The third qualifier for ANGT was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates happening from March 22 by means of the twenty fourth. The winner of this occasion was to obtain an auto qualifying bid for the ANGT Closing held in Berlin, Might 24-26, along side the Euroleague Closing 4. Actual Madrid gained the primary qualifier (learn article on prime prospects from first qualifier right here) and Barcelona gained the second qualifier (learn article on prime prospects from second qualifier right here). Within the closing of this occasion we noticed Ratiopharm Ulm defeat Zalgiris Kaunas in an 89-84 additional time thriller. A sport the place the highest prospect for this occasion, Noa Essengue, wouldn’t enable his crew to lose, main his crew from a 13 first half deficit and hitting a sport tying three with 9 seconds left to get to additional time, and ending with a sport excessive 33 factors and 18 rebounds for the sport. Zalgiris Kaunas can solely hope they are going to be awarded one of many three wildcard bids to make the ultimate 8 golf equipment to compete as the highest U18 Crew in Europe. Beneath are the highest prospects from the occasion (Observe: The duo Frederick Erichsen (footage) and Adam Atamna) (footage) would have almost definitely been included within the rankings had they performed extra than simply the primary day.)
Prime Prospects:
Noa Essengue 6’9 Ahead Ratiopharm Ulm 2006 Born France HighlightsNoa Essengue was voted MVP of the occasion as he averaged 20.2 ppg, 11 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and a pair of.2 blocks. Late January Essengue measured at 210 cm (in sneakers), wingspan of 213 cm, and a standing attain of 276 cm. As well as, at BWB International, he stood out athletically along with his fast occasions within the agility checks. At this occasion he displayed wonderful handles for a wing. Combining his handles along with his quickness allowed him to simply get by the primary line of protection and get downhill. As well as, he has comfortable contact across the rim, permitting him to complete performs off when a secondary defender cuts him off from ending performs with a dunk. At this occasion he was too fast for gamers his dimension and too lengthy for guards to be stopped from getting downhill. Regardless of his physique being on the slim facet, he additionally was in a position to make the most of submit up mismatches as he has wiry power and comfortable contact. Resulting in a 69.2% (27/39) discipline aim share from contained in the three level line. Due to his sturdy handles, he is an efficient passer, significantly on quick break alternatives. Whereas he’s nice at this degree, going through up in half courtroom units, he wants to enhance his vary as a shooter. On the free throw line he shot a dismal 18/43 (42%) , typically speeding his shot and taking pictures it flat. Regardless of making the clutch three pointer within the championship sport, he was solely 3/13 for the occasion with just a few rushed photographs. On the defensive facet of the ball, his mixture of quickness, size, and good defensive instincts made him a defensive menace at this occasion. On quite a few events he was in a position to steal an entry cross from the wing and created a quick break for himself for a straightforward dunk. As well as, he was an amazing assist facet defender, getting quite a few blocks from the assistance facet, stopping opponents from simple lay-ins on half courtroom units. Lastly on decide and roll switches along with his good lateral quickness and pace, he might keep in entrance of opposing guards whereas nonetheless being shut sufficient to their physique to discourage leap photographs. Essengue starred at this occasion and confirmed why he’s a possible future NBA participant, however to succeed in his full potential as an offensive participant, he might want to work on his taking pictures from the road and from past the arc. His progress in these areas shall be instrumental to his inventory as a 2025 NBA Draft prospect.
