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.
