For the very first time the Adidas Next Generation Tournament hosted by the EuroLeague took place in Zadar, Croatia last weekend. Although the final in particular offered no excitement and was dominated by Barcelona, there were still exciting and promising players from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 age groups to be seen from all the teams.
Final standings:
1. FC Barcelona
2. Casademont Zaragoza
3. Next Generation Team Zadar
4. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana
5. Maccabi Tel Aviv
6. Zadar
7. Helsinki Basketball Academy
8. Stellazzurra Rome
Kasparas Jakucionis (G | 192 cm | ’06) ~ FC Barcelona [Florian Kurth]
Being the main initiator of the Barcelona offense, he shot above-average from three-point territory (including pull-ups, catch and shoot and in movement) and showed some solid finishes at the rim as well. Another big strength was his constantly aggressive on-ball defense (3 steals per game), which often led to easy fast-break points for him. In the set-play he regularly knew how to set the scene for his teammates and at the same time knew how to use direction and tempo changes on a high level. One doubt should be mentioned on future ball handling at senior level when he must deal with higher pressure, which is also reflected by his high turnover numbers (4.5 per game).
Why he anyways deservedly became MVP is confirmed by the performance of his team while he was the leader and also his strong individual statistics: 19,2pts, 7rebs, 4,5ass, 3stls, 4,5to, 11/16 2FG, 41,4 3FG% – 12/29 3FG, 90,5 FT%, 28.29mins
Dame Sarr (SG/SF | 198 cm | ’06) ~ FC Barcelona [Jonathan Gotting]
Dame Sarr solidified his status as one of the best international prospects out of the 2006 generation and would have been a very serious candidate for the MVP with just a little better efficiency from long range (11/42 3FG). Nonetheless, his elite touch popped time and time again, as the Italian connected on multiple tightly contested jumpers with a high degree of difficulty. However, there were some instances where he settled a bit too much for his jump shot and instead would have been better advised to punish long closeouts by attacking the basket and utilize his gravity in a different way. Outside of his halfcourt prowess where he had a few interesting flashes as a pick and roll passer, Sarr was very impactful in transition, either as a rim runner or pushing the ball himself. He really stepped up the intensity on defense in the final against Zaragoza, neutralizing Lucas Langarita on the ball thanks to his strong screen navigation and repeatedly was in the right place at the right time in the passing lanes. Sarr finished the tournament with the following averages: 19,2pts, 5,3rebs, 2,3ass, 3stls, 53,6 2FG%, 26,2 3FG%, 76,2 FT%, 33.5mins
Lucas Langarita (G | 192 cm | ’05) ~ Casademont Zaragoza [Florian Kurth]
After his all-tournament nomination at the U17 World Championship last season, the Spaniard also made it to the best five of the tournament at the ANGT in Zadar. Langarita was simply the most complete offensive player. With the help of his mix of speed and power, he regularly managed to beat defenders in close outs or 1v1 attacks and finished variably near the ring. In addition to his penetration, he also showed versatility with shooting from all spots. He was also one of the best assist providers in Zadar with 5.2 per game. His other tournament stats: 18pts, 45.8% 2FG, 7/23 3FG, 7.8rebs, 5to.
Defensively he acted solidly and hardly made any mistakes. His active rebounding (7.2 defensive rebounds per game) is worth mentioning.
Toni Bilic (SF | 201 cm | ’05) ~ Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana [Florian Kurth]
The Croatian wing performed excellently in many areas at ANGT in Zadar. Whether as a constant communicator and leader of the team, or as a primary ball handler and passer in creating opportunities. Bilic knew predominantly what he had to give his team to be successful, which emphasizes his matureness tactically and personally. His tournament stats: 21,8pts, 3rebs, 3,5ass, 30% 3FG%, 22/37 2FG, 1,8to, 19/25 FT, 31mins.
Quite rightly, Bilic made it to the all-tournament team of the ANGT in Zadar. Not only because he led his team to a strong 4th place, but also because he knew how to efficiently use his physical skills, coupled with playfulness and creativity.
