There has been a lot of youth basketball activity across Europe in these past couple of weeks at club and national team level and here are just two of the main stories I have picked out in case you missed them. (Photo: FIBA)
MVP for ‘Baby Muhl’
Firstly, Croatian prospect Hana
Muhl (aka ‘Baby Muhl’ because of her junior rank to recent UConn recruit and
older sister Nika), scooped MVP at the WABA U17 Championships.h
Yes, if you were not aware
already, these basketball siblings are both hugely talented and this time it
was not Nika getting the attention after her recent publicity around the visit
of Geno Auriemma and her attendance at the BWB Global camp.
This time Hana took the
limelight for her exceptional performances and not least, in taking ZKK
Tresnjevka 2009 past Lovcen Buducnost of Montenegro in the Final. She poured in
17 points during the 64-52 success.
Muhl played with Croatia last
summer at #FIBAU16Europe in Kaunas and should be back on board again for the
2019 edition of this tournament.
It was also a big tick in
the box for the evolution of Tresnjevka as a club who are doing some good
things with young talents – despite limited resources.
Hosts take Poinçonnet crown
It is always a traditional
stop-off point ahead of the annual #FIBAU16Europe in the summer months, and
this year it was home side France who won the Poinçonnet title.
The four-team tournament
also included Spain, Hungary and Czech Republic.
Perhaps most interestingly, France collected a 68-57 success against nearest rivals Spain – despite the presence of the highly-rated Claudia Soriano and Gisela Sanchez who both made the All-Star Five.
France went a perfect 3-0, also beating Czech Republic 59-50 and Hungary 64-59. It was center Oumou Diarisso who top scored for the winning team. Meanwhile Maia Hirsch also impressed – another player (like Diarisso) previously flagged up as long ago as 2017 by Pierre Ploszajski – my esteemed BSM colleague!
Yes, as usual, you heard it here first. She is daughter of Olivier Hirsch, former Bourges Basket head coach and EuroLeagueWomen winner in 2001
Results:
France 59-50 Czech Republic France 64-59 Hungary France 68-57 Spain Spain 100-77 Czech Republic Spain 60-56 Hungary Czech Republic 76-67 Hungary
Keep it locked to @basketmedia365 and if you want details on the other rising stars at these two tournaments, you know what to do – since cut and paste is now a thing of the past.
Paul Nilsen lives and breathes women’s hoops. He’s is a freelance writer working for the sport’s world governing body FIBA where he pens a weekly ‘Women’s Basketball Worldwide Column’ - as well as providing daily content on major club competitions, international tournaments and the women’s youth game. He has an extensive network of contacts across the globe, including an array of elite play-callers and players. Also a qualified coach and referee, he is a big supporter of Blue Star Media and joined as a blogger during the fall of 2016.