and within the flow of the game. Not a great athlete but uses well his body. Skilled, has good fundamentals. Can really pass, good vision, unselfish player. Finishes well around the rim with either hand. His spot up shooting needs to improve. Makes smart plays on defense and is a very good rebounder for his position. Averaged 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals.
ND Okafor (’03) - 6’7, C, IRELAND
Early bloomer, strong and wiry. Undersized center with excellent frame and athletic abilities. Quick and explosive. Plays through contacts. Rim runner who rolls hard at the rim; only scores if he catches and finishes inside or out of second chances points. Makes plays above the rim on both ends of the court. Finishes as the tournament’s top rebounder and shot blocker. Struggles from the free throw line and doesn’t have scoring range outside the paint. Averaged 16.1 points, 14.3 rebounds, 5 blocks per game.
Andrija Grbovic (’03) - 6’8, SF/PF, MONTENEGRO
Fluid forward with good frame. Still skinny, plays hard but doesn’t handle well contacts. Likes having ball in his hands, can handle it in the halfcourt. Great shooter with quick release and consistent form. Lives out of his jump shot though, take a lot of bad shots and doesn’t looks much for his teammates. Lacks discipline on defense. Averaged 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals.
Djordije Jovanovic (’03) - 6’6, SF, MONTENEGRO
Quick and energetic wing with proper size. Aggressive with scoring mentality and physical attitude, but tends to settle on jumpers. Excellent shooter, does his best when playing off the ball and shooting off the catch. Moves well without the ball. Has really deep range. Takes some bad shots though. Can handle a bit but lacks burst off the dribble. Very good on ball defender. Averaged 13.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Stefan Vukcevic (’03) - 6’9, C, MONTENEGRO
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Tall, long and skinny big man. Runs the floor well, decent overall athlete even though he’s still a bit stiff. Smart post player, physical. Decent finisher with both hands. Not super quick but knows how to move on the P&R. Doesn’t have a jump shot right now. Can face up from the low post and put the ball on the floor. Positions well on defense and uses his IQ and length help properly. Averaged 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks.
Armin Strojil (’03) - 6’0, PG, NETHERLANDS
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Small point guard with decent bulk. Aggressive, always in attack mode. Doesn’t have great change of speed. Good P&R player, attacks when turning the corner, has excellent vision and timing as a passer. Not a finisher, depends on his jump shot to score. Consistent and quick release, deep range, comfortable shooting off the dribble. Averaged 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
Jeremy Sochan ('03) - 6’8, SF/PF, POLAND
MVP of the tournament. Versatile forward with intriguing upside. Decent size and strength for his age. Above average athlete, fluid and explosive. Likes grabbing rebounds and push the transition, runs the floor well. Handles a lot in the halfcourt. Solid finisher around the rim. Very good instincts as a ball-handler, good decisions, proper vision. Shooting is still questionable. Can post up smaller players. Versatile defender with quick hands and very good footwork, can guard four positions. Averaged 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
Tudor Somacescu (’05) - 6’2, PG/SG, ROMANIA
Youngest player in the tournament, still skinny but with promising frame, good length. Huge personality for his age, handles the ball, takes responsibilities. Smart with the ball, under control. Crafty slasher, has different solutions to score. Can pull up easily. Shot looks ok but didn’t go in in the tournament. Averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals.
Matus Hronsky (’03) - 6’6, SF/PF, SLOVAKIA
Early bloomer from a physical standpoint. Not a great athlete, lacks explosiveness. Plays hard. Doesn’t look to pass the ball, focused on scoring, ended up as the tournament’s top scorer. Forces and takes bad shots. Loves to handle the ball and can create his own shot. Mainly a jump shooter though, not a great finisher. Has deep range and soft touch. Big personality, makes big shots. Struggles to defend on the perimeter. Averaged 23.4 points, 9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks.
Pavlo Dziuba ('03) - 6’8, C, UKRAINE
Strong and mature body, good athlete who can play above the rim. Tough, plays hard, runs the court, makes good use of his strenght. Stretch big man who is able to put the ball on the floor. Runs at the rim, cuts hard, very good finisher inside. Below average shooter. Can be turnover prone. Efficient defender who is able to switch and guard smaller players, good footwork. Averaged 13.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 blocks.
Oleksandr Kobzystyi (’03) - 6’5”, SF, UKRAINE
Narrow and lean forward who is still physical undeveloped but has long frame and proper athleticism. Plays with great energy and toughness despite the light frame. Dynamic, always active. Rebounds hard. Not super explosive off the dribble but has very good ball skills. Handles naturally. Very good passing instincts. Fearless attacking the rim. Solid touch. Outside shot is not there yet but looks promising. Plays hard on defense. Averaged 21.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 steals.
Photo by fiba.basketball
Thijs De Ridder (’03) - 6’7, PF, BELGIUM
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Strong player with good length. Decent athlete, runs the floor well. Plays with high energy, great motor. High basketball IQ. Skilled driver, has good vision and fundamentals attacking the basket. Lacks some explosiveness to finish but finds open spots and ways to score. Solid spot up shooter but has to pick his shots. Active rebounder on both ends of the court. Averaged 19.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks.
Konstantin Kostandinov (’03) 6’8, PF/C, BULGARIA
Forward with legit size and frame, early bloomer. Lacks burst but has good leaping ability. Plays at one speed. Skilled and talented but mainly lives out of his physical and athletic toos. Slasher, can put the ball on the floor and attack on a straight line. Can finish with both hands and hit some runners. Poor shooting, takes too many jump shot, inconsistent motion. Very aggressive rebounder. His motor and physicality comes and goes, not always focused. Averaged 14.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.5 steals, 1.6 blocks.
