Second qualifier of Adidas Next Generation tournament took place between 25-27.03 and for the first time in the city of Patras. Below you can find some thoughts from Marko Turk and Igor Chytrzynski about the standouts from this event.Additionally we are also publishing some highlights from the best prospects on Instagram and Youtube. Check them out!
Miro Little (G | 193 cm | ‘04) ~ Helsinki Basketball Academy
23 pts, FG2-53.7%, FG3-20%, FT-65%, 8.2 reb, 4.2 ast, 0.8st, 4.8 to, 0.0 blck
Miro was arguably the most anticipated prospect taking part in the tournament. In the event not only did he shoulder a heavy offensive load for HBA, but also carried himself very well and showed a great demeanour. Prefers an aggressive style of play, shows a lot of power in his drives to the basketand can swiftly change speeds with the ball. All of the above,combined with a great feel and ability to read his man as well as second defensive line, allowed him to get his teammates involved and score inside almost at will on this level. Can make a significant impact on the glass, a grab and go artist.While his ability to finish around the rim was second to none, he could be a bit more careful with the ball and don’t take as many risks on his passes. Athletic, strong, with a compact body. Doesn’t shy away from contact, handles it very well and stays composed often getting extra 1s at the charity stripe. His style of play allowed him to show up at the line regularly. While there, he struggled to stay consistent almost throughout the entire event. In game, he couldn’t find his shooting rhythm either. Converting at a rather poor 20% clip from behind the arc. Defensively showed he can put some pressure on the ballhandler and has feet to stay in front, but hasn’t presented all there is to him defensively on this occasion in my opinion. USA bound, a few days ago he announced his commitment to Baylor Bears.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Illan Pietrus (G | 192 cm | ‘05) ~ Next Generation Team Patras
15.8 pts, FG2-40.0%, FG3-28.8%, FT-69.3%, 2.5 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.5 st, 3.5 to, 0.0 blck
In some moments it looked like Illan Pietrus could shift into a higher gear than the competition. He was just too quick and was creating havoc with his drives. His acceleration from a live dribble was on another level but he also showed good ball handling skills and froze the defenders a few times. Illan’sbody looks well built and strong and he was able to finish through contact. Shot from distance is shaky and inconsistent but he made a few tough shots over defenders but not a reliable shooter at the moment in my opinion. He is more a scoring oriented point guard and was put in the role to connect the dots in offense and in some moments he did a good job but he is not a natural born playmaker and prone to making cheap mistakes. Because of his strong body he can be a pesky defender that makes live hard for the ball handlers.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Pacome Dadiet (SF | 200 cm | ‘05) ~ Next Generation Team Patras
18.8 pts, FG2-50.0%, FG3-35.7%, FT-90.7%, 4.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 1.5 st, 2.2 to, 0.0 blck
Pacome showed at this tournament that he is a player that should be followed by NBA scouts and executives. He has the athletic and physical tools for the NBA and his basketball game is translatable to the league too. He was making a lot of problems for the opponent’s defenses with his ability to get to the rim. He was just too athletic and too strong and it was really hard to stop him when he created any type of advantage at this level. He drew a lot of fouls too and attempted a lot of free throws and was very efficient from the charity stripe. Shots from distance were also falling in and he has the potential to be an impactful scorer on all three levels and a player with a complete scoring package. Had some good defensive plays as well but lacked consistency on that side of the floor and his defense needs to be evaluated in a different environment – against more athletic players.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Alexandros Samontourov (PF | 210 cm | ‘05) ~ Next Generation Team Patras
14.2 pts, FG2-78.6%, FG3-25.0%, FT-65.8%, 6.5 reb, 1.5 ast, 2.0 st, 1.2 to, 1.8 blck
