CRETE (FIBA U20 European Championship 2017) - The Group Phase is complete with the Round of 16 imminent but it's an opportunity to look back at some of the top performers from the opening stage of the FIBA U20 European Championship.

Tamir Blatt (Israel)
Israel star Tamir Blatt, the son of renowned coach David, was arguably the best player of the Group Phase. He leads the tournament with a scoring average of 22.7 and is shooting 55.6% from the field, including a sizzling 53.6% from deep. Remarkably, Blatt connected on an average of 5 shots from beyond the arc per game to lead Israel's unbeaten surge during the Group Phase.

However, Blatt is far more than just a scorer and boasts a complete game. As Israel's floor general, Blatt averaged 9.3 assists and, impressively, also helped out on the glass collecting 5 boards a game.

Time and again, Blatt hit clutch shots and seems on a mission to lead his team to glory.

Vanja Marinkovic (Serbia)
Serbia's shooting guard started the tournament white hot with a 30-point haul against Italy on Day 1, marked by 6-of-9 shooting from deep. Marinkovic cooled down somewhat in the subsequent games but still finished the Group Phase as the third leading scorer with an average of 21.3.

A lethal marksman, Marinkovic will punish teams that leave him open. Impressively, Marinkovic is adding more tricks to his game and has shown off an ability to drive and finish at the basket.

If Marinkovic can rediscover his white-hot shooting then Serbia can go all the way.

Tryggvi Hlinason
Iceland's towering center has become the most intimidating inside presence of the tournament. Hlinason started with an incredible 6 blocks against France on Day 1 and has 10 rejections overall.

Hlinason has been inspirational on both ends for Iceland, averaging 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds. His presence helped Iceland achieve a fairy-tale victory over Montenegro on Day 3 in their first-ever victory in a FIBA U20 European Championship Division A game.

With the 7ft 1in (2.16m) enforcer protecting the paint, Iceland have become more than competitive. 

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
The Ukraine star has tried valiantly for Ukraine, averaging 34 minutes per game, the third-highest of the Group Phase. He has the second-highest scoring average at 22.3 per game although he hasn't quite found his stroke.

The small forward was limited by Israel and, accordingly, Ukraine were beaten showcasing their reliance on Mykhailiuk. In a tough Round of 16 matchup against Serbia, Mykhailiuk will have to produce his best for Ukraine to cause an upset. 

Santiago Yusta (Spain)
Reigning champions Spain finished top of a tough Group D with the catalyst of their success being small forward Sanitago Yusta. After a subdued game against Italy on Day 2, Yusta showcased his class with a terrific 26-point performance in the heavyweight contest against Serbia. Impressively, in a game featuring numerous stars, Yusta was the standout performer as Spain won a thriller to top the group.

When Yusta is rolling, particularly from deep, he is difficult to stop and seems to relish the big moments. The stage is set for Yusta to put his stamp on the tournament. 

FIBA