Mouhamed Faye (C | 209 cm | ’05) ~ Next Generation Team Zadar [Jonathan Gotting]
Faye was one of, if not the most polished big man in the field and therefore deservingly got the nod for the All-Tournament Team. He was immaculate as a play finisher and basically did not miss around the basket (28/34 from the field in total). Thanks to his nimble footwork, he operates well in tight spaces and can maneuver around rim protectors on the interior. His handle is also a clear plus for a player at his size and enabled him to attack bigs from the perimeter with a variety of dribble moves. A clear area of improvement for Faye remains the development of his shooting stroke, as his misses from the free throw line came in various ways (left, right, long, short). On the other side of the ball, Faye had a similar impact on the game. His mobility enabled him to cover ground in an instant and he frequently came up with rebounds out of his area. In addition to that, he has the foundation of a multi-faceted pick and roll defender since he looked decent in various types of coverage. It will be crucial to see if and how many minutes he can get at the senior level going forward. His averages in Zadar: 14,8pts, 10,3rebs, 0,5ass, 2,3blks, 82,4 2FG%, 25,0 FT%, 20.5mins
Dayan Nessah (F | 200 cm | ’06) ~ FC Barcelona [Jonathan Gotting]
Nessah had another solid tournament. Whenever he entered the floor, the Swiss stood out with his well-developed frame which he utilized on both ends. He remained great body control against contact around the basket and regularly managed to outmuscle his opponents on the offensive glass, giving his team valuable second chances. Nessah did also find his teammates with dump offs and usually did not get tunnel vision. Barca’s coaching staff gave him a few chances as a ball handler, but the results were mixed. The main reasons for avoidable mistakes in these situations were some sloppy passes as well as handling struggles against increased pressure. Defensively, his strength once again proved to be his biggest asset. Nessah was able to take bumps, tagged the roll well and managed to hold up against bigs in the post. On the perimeter though, his hip turns against ball handlers occasionally appeared to be a tad too slow. Overall, Nessah remains a promising player with 3&D potential who needs to be tracked going forward, especially if he can keep up this kind of shooting. Nessah had the following averages: 15pts, 8,3rebs, 2ass, 1,8stls, 45,2 2FG%, 55,6 3FG%, 70,8 FT%, 32.3mins
Aleksandar Gavalyugov (PG | 188 cm | ‘06) ~ Next Generation Team Zadar [Jonathan Gotting]
The most impressive shot creator in Zadar was Alexsandar Gavalyugov. The Bulgarian guard connected on numerous high-difficulty jumpers off the dribble and looked very much under control on step backs, side steps or shooting over the outstretched arms of defenders. But he was much more than “just” a shooter on offense for Petteri Koponen’s squad. His ability to change speeds and his deceptive hang dribble enabled him to get past the first line of defense almost at will and create tangible advantages for his teammates. Gavalyugov likes to be manipulative with his eyes and showed remarkable accuracy and velocity on one-handed passes. He is an ambitious passer that may take too big risks in some instances, but it is a great sign to see him explore slim passing windows at this stage of his career. His large load on offense might be the reason that he occasionally looked slightly exhausted on defense, but he generally appeared to have a sound understanding of the scheme around him. All in all, Gavalyugov made a very strong impression in Zadar and should be in contention for a roster spot on the Next Generation Team in Kaunas. Here are his numbers from Zadar: 13,8pts, 2,3rebs, 5ass, 1,5stls, 2,8to, 33,3 2FG%, 56 3FG%, 50 FT%, 21.8mins
Ori Ziv Cohen (F | 200 cm | ‘05) ~ Maccabi Tel Aviv [Jonathan Gotting]
Cohen was uber-efficient throughout the tournament and finished with these shooting splits: 57.1 FG%, 70.6 3P% and 100 FT%. Especially his long-range shooting provided a spark for Maccabi’s offense. The Israeli has some real shooting gravity, since he can quickly square up and let fly coming off pin downs, flares or floating into space after setting a screen of his own. The defense always needs to keep an eye on Cohen, as he possesses a good understanding of space and makes valuable relocations around the perimeter. Building on his movement shooting foundation would do wonders for the viability of his case as a prospect going forward. Cohen also attacks closeouts well, but outside of straight-line drives, his slashing and ball handling is still work in progress. He could also provide some positional versatility on defense going forward, but will need to add significant muscle mass in order to be a viable presence on the interior. Other tournament stats: 17pts, 7,8rebs, 2,3ass, 0,8blks, 33.3mins
Michael Ruzic (F | 206 cm | ’06) ~ Zadar [Florian Kurth]
The Croatian was definitely one of the most eye-catching players in Zadar last weekend. With his already well-developed understanding of the game and his steady motor, he was rarely stopped. This is also illustrated once again by his nearly 70% from two-point range. Although he doesn’t seem to be the most athletic player (yet), he shows a distinct light-footedness and certainly has room to improve his athleticism.
19.3pts, 5.7rebs, 1.3ass, 20/29 2FG, 1/7 3FG, 15/19 FT, 2.3to.
Offensively, the ball passed through his hands in almost every Zadar action, and he also often dictated which play to run. A still stagnant development is his distance shot. He also showed not yet 100% confident in his weak hand, because he often avoided shots with it, preferring to use his right hand despite drive with the left hand. Nevertheless, a very good performance of the 17-year-old.