Alexandros was probably the best big man in this tournament. An agile big that moves and runs the floor fluidly. He was very efficient as a finisher at the rim and showed soft touch but truth to be told, most of the teams didn’t have a really good defensive presence at the rim. He attempted a few shots from deep too but I’m not completely buying his shot yet although he is still young and can develop his shot and become a legit stretch option. He made a few good reads when he needed to attack closeouts but again shied away from contact and some driving angles were bad because he took a longer road to the rim. His defensive instincts were great and he proved that in his rebounding, blocks and steals numbers. Of course, not a finished product yet and has a lot of room for growth in his game but the tools and talent are there.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Dayan Nessah (G | 194 cm | ‘06) ~ Barcelona
9 pts, FG2-54.5%, FG3-44%, FT-66.7%, 4.5 reb, 2.5 ast, 1.2st, 1.2 to, 0.5 blck
Dayan was one of the youngest participants in the tournament, but that didn’t stop him from having a really good showing.Tough, intelligent kid, with decent size, length and already fairly developed and stong body for his age. Great individual as well as team defender. Plays with a lot of effort, does a lot of small things that might go unnoticed, understands the angles and is capable of covering all perimeter positions already at this level with noticeable success. Offensively, although he had some interesting moments trying to penetrate inside, quickly filling lanes in transition as well as showing from time-to-time his playmaking skills. He was mainly and understandably somewhat of an opportunistic scorer at this stage, cutting off–ball inside showing good timing, knocking down shots given open position or getting matters into his own hands by fighting through traffic and getting offensive rebounds. A must follow prospect.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Rafa Villar (PG | 188 cm | ‘04) ~ Barcelona
9.3 pts, FG2-73.3%, FG3-33.3%, FT-45.0%, 3.0 reb, 5.5 ast, 3.3 st, 1.0 to, 0.5 blck
Not a player with similar upside as most players on this list but he played a good tournament and deserves to be mentioned. He was the leader of the Barcelona team and the connective tissue of the team on both ends. Rafa is more a floor general type than a scorer and the role in the team fit him perfectly. He built his game up out of his defense where he played with intensity and was putting pressure on ball handlers. In offense he is at the moment way better as a driver and finisher at the rim than a shooter and his shot definitely is an area he needs to put more attention in the future. Where he stood out and was probably the best at this tournament was passing out of pick & rolls. He made great reads and usually found the right solution and open teammates for an easy basket.
(Written by Marko Turk)
Matteo Visintin (G | 190 cm | ‘04) ~ Stellazzurra Rome
21.5 pts, FG2-59.6%, FG3-42.8%, FT-64.3%, 5.2 reb, 4.7 ast, 3.7 st, 2.7 to, 0 blck
After a 25/6/5 performance in the Final, there was no speculation about who would receive MVP honours. Matteo was the centrepiece of Stellazzurra Rome and with 5 Adidas tournaments under his belt he brought a lot of experience with him. Score first type of guard with a high motor who does amajority of his damage inside and only once in a while looks to knock down jumpers from outside or the mid-range. Lead the tournament with 3.8 steals per game. Super disruptive in the passing lanes but can also pick your pocket. Sometimes has moments where he is a bit too optimistic in the passing lanes but Stella’s defensive scheme can somewhat mitigate the disadvantages that arise. Ignites one fastbreak after another, navigates well in space and is hard to stop in the open court. Keeps his head up in transition, getting his teammates involved, but he is also a capable passer in half–court dishing or kicking out on his drives inside.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
Fabrizio Pugliatti (F | 200 cm | ‘04) ~ Stellazzurra Rome
13.5 pts, FG2-48.8%, FG3-18.2%, FT-54.5%, 6.5 reb, 2.3 ast, 1.7 st, 1.5 to, 0.7 blck
One of the main cogs and arguably the best long-term prospect on the Italian team. Fabrizio regularly looked to take on the offensive initiative by slashing inside and finishing close to the basket thanks to good touch in either hand. He also had nice moments distributing the ball, has nice vision and passing ability with propensity for flash, surprising defenders a number of times with no-look drop-offs while on the move. Knows how to play off–ball. Has good size at 6’7 with a body that should continue to fill up which would help with contact on his drives. Defensively can hold his own and has good awareness. Two-way potential. At this moment in time, he is not much of a threat from behind the arc. Also, his numbers from the FT line don’t impress. While he hasn’t shown much of an improvement yet, I haven’t noticed any major flaws in his mechanics so I guess time will tell if he can rectify his numbers. Earned himself a spot in the All-Star Five along his teammate Matteo.
(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)
