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Following our, Paul and I, players-to-watch lists ahead of the FIBA U16 European Championship in Kaunas (bit.ly/2MQMo7p + bit.ly/2NgvaEb) and his recent list of 10 players who deserve praise (bit.ly/2wOEPbl) once looked past the All-Tournament Team (bit.ly/2NT8Zkq) I shall add a few names who caught my eye in Lithuania to the already covered prospects.

Before I begin, it is worth pointing out that out of our 21 players strong watch-list, to the exception of Madlena Gerke (LAT) and Marta Ostojic (CRO), particularly the latter, who had sub-par tournaments, all of the players we highlighted delivered, three even making the FIBA All-Tournament Team (four the Blue Star Media one) and one walking away with the MVP title. Not mentioning that our favorite team coming into Lithuania ending up being crowned European Champion. Don’t mean to brag but in the tough gambling game of predictions, especially at U16 level, it is a kind of a relief when things turn out close to predictions.

So without further ado, minus a reminder of Blue Star Media crew’s All Star 5 selection, here are the 13 players who to me are worth keeping an eye on in the mid to long term.

Petra Juric (CRO, 2002, 6’1, C)

As the tournament unfolded Juric’s impact grew stronger and stronger, posting 2 double-doubles in the last 3 games and scoring in double digits in all last 3 games (10-10 ; 18-8 ; 15-10) while converting 20/32FG for 62.5% efficiency. Juric progressively, as her confidence and efficiency grew, went from a second frontcourt option coming from the bench to an indiscutable starter (19mpg in the first 3 games, 38mpg in the last three). She displayed a really soft touch doubled by an interesting mid-range. Her size and long arms benefitted from a smart positionning to be productive on the glass too. Her thin frame offers her a fluid mobility on the court. Will be interesting to see how she evolves once she muscles up a bit, but did make up for Ostojic disappointing tournament and formed a nice frontcourt duet with Dorja Zaja but not enough to prevent Croatia from suffering relegation to division B.

Bintou Moctar (FRA, 2002, 6’2, PF/C)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnMVhLWHaTP/?taken-by=moctarbintou

France could have just as well walked away from Kaunas lifting the trophy and placing a couple of players in the All Star Team but eventually fell short in the 1/4 finals to eventual champions despite leading by 4-6 in the last 90sec. A lack of collective confidence and no real leader/go-to-player to turn to cost them a better standing. It wasn’t due to a lack of talent though. The team had maybe more assets (technically and physically) than any other present teams. Bintou Moctar was one of them. France’s starting center, she proved to be able to use efficiently her physical advantage but overall didn’t get enough touches, shooting only 4 to 5 times in 4 games out of seven, with their backcourt squad loving to take care of business themselves, sometimes excessively. Her shooting efficiency could have been higher though she still connected on almost 50% of her attempts. Strong body, good footwork, tough player. Will probably continue developping in the right direction

India Farcy (FRA, 2002, 5’9, PG)

SF Serena Kessler living up to her reputation throughout the tournament as a very promising prospect which should have led her to making the All-Star Team had France advanced at least to the last 4, it was yet another French player who showed great quality in the shape of PG India Farcy. Not France’s starting option at her position in the first game, she grabbed that spot very quickly. Very tall for a 16 year old PG (5’9), she displayed solid ball-handling skills and great confidence bringing the ball up, 3 games without a single turnover, and excellent creative capacities, finishing the competition as the #1 in assists with 5.6apg. She’s a natural talent who’s athleticism, though much work must be done on her lateral speed movement in defense, and size allow to be versatile by battling it out at the glass and coming up with serious defensive pressure turning into steals. A fun, impactful and promising player. To think that the French federation decided not to keep her at CFBB next season leaves me speechless to say the least..

Paula Fraile (ESP, 2002, 6’4, C)

Paula Fraile was on my initial watch-list prior to the tournament and I’m really happy I get to write about her upon conclusion of the competition because she is such a promising modern big. Very tall as you can read, she runs the court perfectly to finish in transition if needed, can stretch the court with a solid looking and confident outside shot. Her numbers are not actually that relevant but it is a matter of (short) time before she converts much more of her attempts and gets more efficient on the glass. She looks very composed on the floor and her learning curve appears huge to me. Definitely a big prospect for Spain in the years to come.

Derin Erdogan (TUR, 2002, 5’8, PG)

In a Turkish team relying heavily on mostly three players (Yilmaz, Uzunoglu and Erdogan) who all delivered helping fuel the great Turkey run in the competition until Uzunoglu’s tournament ending injury in the first minute of the Semi Final, Erdogan, partly due to a tendency of hers to overdo, partly due to obvious needs from her team forced slightly things up, both on a shooting aspect and on a ballhandling one: just over 30%FG and almost 4topg. But overall, and if put in a more balanced and efficient collective, she will be able to run a team well and orchestrate plays efficiently in the future. Probably her biggest test and achievement in the tournament, above the numerous tough shots and highlights she provided her team and the crowd with, was her ability to take care of the ball against the furiously efficient and impressive Spanish full court press led by steals’ queens Dembele and Lamana in the Bronze medal game. She was the only PG who didn’t seem that affected by their pressure. Solid player, huge fighting spirit and heart. Never gives up and loves to battle.

Julia Rueda (ESP, 2002, 5’9, G)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm2t4Zpl8yx/?taken-by=yuliwheel

Julia Rueda didn’t enjoy as much court time as her backcourt teammates Dembele and Lamana, much credit to their own talent for that, and thus can’t justify of great numbers on her stats but she did impress me with her athleticism. Her first step, overall speed, vertical jump (almost touches the rim during warm-up) are elite. She is an athletic beast I would even dare to say. She is a priceless asset to any team as she is fine with doing the simple and unflashy things needed for the team’s well functioning. Scoring or going to the hoop is not her priority but when she does it she proves very efficient as her 12/19FG2 for 62% in 6 games can attest. Must work on her range for sure (took only 5 FG3 attempts for just 1 made) but if you need somebody to run in transition and finish hard at the rim, you can count on her. Definitely a player to follow.