Zayd Muosa (’03) - 6’6, PG/SG, CYPRUS
Big wing, played mainly as a point guard. Aggressive, very good attitude, big personality. High basketball IQ, plays under control, moves the ball. Very good vision. Decent ball-handling. Lacks some touch as a scorer but has to force a lot of shots for his team . Not a natural shooter, can hit some shots but has unorthodox mechanics and is not reliable from outside the arc. Averaged 11.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 6.2 turnovers, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks.
Gustav Knudsen (’03) - 6’7, SG/SF, DENMARK
Wing with good size, length and promising frame. Solid athlete. Has high basketball IQ and proper decision making. Fundamentally sound player. Aggressive slasher, versatile finishing with both hands, attacks hard the rim. Capable of making plays for others, good passer and sees the whole court. Able to post up smaller players. High-level defender, physical and committed, has good feet. Jump shot is a major area of concern. Averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Noah Sorensen (’03) - 6’4, PG/SG, DENMARK
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Crafty combo guard with high basketball IQ and good understanding of the game. Plays under control and within the flow of the game. Not a great athlete but uses well his body. Skilled, has good fundamentals. Can really pass, good vision, unselfish player. Finishes well around the rim with either hand. His spot up shooting needs to improve. Makes smart plays on defense and is a very good rebounder for his position. Averaged 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals.
ND Okafor (’03) - 6’7, C, IRELAND
Early bloomer, strong and wiry. Undersized center with excellent frame and athletic abilities. Quick and explosive. Plays through contacts. Rim runner who rolls hard at the rim; only scores if he catches and finishes inside or out of second chances points. Makes plays above the rim on both ends of the court. Finishes as the tournament’s top rebounder and shot blocker. Struggles from the free throw line and doesn’t have scoring range outside the paint. Averaged 16.1 points, 14.3 rebounds, 5 blocks per game.
Andrija Grbovic (’03) - 6’8, SF/PF, MONTENEGRO
Fluid forward with good frame. Still skinny, plays hard but doesn’t handle well contacts. Likes having ball in his hands, can handle it in the halfcourt. Great shooter with quick release and consistent form. Lives out of his jump shot though, take a lot of bad shots and doesn’t looks much for his teammates. Lacks discipline on defense. Averaged 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals.
Djordije Jovanovic (’03) - 6’6, SF, MONTENEGRO
Quick and energetic wing with proper size. Aggressive with scoring mentality and physical attitude, but tends to settle on jumpers. Excellent shooter, does his best when playing off the ball and shooting off the catch. Moves well without the ball. Has really deep range. Takes some bad shots though. Can handle a bit but lacks burst off the dribble. Very good on ball defender. Averaged 13.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Stefan Vukcevic (’03) - 6’9, C, MONTENEGRO
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Tall, long and skinny big man. Runs the floor well, decent overall athlete even though he’s still a bit stiff. Smart post player, physical. Decent finisher with both hands. Not super quick but knows how to move on the P&R. Doesn’t have a jump shot right now. Can face up from the low post and put the ball on the floor. Positions well on defense and uses his IQ and length help properly. Averaged 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks.
Armin Strojil (’03) - 6’0, PG, NETHERLANDS
Named in the All-Tournament Team. Small point guard with decent bulk. Aggressive, always in attack mode. Doesn’t have great change of speed. Good P&R player, attacks when turning the corner, has excellent vision and timing as a passer. Not a finisher, depends on his jump shot to score. Consistent and quick release, deep range, comfortable shooting off the dribble. Averaged 12 points, 3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
Jeremy Sochan ('03) - 6’8, SF/PF, POLAND
MVP of the tournament. Versatile forward with intriguing upside. Decent size and strength for his age. Above average athlete, fluid and explosive. Likes grabbing rebounds and push the transition, runs the floor well. Handles a lot in the halfcourt. Solid finisher around the rim. Very good instincts as a ball-handler, good decisions, proper vision. Shooting is still questionable. Can post up smaller players. Versatile defender with quick hands and very good footwork, can guard four positions. Averaged 16.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
Tudor Somacescu (’05) - 6’2, PG/SG, ROMANIA
Youngest player in the tournament, still skinny but with promising frame, good length. Huge personality for his age, handles the ball, takes responsibilities. Smart with the ball, under control. Crafty slasher, has different solutions to score. Can pull up easily. Shot looks ok but didn’t go in in the tournament. Averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals.
Matus Hronsky (’03) - 6’6, SF/PF, SLOVAKIA
Early bloomer from a physical standpoint. Not a great athlete, lacks explosiveness. Plays hard. Doesn’t look to pass the ball, focused on scoring, ended up as the tournament’s top scorer. Forces and takes bad shots. Loves to handle the ball and can create his own shot. Mainly a jump shooter though, not a great finisher. Has deep range and soft touch. Big personality, makes big shots. Struggles to defend on the perimeter. Averaged 23.4 points, 9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks.
Pavlo Dziuba ('03) - 6’8, C, UKRAINE
Strong and mature body, good athlete who can play above the rim. Tough, plays hard, runs the court, makes good use of his strenght. Stretch big man who is able to put the ball on the floor. Runs at the rim, cuts hard, very good finisher inside. Below average shooter. Can be turnover prone. Efficient defender who is able to switch and guard smaller players, good footwork. Averaged 13.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 blocks.
Oleksandr Kobzystyi (’03) - 6’5”, SF, UKRAINE
Narrow and lean forward who is still physical undeveloped but has long frame and proper athleticism. Plays with great energy and toughness despite the light frame. Dynamic, always active. Rebounds hard. Not super explosive off the dribble but has very good ball skills. Handles naturally. Very good passing instincts. Fearless attacking the rim. Solid touch. Outside shot is not there yet but looks promising. Plays hard on defense. Averaged 21.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 steals.
Photo by fiba.basketball
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