Mantas Juzenas 6’6 SF Zalgiris Kaunas 2006 Born Lithuania HighlightsMantas Juzenas averaged 18.2 ppg, 11.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals whereas going 10/25 from three (40%) and was voted to the all match crew. He displayed a fluid leap shot and was significantly sturdy within the closing the place he went 5/10 from three. He’s sturdy as a shooter, both coming off screens or as a spot up shooter. If defenses overplay the cross on the wing, he’ll again door opponents and end with a straightforward lay up. When he must create for himself, he likes to again opponents all the way down to the mid-range and pretend baseline, reverse pivot, create area for a mid-range jumper and had some success with this transfer. He has good power and is an efficient offensive rebounder for this degree. A really common athlete who makes use of change of tempo and craftiness to get downhill and end across the rim. This explains his 12/30 (40%) discipline aim share from two. Defensively is a strong assist defender and makes use of his power to be a powerful rebounder
Maxence Lemoine 6’2 PG SIG Strasbourg 2007 Born France (NGT Dubai*) HighlightsThe lefty has had a breakout season within the U21 league in France and was a standout participant right here in Dubai. Voted to the all match crew, Lemoine averaged 15.5 ppg, 5.2 assists, 1 steal, with a 2.36 help to turnover ratio (21/9). He performs very very like a standard level guard. He appears to run the offense, get teammates concerned and decide and select his alternatives to attain. He frequently made good reads in decide and roll conditions. A lot in order that head coach Petteri Koponen preliminary scripted units within the first couple video games had Lemoine with the ball in his fingers and one of many crew’s submit gamers (Muurinen and later Beringer) set a excessive decide and roll and on Lemoine, draw the opposing huge, whereas the picker slips for a dive to the basket and Lemoine delivers a wonderfully executed alley oop cross. Between his wonderful imaginative and prescient and his good hesitation crossover, Lemoine is ready to get downhill and could be very artful ending across the rim with both hand. As well as he has a fast launch and good, comfortable contact along with his mid vary shot. He went 3/9 from three, however general appeared extra snug taking pictures from the midrange than from three. He shot 21/30 from the free throw line and when he missed he tended to float his observe by means of ever so barely. Simply a median athlete he might want to proceed to increase his vary to be efficient on the subsequent degree.
Miikka Muurinen 6’9 PF Dawn Christian 2007 Born Finland (NGT Dubai*) HighlightsMiika Muurinen performed for Dawn Christian this season, and returned to European competitors for the primary time because the FIBA U16 championships (article right here), taking part for the NGT Dubai crew for this match solely. Rated as one of many prime highschool sophomores within the USA it was a great alternative for him to showcase himself in entrance of the European viewers. A 12 months youthful than a lot of the gamers for this occasion he averaged 7 ppg, 5 rebounds, and 1 block per sport. He confirmed some flashes of his potential, ending alley oops with sturdy finishes and self-creating with crossover dribble three level makes. He additionally confirmed why he performed restricted minutes in excessive degree video games on the highschool circuit this season, as he discovered himself typically on the ground dropping battles with stronger opponents and dropping his steadiness by means of contact, inflicting him to overlook some photographs he in all probability might make. He’s such an intriguing prospect along with his capability as a hybrid ahead to face up in half courtroom units, displaying each his handles and his fluid leap shot and his capability to be a standard submit participant. In these conditions, he can decide and dive, decide and roll, or be on the block going through away from the basket and rating. He works on protection, trying to shield the paint along with his size and getting blocked photographs and did a great job of shifting his ft on decide and roll switches.
Yohann Sissoko 6’3 CG ASVEL 2006 Born France HighlightsYohann Sissoko was voted to the all match crew averaging 16 ppg, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and a pair of steals per sport. A very good athlete, he has a effectively constructed physique and good quickness which helped him get previous the preliminary defender with ease and get to the basket. Confirmed a capability to complete performs off with both hand and was as harmful taking place the left lane as the proper lane. SHot it effectively from the sector going 19/42 (45%) from two. Loved absorbing contact and was ready to attract fouls at a gentle tempo attending to the road 29 occasions in 4 video games. Has potential to develop his shot as he went 23/29 from the charity stripe (79.3%) however was general dismall from lengthy distance going 1/13 (7.7% for the match). Wants to enhance his help to turnover ratio as he turned over because it 1 to 1 at this occasion. His close to time period improvement as each a shooter and lead guard will in the end decide his potential as a prospect.
Avtandil Bakhtadze 6’9 PF Zalgiris Kaunas 2007 Born Georgia HighlightsLike Miikka Muurinen, Avtandil Bakhtadze was a star at Fiba U16 European championships however B division over the summer season (article right here) Bakthatadze has made some good progress in his physique motion. He seemed far more fluid operating up and down the courtroom and seemed extra snug getting out of the submit and even dealing with the ball somewhat bit. He performed simply 11 minutes per sport averaging 5.7 level per sport on 7/10 from the sector. He displayed a fluid leap shot making a pair nook photographs that have been on the three level line and was excellent from the free throw line (3/3).
