No surprise in Munich, as Real Madrid took home the trophy, after a completely dominant and convincing display at the tournament. Here is the recap of three days full of basketball in south Germany.
Real Madrid
Four games of good basketball, showing out to their young talent, for Real Madrid. The Spanish team always looked like the better team, but never let that reduce the levels of focus. Hugo Gonzalez was the MVP of the tournament – and rightfully so. An end to end amazing display of skill, strength, efficiency and determination from the 2006-born player, guiding his team to victory. Gonzalez’s ability to attack the rim and finish above or around defenders is rare. When you add to that, 61% shooting from 3 on 4.5 attempts per game, you get a really special prospect. But Hugo isn’t just that. He wasn’t a ball-dominant player in the tournament, but proved he can be a high-volume scorer without much of the ball. Plus, he’s a really competitive and smart defender and embraced the challenge of guarding the other team’s ball-handlers. An NBA-caliber prospect for sure, with the body for it (6’6) and the skill to match, Hugo Gonzalez will be someone to keep a close eye on.
Egor Demin impressed scouts at the tournament, with his size at the guard position. He was the playmaker for Real Madrid, putting his teammates in the best position to score. His hot outside shooting was always present, while he was also able to get inside off pick and rolls or punish smaller defenders on the low post. His size and length created all kinds of trouble on the defensive side, be it pressuring ball handlers or by playing passing lanes. Jan Vide’s shot making, especially on floaters or mid-range pull-ups was huge for his team. He was many times the initiator of Madrid’s offense and was constantly looking for his shot, finding it more times than not.
As an offensive connector and defensive swiss army knife, no one was better in Munich than Mitar Bosnjakovic. The 6’6 Serbian forward was a constant threat from 3 and a ball mover, with impressive explosiveness at the rim. Mitar didn’t shy away from challenges on the defensive end, be it switching to guards or guarding bigs down low. Speaking of down low, the presence of Ismaila Diagne was always felt, as a rim protector, rebounder and play finisher.
Zalgiris Kaunas
Only praise for Zalgiris’ performance in Munich. Three wins in the group stage, followed by a hard-fought loss in the final, against a heavily favorite opponent. Zalgiris always looked organized and efficient on both sides of the floor. Justas Stonkus was a big reason for that. A 6’7 wing, looking to put constant pressure on the rim, but someone who could also hit spot-up threes. A long defender on the perimeter also, who was able to chase players and come up with timely helps. Vytautas Zygas verticality was impressive for everyone watching, with some highlight-level plays, but he was also so much more. A secondary ball-handler looking to attack off the pass and also a strong all-around defender. Aleksas Bieliauskas’ size was a problem for every team the Kaunas’ side faced. A big that operated inside, going for offensive rebounds or finishing after pick and rolls. Inside, he could deter some shots at the basket and keep players off the boards. Kristupas Kepezinskas was the table-setter for Zalgiris, organizing the offense. His numbers don’t stand out, but the poise with which he played, his ability to get to the rim and the way he set up teammates can’t be overlooked, as well as his aggressive point-of-attack defense.
Next Generation Team
With no surprise, it was an ascending performance for NGT, finishing 3rd, after beating Alba Berlin. Their presence in the final was a real possibility, but a 2-point loss against Zalgiris made that impossible. Despite that, there were a lot of players earning points in the eyes of the scouts present in Munich. Mohamed Diawara was the team’s main man throughout the tournament with his all-around play. His ability to get to the rim, off 2 or 3 dribbles is impressive, avoiding defenders in his path with long strides and great body control. He struggled with his outside shot, but compensated with everything else. Good distributor of the ball, didn’t force the issue at all. On defense, his physical tools would be enough to be a good one, but his intelligence on rotations and ability to keep up with just about anyone was impressive. Clearly a forward for the next level, but was used as a 5 too and held his own, clearly an NBA talent.
Illan Pietrus was another standout for NGT, even with him having missed the last game. A quick and explosive combo guard, always looking to get to the basket. He showed comfort as a pull-up threat also, be it from three or long two’s and was able to create for others. Pietrus showed commitment on the offensive end, with good lateral quickness and aggressiveness on the ball. Lucas Giovannetti started the tournament a bit shy, but showed that he could take over games with quick changes of rhythm to get to the rim and aggressive defense. Jakub Szumert was one of the surprises of the tournament, with his combination of defense, both on the perimeter or inside, against bigger guys and his off-ball offense. His movement behind defenses, cutting for layups and he was also able to space the floor and hit some threes. Although sometimes hiding a bit from the game, Frederick Drejer Erichsen had a good tournament overall. Efficient when getting to the rim and finding the open teammate at the exact moment, the 6’9 Danish wing showed his creativity handling the ball.