Roko Lukic (G | 200 cm | ’05) ~ Zadar [Jonathan Gotting]
It was an up-and-down tournament for Zadar, but Roko Lukic was one of the more consistent contributors for the hosts. The majority of his value derived from his notable rim gravity, as Lukic was able to find advantageous driving angles to put himself in a position to succeed. On the interior, he made a living out of seeking contact with his shoulder, which was a big reason for his ability to get to the line at a very high rate (26 FTA, 59.0 FTr). While he is mostly a stationary passer at this stage, Lukic had a couple good kickout passes and displayed patience and composure as a pick and roll ball handler. On the other side of the court, Lukic was tasked to defend various positions throughout the tournament due to Zadar’s willingness to switch.
The Croatian showed positive signs in all these areas, but sometimes was a step behind navigating screens and closing out on the perimeter.
16,8pts, 4rebs, 2ass, 0,5stls, 54,5 2FG%, 27,3 3FG%, 84,6 FT%, 35mins
Jelani Towa (G | 194 cm | ’06) ~ Helsinki Basketball Academy [Jonathan Gotting]
Even though Helsinki did not have a prospect with quite the magnitude of Miro Little this year, the roster consisted of a couple intriguing prospects that could turn some heads going forward. One of those players was Jelani Towa, who fulfilled most of the ball handling duties for HBA. Towa repeatedly displayed his ability to attack the soft spots of the defense and create plays for his teammates, leveraging his burst to get past defenders. While he managed to get to the rim on a regular basis, he had some issues to finish against opposing rim protectors. In contrast to his shooting numbers in the Finnish 1st Division A (23.8 3P%, 33.3 FT%), Towa significantly increased his efficiency in Zadar (46.7 3P%, 55.6 FT%). His form looks repeatable and consistent, but can get a little bit tense when he feels some fatigue. Moreover, he provided good energy as a point-of-attack defender and stayed attached to his assignment off the ball, showing sound lock-and-trail technique. In his four games in Zadar, Towa posted the following averages: 17,5pts, 3,5rebs, 1,8ass, 0,8stls, 42,9 2FG%, 28.8mins
Olavi Suutela (PF | 204 cm | ’06) ~ Helsinki Basketball Academy [Jonathan Gotting]
Suutela was already a member of HBA’s roster during last years ANGT, but it is safe to say that he took his game to the next level in the meantime. Possessing a high level of coordination paired with strong spatial awareness, the Finnish big man is capable of reading the floor faster than his peers and executes well in tight spaces. Moreover, Suutela has excellent touch with both hands and already has a large variety of post moves in his arsenal. There might also be some untapped potential to stretch out his game beyond the three point line, which would be especially valuable in today’s day and age of the stretch big. Suutela can also be entrusted with ball handling responsibilities. He has proven to be a viable option in dribble handoffs, faceup situations from the top of the key and even ran a few fastbreaks by himself. In his current stage of development though, his limited lower body strength can hold him back as he tends to shy away from contact, which can lead to more difficult finishing windows. His struggles against contact can also be an issue on defense, but he has shown good verticality as the primary rim protector and is mobile enough to help his teammates out on the perimeter. Definitely a name college programs should have in their notebook. His averages: 17,5pts, 7,5rebs, 1ass, 0,8blks, 1,3stls, 4,8to, 52 2FG%, 72,0 FT%, 29mins
Prince Lumena (C | 205 cm | ’07) ~ Stellazzurra Rome [Florian Kurth]
Even though he was one of the youngest players of the entire tournament, Prince Lumena physically dominated the competition. Especially on the defensive end, Lumena made his presence felt. His ability to change directions comes in handy around the basket to make timely rotations from the weakside. Moreover, he is a very quick leaper and frequently manages to block shots at the apex. His flashes defending after switches should also excite Stella Azzura’s coaching staff, but they may have to spend more time with Lumena working on his positioning as a drop defender. Offensively, Lumena did not make a lot of mistakes around the basket and proved to be an ambidextrous finisher. He already makes use of a couple sweet post moves and especially created confusion for the defense with his quick spin move. His overall numbers in Zadar: 9pts, 8rebs, 0,3ass, 0,8blks, 71,4 2FG%, 66,7 FT%, 22.8mins
Stefano Conte (G | 187 cm | ’05) ~ Stellazzurra Rome [Florian Kurth]
By far the best player on his Italian team, Conte probably surprised many with his offensive versatility in his first ANGT appearance. Equipped with a wide-ranging offensive toolbox and a thoroughly strong motor, Conte (187cm / 6’2″) put in an above-average performance, scoring 20.5 points on average while his shooting percentages were still reasonably solid (14/31 2FG, 13/43 3FG, 18/21 FT). Other tournament stats: 3.2rebs, 3ass, 2stls, 2to, 30.23min.
It was sometimes apparent that he had to carry high responsibility in the offense and constantly run pick and rolls since there was little ball handling creation available from his teammates. Unfortunately, this had a negative effect on his defensive commitment from time to time, which probably should not be overestimated.
