There were two ABA U19 tournaments last week – one in Laktaši and one in Bar. Teams were distributed in two groups; Group A (Mega Mozzart, Cedevita Olimpija, Borac Čačak, Spars Sarajevo, Cibona, Mornar Bar) played in Bar and Group B (SC Derby, Igokea, Zadar, Krka, Split, Partizan) played in Laktaši. Two best teams from each group advance to the Final4; Megga Mozzart and Cedevita Olimpija from Group A and SC Derby and Igokea from Group B.
I was present at the Group B tournament in Laktaši and here are the players that stood out at that tournament:
Zvonimir Ivišić (PF | 219 cm | ’03) ~ SC Derby
14.6 pts, FG2-63.6%, FG3-43.4%, FT-60.0%, 7.4 reb, 1.2 ass, 1.2 st, 1.4 to, 3.0 blck
His averages could be even better but played only 6 minutes in the last game vs Split. In some of the matches at this tournament Zvonimir looked like a “cheat code” compared to other players. He was way taller than most competitions and had a big height advantage in every game but hasn’t really used that to his advantage. Most of the time he was playing outside and stretching the floor and taking shots from all distances. The release was just too high and couldn’t be contested and he showed some good accuracy on those shots. Also had a few nice cuts and made some attractive plays way above the rim. I would love to see him use his height advantage more often on post ups but it looked like he is scared of contact and rather plays outside. On the defensive end he hasn’t shown much energy and effort. Not really a player that could switch on guards and the only impact he made in defense was with blocking shots close to the rim but outside the paint he wasn’t that good as a defender. Also with his length he could make a little more deflections in my opinion. I would say he was the player with the highest upside in this tournament but the questions about him are how much weight he can add to his thin frame and if he is able to stay healthy for a longer period.
Tomislav Ivišić (C | 214 cm | ’03) ~ SC Derby
12.4 pts, FG2-59.4%, FG3-38.5%, FT-56.3%, 9.2 reb, 3.4 ass, 0.5 st, 2.2 to, 1.4 blck
The other Ivišić brother is getting more minutes in ABA for SC Derby this season but wasn’t really that dominant at this tournament. In some moments it looked like he was playing on 50% and wasn’t trying hard enough. He was playing mostly inside and in the paint and didn’t get that many touches but when he got the ball, usually good things happened. In some games teams tried to double team him and it was working quite well for them and Tomislav had some troubles against double teams. Otherwise showed some soft touch with his jump hooks at the rim and some good shooting from distance so he is able to score points from every spot on the court. Made some good passes from post ups or out of short rolls and this is the play style where he could excel. I expected a higher usage rate for him but the competition level was quite poor and I think he still has a lot of reserves in his game that we will see later in the season and at the Final4 of ABA U19 tournament.
Vasilije Todorović (G | 194 cm | ’05) ~ SC Derby
9.4 pts, FG2-44.8%, FG3-38.5%, FT-100 %, 5.8 reb, 2.4 ass, 0.8 st, 2.0 to, 0.6 blck
Had a solid role in the team even though he was younger than most of the competition. A guard with good positional size and athleticism and also his frame looks good and is able to add more muscle mass in the future. He played with a lot of energy, especially on the defensive end where he was putting a lot of pressure on the ball handlers. He has long arms and is able to steal some live balls and makes a lot of deflections. Has an all around offensive game, at the moment better in bringing the ball to the rim than with making shots from distance but the mechanics look fine for his age and I would say he will be able to be a consistent shooting threat from distance too. A player with a nice upside on both ends and a player that should be followed.
Amsal Delalić (G | 202 cm | ’03) ~ Igokea
19.5 pts, FG2-43.6%, FG3-55.6%, FT-82.4%, 7.5 reb, 4.5 ass, 2.0 st, 2.5 to, 0.5 blck
In my opinion, the best (the best, not the most talented) player at this tournament in Laktaši. He was everywhere and doing all the stuff on both sides of the court and the stat lines show that. Amsal is very versatile and can play on positions from 1 to 3. He played most of the time as a creator in offense, be it primary or secondary, and created for himself and for his teammates. Good scorer on all levels and was really efficient in his 3pt shots in this tournament, not that efficient as a finisher at the rim but due to his size he was able to finish through contact. There is a lot to like in Amsal’s game and I think he has a nice future in front of him.
Ognjen Radošić (SG | 191 cm | ’06) ~ Igokea
11.8 pts, FG2-54.2%, FG3-20.0%, FT-81.8%, 1.2 reb, 1.3 ass, 1.0 st, 2.0 to, 0 blck
Even though he was one of the youngest players at the tournament, he had a decent role in the team and didn’t look much younger than other players on the court. Ognjen is an athletic guard with good size for his age and with a frame that could fill out nicely over the next few years. At the moment using left hand most of the time and driving to his stronger left side but still able to get to the rim quite easily. He didn’t have the best shooting tournament percentage wise but it’s hard to expect from a 15-year old to hit most of the shots even if they are open. The mechanics look good and I would say he will be a good all-around scorer in the future. Of course, a lot of the stuff still needs to improve but taking in consideration his age, the way he performed and the tools and potential that he has, he is clearly one of the most talented guards at this tournament.
Ognjen Stanković (G | 201 cm | ’05) ~ Partizan
11.0 pts, FG2-40.7%, FG3-0 %, FT-73.3%, 6.3 reb, 4.0 ass, 1.7 st, 2.3 to, 0 blck
Stanković didn’t have the best tournament but in some moments he showed some flashes of his talent. Not the most athletic but has a good feel for game and basketball IQ. Played mostly with the ball in his hands initiating the offense and made some nice passes but also made quite a few unnecessary mistakes and needs to be more cautious about that. Also needs to work a lot on his shot from distance in next years. Lack of athleticism was quite obvious on the defensive end where he had a hard time defending better slashers. As mentioned, he is capable of better performances but his basketball IQ and versatility make him an interesting prospect worth following in next years.
