By Pietro Cristofori
The most important stretch of the college basketball season is now underway. The opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament once again featured a mix of upsets and comebacks, setting the stage for the second weekend.
Several European prospects played a significant role during the first two rounds, stepping up with solid performances and, in some cases, decisive plays to help their teams advance.
Alvaro Folgueiras - 6’9”, Power Forward, Spain, Iowa
First Week Stats: 14.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 47.5 FG%, 100 FT%
Iowa’s run to the Sweet Sixteen has been one of the major stories in college basketball over the last week. The 6’9” power forward from Spain hit the game-winning shot to seal the upset against Florida on Sunday night.
Folgueiras is a dynamic face-up 4 who can also play at the 5 at the college level - in these games he has played by Manyawu’s side and by himself at the 5 spot. He has been acting as a versatile Swiss Army knife for his team during the season, being used as an interior force in back-to-the-basket situations or face-up ones. He can handle the ball on the perimeter to find ways and spaces to use his body and take advantage of it against less sized defenders.
He’s skilled and smart for his position: he can pass, but he’s not reliable yet from spot-up situations. He spaces the floor and brings versatility and legit basketball IQ to the table. His length and athleticism are good enough to play and be impactful at the high-major level, but he’s not elite in that regard. He’s smart and he can switch on smaller players on the perimeter, taking them where he wants to and not necessarily thanks to his decent quickness.
He brings many other traits to the table, though, that translate well to the college level. This season he already had a solid impact for a new-branded Iowa team, but in the next years, Folgueiras will be one of the most efficient players in the Big10 at the 4 spot.
Aday Mara - 7’2”, Center, Spain, Michigan
First Week Stats: 17.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 3.5 BPG, 68.6 FG%
Mara has established himself as one of the best big men in the nation in his first year at Michigan. During the first two games of the tournament, he had two dominant performances.
A skilled big with advanced basketball IQ and feel for the game, Mara has a unique archetype in the college basketball landscape. His impact as a size passer has been impressive: he uses his gravity to generate advantages, and he looks more aware of this than in the past. He was very active in back-to-the-basket situations, being able to find his teammates on cuts and generate opportunities for himself as well. His presence under the boards has been decent as well, which has always been one of the main concerns regarding his game, but thanks to an improved physicality and bigger guys around him, he has been able to be dominant for long parts - which might be mainly given by the latter motivation.
Despite currently being too slow to withstand the NBA pace, Mara has evolved into a factor in the paint as a rim protector, blocking shots and finding ways to impact the game on that side of the floor as well, within the biggest lineup in the nation with Johnson and Lendeborg.
Mara has the potential to become a solid offensive creator even at the pro level: his skill and vision will translate.
Killyan Toure - Freshman, 6’3”, Point Guard, France, Iowa State
First Week Stats: 17.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 59.9 FG%
Toure stepped up once again for the Cyclones, this time in a critical moment for the team as Joshua Jefferson was ruled out for the Round of 32 against Kentucky.
The French guard provided his motor and intensity throughout both games last week, and he was able to support the Cyclones’ leading guard, Tamin Lipsey. This season, Toure has emerged as one of the most impactful on-ball defenders in the country, being fearless at the guard spot and guaranteeing versatility and toughness. He has been able to translate this defensive impact to Big 12 play and also to the first two rounds of the tournament.
The step forward that Toure has taken in the second part of the season has been on the offensive end, starting to find consistency as a connector-type guard alongside a main handler. He doesn’t project as a lead guard at the next level, and he will most likely stay into the connector-type guard archetype, that has to play by the side of a more skilled and talented offensive player.
Despite being a below-average shooter and not a consistent facilitator, Touré, thanks to his motor, is able to get to his spots and finished in double digits against Kentucky. He gets to the rim and finds the correct angles to finish, but he might struggle to translate this offensive dimension at the pro level. He still doesn’t have a mid-range or three-point dimension.
While his offensive game is still getting defined and needs plenty of work, his intensity and defensive effort have been elite in the Cyclones’ system.
Dame Sarr - Freshman, 6’8”, Small Forward, Italy, Duke
First Week Stats: 9.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 36.3 3FG%, 83.3 FT%
Sarr has established himself as the starting SF in the Blue Devils’ lineup, and he has been key in the tight win against Siena and in the second-half break against TCU.
The 6’8” Italian is one of the best glue guys in the nation, being able to switch across three positions on the perimeter and guaranteeing intensity and toughness. His offensive game takes a big step forward when he’s able to knock down shots regularly from behind the three-point line. He has to find consistency from three, and in the first two games of the event he was able to find his comfort zone from there.
He’s able to get to the rim, acting as a flashy slasher. A good cutter: he moves well off the ball and recognizes spaces. He’s smart and knows how to read the game. He runs the floor and plays with a legit motor. His mid-range game has to improve in order to take the next step on the offensive end. He projects as a legit perimeter defender at the next level, while looking to take the next step from behind the three-point line.
