HELSINKI (FIBA U20 European Championship 2016) – Spain coach Juan Orenga believes competing at the FIBA U20 European Championship is about much more than just winning medals. 

La Roja reached their third consecutive Final at this level with a gutsy 61-52 triumph against Germany in Saturday’s Semi-Final in Helsinki, Finland.

The experienced coach is no stranger to success in this competition himself, having overseen a gold-medal run in 2011 after picking up silver in 2007 and bronze in 2010. 

He went on to lead Spain’s senior national team at FIBA EuroBasket 2013 and the FIBA Basketball World Cup a year later.

But the 49-year-old appreciates there is an added layer of responsibility to coaching at this level.

"The big difference is that with these guys you can be an influence for the future," Orenga said.

"You can try to help them to develop, they always have their ears open to hear whatever you have to tell them.

"In the senior team, they are more complete players, they know what to do and a lot of the time you have to hear them and decide together.

"You cannot teach Pau Gasol anything about playing in the low post, but you can tell them [younger players], 'Pau Gasol will do this'.

"It’s very important for them and it’s very important for the coach to know that in our hands we have the future of these players."

The Spanish players demonstrated their potential for the future as they outscored Germany 22-10 in the fourth quarter to advance to the gold medal game.

They will meet Lithuania in the final after the Green Machine overcame the loss of injured guard Martynas Varnas and leading scorer Martynas Echodas’ foul trouble to upset Turkey 68-64. 

A real theme running through both teams is that they call upon their collective strength, rather than any single standout star.

Things were a little different during Spain’s run to gold under Orenga in 2011, however. 

Back then the Spanish boasted a future NBA talent named Nikola Mirotic.

Orenga added: "In 2011 we had a very, very talented player, that was Mirotic, and he was the difference because he could win a game by himself.

"Here we don’t have a player like Niko, so we have to work together. The key for us is the team.

"The whole championship, the whole team has been together, playing most of the games with 12 players.

"In different games we have had different important players and in the end all of them have competed. We have done a very good job in defence, working hard in the zone. 

"At the end, the talent and the will is there."

Whether there is a gold medal at the end of it or not, the players from both finalists will leave Helsinki with experiences that will impact their careers for years to come.

FIBA