ALBA Berlin
Impressive tournament from the clear best German team present in Munich, with very good moments and some talents in really good form. Jack Kayil was part of the All-Tournament team and it’s easy to see why. His speed with the ball, getting to the rim off quick changes of direction was really interesting to watch, as was his pull-up and spot-up shooting. A complete scorer worthy of a second look from now on. His defense was also a big part of his game, with quick hands defending on the ball and ending up as the leader in steals. Linus Ruf‘s performance wasn’t that much behind. Coming from the perimeter or receiving the ball in the post, he was able to find his way to the basket, with good footwork and impressive strength. At 6’11, his ability to play inside and out is intriguing, as is his rebounding prowess, both offensive and defensive. Ruf’s frontcourt partner, Amon Doerries, was a problem for defenses on drives. He used his length really well and got to the basket on cuts or driving immediately after the pass. His explosive finishing stood out. Anton Nufer looked great as a spot-up shooter and overall floor spacer on the wing for ALBA.
Panathinaikos
A solid performance for the Greek team saw them collect 5th place in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament. Alexandros Samontourov was one of the players of the tournament, with his rare combination of size, movement and fluidity. An artist on the low post, with great footwork and body fakes to get his shot and a player that looked comfortable in the perimeter, driving to the basket and also getting there in transition. His outside shot didn’t fall, but you could see the potential on some mid-range shots. His help side rim protection was close to elite, timing his actions well and deterring a lot of attempts.
Neoklis Avdalas showed significant growth throughout the tournament. He tried to dictate the rhythm of the game, feeding teammates in early transition or after pick rolls, throwing some incredible cross-court passes. He was able to score, especially inside the arc, but his shot making was evident, with some tough field goals. Defensively, he kept up with his man, denying paths to the rim, but was far from a primary defender. Despite being a bit undersized, Dimitrios Zervos constant activity on the defensive end earned him big minutes. He consistently hounded ball handlers and made life tougher on them. Without much of the ball, he got his points off cuts or quick off the pass drives and hit some threes.
ratiopharm Ulm
Ulm was the youngest team in the tournament and that was noticeable at times, with some rushed offensive moments and long periods of no scoring for them. But they were a capable team and showed their talent. Pacome Dadiet played a little over half an hour in the whole tournament and still, he was one of Ulm’s best players. How? Shot creation. Ulm struggled a lot creating their shot and it was clear against Real Madrid that they would need Dadiet for that. He got his shot off at the rim, from mid-range and outside, using his size and length to shoot over defenders and his handling ability to get to his spots. Joel Cwik was the most consistent player for the Germans. Attacking downhill, he could finish at the basket off straight line drives and against contact. He was probably a bit more of a playmaker than he expected to be, but his improvement throughout ANGT was noticeable. Eric Reibe’s floor spacing was pretty impressive, with 6/12 from 3 and some drives that ended with a field goal for him. He was mostly a play finisher and low post scorer, using good protection on his hook shots. Great rebounder all tournament long, finished with 9 per game (2.5 offensive).
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
Not much more Milan could have done in the tournament, winning their last game. Samuele Miccoli is a few levels above his teammates, by the sheer ability to create his own shots. A dynamic guard that can get to the basket, off quick changes of speed and direction and good creativity finishing inside. His passing was also on point, finding shooters on drive and kicks or rollers after pick and rolls. Denis Badalau was another interesting performer for Milan. At 6’7, his fluidity with the ball impresses, attacking closeouts with great burst and exploding at the rim. Has good upper body strength to withstand contact and can finish above the rim. Interesting defender, got in passing lanes quite a bit to steal the ball. Finished ANGT with 3 offensive rebounds a game, which attests to his activity on the boards.
FC Bayern
A difficult one for the hosts, that struggled with an improvised roster. Desmond Yiamu looked the most comfortable on the court and the most consistent. An inside finisher, he usually got after rebounds and finished plays on pick and rolls or drive and dish situations. Only 6’6, but with a good frame that allows him to play bigger than his size. Mario Brunetto impressed shooting the ball, with a high release point, difficult to contest, on spot-up outside shots. With a thin frame, he moves well and was also able to snake through defenders on his way to the rim at times or stop and pull-up from mid-range.
Eurohoops Scouting’ Picks
1st Team All-Tournament
Jack Kayil (ALBA Berlin)
Egor Demin (Real Madrid)
Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid)
Mohamed Diawara (Next Generation Team)
Alex Samontourov (Panathinaikos)
2nd Team All-Tournament
Illan Pietrus (Next Generation Team)
Jan Vide (Real Madrid)
Justas Stonkus (Zalgiris)
Mitar Bosnjakovic (Real Madrid)
Linus Ruf (ALBA Berlin)
3rd Team All-Tournament
Vytautas Zygas (Zalgiris)
Neoklis Avdalas (Panathinaikos)
Samuele Miccoli (Milan)
Jakub Szumert (Next Generation Team)
Eric Reibe (ratiopharm Ulm)
Defensive Team All-Tournament
Jack Kayil (ALBA Berlin)
Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid)
Mitar Bosnjakovic (Real Madrid)
Mohamed Diawara (Next Generation Team)
Alex Samontourov (Panathinaikos)
Rising Stars Team (U16)
Jervis Scheffs (ratiopharm Ulm)
Milo Murray (ratiopharm Ulm)
Dovydas Buika (Zalgiris)
Diego Garavaglia (Milan)
Nevio Benefeld (ALBA Berlin)
Photo Credit : Euroleague