Jervis Scheffs 6’3 CG Ratiopharm Ulm 2007 Born Germany HighlightsJervis Scheffs averaged 10.75 ppg, 5 rebounds, whereas going 6/13 from three 46%. Scheffs has a really sq. a la Kyle Lowry utilizing his physique to create area. A very good shooter, he significantly likes the left facet nook three. However he can self create together with taking and making step again threes on decide and roll defensive switches. He additionally has a great energy crossover that helps him explode to the opening and get downhill. He can end both on the proper or left facet with ease. Whereas he has fast ft on the defensive facet his brief wingspan makes it troublesome for him to get deflections and steals.
Theo Guedegbe 6’5 SG ASVEL 2007 Born France HighlightsTheo Guedegbe is a really younger 2007 Born (December) and appears like he has room each to develop and achieve muscle. He already has good size and handles the ball effectively for a taking pictures guard whereas being explosive and fast. Averaging 7.5 ppg, 1.5 steals and a pair of.8 help to his 1.2 turnovers there’s a consolation degree when he has the ball in his fingers. His lack of power was a difficulty in his effectivity going to the ring and as a prospect you prefer to for him to take somewhat extra initiative as he typically took a backseat to each Yohann Sissoko and Marvyn Wade. However of all of the gamers at this occasion his physique has probably the most potential to develop and additional support his case as a prospect.
Joan Beringer 6’9 PF SIG Strasbourg 2006 Born France (NGT Dubai*) HighlightsJoan Beringer averaged 7.5 ppg ,9 rebounds, and a pair of.5 blocks for the occasion. A standard submit participant, he demonstrated a great capability to rebound and shield the paint on protection along with his mixture of size, power and athleticism. On offense he was only on decide and dive alternatives and as a low man in a excessive and low submit mixture. Completed off performs with dunks or lay ins when he used the room as safety to keep away from blocks. Must work on his capability as a shooter and in face up events to additional improve his intrigue as a prospect.
Marvyn Wade 6’2 PG ASVEL 2008 Born France HighlightsBorn in 2008 Marvyn Wade was one of many youthful gamers at this occasion, began for ASVEL. He averaged 8.2 factors per sport and a pair of.2 steals. Seems to have good size on his skinny body and was routinely in a position to get within the passing lanes and disrupt the opposite crew’s offenses. Went 9/15 from two the place most of his photographs have been self created on dribble drives. A lot youthful than most of his opponents, he was missing at occasions in power and explosiveness relative to a few of his opponents however made up for it with quickness and size. He must proceed to work on his taking pictures each on the free throw line and from three because the shot lacks arc. .
Honorable Point out:
Nedas Raupelis 6’8 PF Zalgiris Kaunas 2006 Born Lithuania HighlightsAveraged 12.8 pp, 7.5 rebounds, 2 blocks and 60% from two. Had some spotlight actual dunks and was voted to the all match crew. An undersized submit participant who must proceed to develop his shot.
Joel Kamta 6’8 PF ASVEL 2008 Born France HighlightsAveraged 9.2 factors and 5.2 rebounds whereas taking pictures 59% from the sector and being one of many youthful gamers in Dubai.
Dovydas Buika 6’4 SG Zalgiris Kaunas 2007 Born Lithuania HighlightsAveraged 11 ppg, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. Was in a position to get downhill with both hand. Had 17 turnovers and 10 assists and must proceed to work on his shot going 4/24 from three.
Ilja Kurucs 6’8 PF GBA Lions 2007 Born Latvia (NGT Dubai *) HighlightsAveraged 6.5 ppg in somewhat over 16 minutes per sport. Going 10/11 from the sector and three/3 from the free throw line. Didn’t get lots of enjoying time however was very environment friendly within the minutes he did play and made most of his alternative. Had some good dunks on offense.
Endurance Aiyamenkhue 6’10 C Ratiopharm Ulm 2007 Born Netherlands FootageAveraged 5 factors, 5.8 rebounds, and a pair of.2 blocks. Very a lot a piece in progress however strikes effectively for a middle and has good size.
Lazar Stojakovic 6’10 PF BKK Radnicki 2007 Born Serbia (Dubai Falcons)Averaged 8.5 factors, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1 steal in virtually 29 minutes. Confirmed an attention-grabbing software package. Has good type on his shot the place he went 6/7 from the free throw line and may face up on the perimeter. Confirmed some capability to place the ball on the ground. Must work on his power and rebounding. His protection and toughness have been questionable at this occasion.
The final qualifier shall be held in Paris From April 5-7, 2024