Daria Anikina (RUS, 2002, 6’1, PF/C)

Though her tournament ended in tears after suffering a tournament ending ankle injury, Russia’s center has been oversolid and even owned the paint posting three successive huge double-doubles in the last two group phase games and the Round of 16 match-up before misplaying unfortunately at the worst moment for her side in the 1/4 finals versus Turkey. Capable of posting huge numbers (19-12 ; 14-14 ; 12-11 in the 3 aformentioned games on 61%FG), she has great composure, looks patient and confident in the paint, displaying well-learned post movements. Alongside teammates Koshechkina and Goncharova, probably the best frontcourt trio of the tournament, unfortunately not backed up by an equally strong backcourt.

Ekaterina Koshechkina (RUS, 2002, 6’2, C)

Russia can look ahead with confidence to the future as far as their frontcourt rotation is concerned given the skills displayed by their young guns in Kaunas. Of the three impactful players that filled the spots, Koshechkina might even be the most promising and their biggest natural prospect. Like Anikina she has adequate post skills but still struggles with her finishing, shooting only 47%FG2 though leading her team in scoring and effciiency. She is set to improve a lot in the coming years without any doubt. Great body, great size, great mobility, she looks smooth on the court. Still young which can explain some of the misfiring even from close but it’s just a matter of time before she impacts fully the game.

Sude Yilmaz (TUR, 2002, 5’10, SG)

Alongside Paula Fraile, Sude Yilmaz was in my original watch-list after watching her for the first time in Zamora last December but she eventually fell out of it because of a big question mark regarding her consistency as a shooting guard which she let appear in Spain… Had she been on it I had for her basically this: “if gets hot can score in bunches, but can equally shoot herself out of a game”, well the former has been more true than the latter in Kaunas. She finished as Turkey’s top-scorer  and proved to be much more than a scoring force grabbing 9rpg, delivering almost 3apg and putting enough defensive pressure to grab 3spg. She was one of those few players alongside Panzera, Rimdal, Dombai, Uzunoglu and Gilli who had elite/mammoth-like games and stratospheric one halves (21pts in the first 20min versus Latvia in Round of 16). Versatile, athletic, gracious, and a fighter, we will hear more about the Galatassaray prospect and All-Tournament Team member in the future for sure.

Audrone Zdaneviciute (LTU, 2003, 5’6, G)

Very promising guard for Lithuania, even more so knowing she is a 2003-born and will be back next year at this level, Zdaneviciute  proved a hard nut to crack for any defense given her relentless type of play and permanent movement, attacking the hoop fearlessly. Quite short but with a very muscular and solid frame she had the capacity to drive and finish close to the rim more often than less. Her 52%FG2 made her Lithuania’s principle scoring force ahead of other stand-out Simona Visockaite and their lead scorer at the end of the tournament finishing with 12ppg. Very tough player on both sides of the court, her hard defense was equally impactful helping her grabbing almost 3spg. A very much needed all-round impactful player that any team loves to have, even before mentioning her great fighting spirit.

Elena Vielfont (BEL, 2002, 5’5, PG)

The type of player that just thanks to 3-4 actions in the whole tournament makes you want to see more of her. Very slow start to the competition, her final statline is at the best unimpactful, at the most sort of irrelevant, but this young girl can certainly ball and let’s hope that the form and skills she displayed in her last game will fuel her performances in the months/years to come. Deadly first step, great handles, subtle and flashy dishing, great composure, showtime personality… Take a look at Day 7 daily mix to have a better idea of the profile. Space for much growth…

Seehia Sida Abega (FRA, 2002, 6’1, PF)

A real beast athletically at the PF position for France, she might not be fully aware yet of her potential and is far from being anywhere near where she will one day be, Sida Abega can outpower and  outmuscle any of her same age opponents. Ironically enough of all the talents France has/had, alongside teammate Mbu, she might have the biggest potential for development and to meet the senior level profiles required at the SF/PF spots thanks to her physicality and yet great mobility. To be continued.

Palmire Mbu (FRA, 2003, 6’1, PF)

Another impressive yet unaware of her quality PF for France. Unspectacular, very disciplined and very applicated, Mbu didn’t see much court time in the first games but her role and influence grew stronger as the tournament unfolded, not least due to her capacity to stretch the floor with her spectacular FG3 efficiency, without never abusing of that weapon (never more than 3 attempts per game). In the last 3 games she went 6/7FG3 and even 3/3 & 1/1 in the last 2 helping her secure the #1 spot in 3pt shooting ranking with almost 54%. In the first game she played only 7 minutes and averaged hardly 15mpg in the first four match-ups but once court-proven she enjoyed a solid 28mpg over the following three ones, posting her tournament high in efficiency and scoring versus Poland with 20pts on 67% (100%FG3) for 27eff. Tall, strong, focused and young, she is a 2003-born, there should be more good outings in the future from her to look for.

 

 

BONUS SECTION

If you didn’t have the chance to look at any of the action on FIBA’s YouTube channel, here is a quick catch-up offered by our home-made Daily Mixes upon conclusion of each tournament’s day 😉

Enjoy!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

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Born to Polish PE teachers/coaches parents, involvement with sport and basketball was never a question. Eastern attention to fundamentals, athleticism, discipline and hard work eventually met Western standards through his development in the French system. Now a former player with a passion for the women’s game going back for more than 25 years, he uses his knowledge to bring insights and perspective on women's basketball internationally - with a strong emphasis on Europe and player development.

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