The most important stretch of the college basketball season is now underway. The opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament once again featured a mix of upsets and comebacks, setting the stage for the second weekend.
Several European prospects played a significant role during the first two rounds, stepping up with solid performances and, in some cases, decisive plays to help their teams advance.
Alvaro Folgueiras - 6’9”, Power Forward, Spain, Iowa
First Week Stats: 14.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 47.5 FG%, 100 FT%
Iowa’s run to the Sweet Sixteen has been one of the major stories in college basketball over the last week. The 6’9” power forward from Spain hit the game-winning shot to seal the upset against Florida on Sunday night.
Folgueiras is a dynamic face-up 4 who can also play at the 5 at the college level - in these games he has played by Manyawu’s side and by himself at the 5 spot. He has been acting as a versatile Swiss Army knife for his team during the season, being used as an interior force in back-to-the-basket situations or face-up ones. He can handle the ball on the perimeter to find ways and spaces to use his body and take advantage of it against less sized defenders.
He’s skilled and smart for his position: he can pass, but he’s not reliable yet from spot-up situations. He spaces the floor and brings versatility and legit basketball IQ to the table. His length and athleticism are good enough to play and be impactful at the high-major level, but he’s not elite in that regard. He’s smart and he can switch on smaller players on the perimeter, taking them where he wants to and not necessarily thanks to his decent quickness.
He brings many other traits to the table, though, that translate well to the college level. This season he already had a solid impact for a new-branded Iowa team, but in the next years, Folgueiras will be one of the most efficient players in the Big10 at the 4 spot.
Aday Mara - 7’2”, Center, Spain, Michigan
First Week Stats: 17.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 3.5 BPG, 68.6 FG%
Mara has established himself as one of the best big men in the nation in his first year at Michigan. During the first two games of the tournament, he had two dominant performances.
A skilled big with advanced basketball IQ and feel for the game, Mara has a unique archetype in the college basketball landscape. His impact as a size passer has been impressive: he uses his gravity to generate advantages, and he looks more aware of this than in the past. He was very active in back-to-the-basket situations, being able to find his teammates on cuts and generate opportunities for himself as well. His presence under the boards has been decent as well, which has always been one of the main concerns regarding his game, but thanks to an improved physicality and bigger guys around him, he has been able to be dominant for long parts - which might be mainly given by the latter motivation.
Despite currently being too slow to withstand the NBA pace, Mara has evolved into a factor in the paint as a rim protector, blocking shots and finding ways to impact the game on that side of the floor as well, within the biggest lineup in the nation with Johnson and Lendeborg.
Mara has the potential to become a solid offensive creator even at the pro level: his skill and vision will translate.
Killyan Toure - Freshman, 6’3”, Point Guard, France, Iowa State
First Week Stats: 17.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 59.9 FG%
Toure stepped up once again for the Cyclones, this time in a critical moment for the team as Joshua Jefferson was ruled out for the Round of 32 against Kentucky.
The French guard provided his motor and intensity throughout both games last week, and he was able to support the Cyclones’ leading guard, Tamin Lipsey. This season, Toure has emerged as one of the most impactful on-ball defenders in the country, being fearless at the guard spot and guaranteeing versatility and toughness. He has been able to translate this defensive impact to Big 12 play and also to the first two rounds of the tournament.
The step forward that Toure has taken in the second part of the season has been on the offensive end, starting to find consistency as a connector-type guard alongside a main handler. He doesn’t project as a lead guard at the next level, and he will most likely stay into the connector-type guard archetype, that has to play by the side of a more skilled and talented offensive player.
Despite being a below-average shooter and not a consistent facilitator, Touré, thanks to his motor, is able to get to his spots and finished in double digits against Kentucky. He gets to the rim and finds the correct angles to finish, but he might struggle to translate this offensive dimension at the pro level. He still doesn’t have a mid-range or three-point dimension.
While his offensive game is still getting defined and needs plenty of work, his intensity and defensive effort have been elite in the Cyclones’ system.
Dame Sarr - Freshman, 6’8”, Small Forward, Italy, Duke
First Week Stats: 9.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 36.3 3FG%, 83.3 FT%
Sarr has established himself as the starting SF in the Blue Devils’ lineup, and he has been key in the tight win against Siena and in the second-half break against TCU.
The 6’8” Italian is one of the best glue guys in the nation, being able to switch across three positions on the perimeter and guaranteeing intensity and toughness. His offensive game takes a big step forward when he’s able to knock down shots regularly from behind the three-point line. He has to find consistency from three, and in the first two games of the event he was able to find his comfort zone from there.
He’s able to get to the rim, acting as a flashy slasher. A good cutter: he moves well off the ball and recognizes spaces. He’s smart and knows how to read the game. He runs the floor and plays with a legit motor. His mid-range game has to improve in order to take the next step on the offensive end. He projects as a legit perimeter defender at the next level, while looking to take the next step from behind the three-point line.
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