NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen’s Women’s Basketball Worldwide) – If you want to track the progress of European rising stars who could be stepping out at the FIBA U19 World Championship for Women in Russia next year, then look no further than EuroCup Women.

Traditionally where many young players have cut their teeth down the years, the tournament hasn’t changed in this respect, although the competition is getting tougher than ever.

After just a couple of weeks of action, it has been the Belgium candidates for next year who have given themselves a real platform to develop.

Leading the way is Julie Allemand at Castors Braine, who have made a superb impact on the competition in their rookie season by picking up two convincing wins.

While the playmaker didn’t get on the scoresheet in her first outing, she played 27 minutes last week against Lombos Cascais and added 11 points. She is likely to be one of the main sources of points production for Belgium next year.

Alongside her in the team is center Kyara Linskens, who is likely to be given more court time in the paint as the season unfolds.

The entire ethos of another Belgian team in Lotto Young Cats is based around utilising rising talent and unsurprisingly, there is a chance for several players to hone their skills and gain priceless experience with the Brussels based team.

Although they are struggling this season after two comprehensive defeats, there have been minutes for several players likely to be heading to Russia. Indeed two-thirds of the players from the U18 European Championship in Matosinhos earlier this year have already suited up for the Young Cats, or are in the mix to do so at some point this season.

The list includes point guard Aline Verelst, Heleen Nauwelaers, Eva Devliegher, Serena-Lynn Geldof, Eline Maesschalck, Emma Uittenhove,  Fauve Bastiaenssen and Yelena Mense. Behind Allemand at Castors, Verelst is a player who has big potential, as shown by the 32 minutes per game she played in Portugal, while Nauwelaers is another to track through this season.

Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje have a wonderful reputation for bringing their young players to the party and they have U18 European Championship for Women MVP, Daria Kolosovskaia in their ranks – as well as Russia senior national team playmaker Kseniia Levchenko.

Meanwhile having coached the U18 national team to gold, Russia head coach Dmitry Donskov is once again coaching Chevakata in the tournament.

There are also several French players in EuroCup Women, including the athletic Marie Milapie who is with Basket Landes, a team flying high in the LFB right now.

Katia Clenet is with Nantes Reze and Victoria Majekodunmi is at at Flammes Carolo Basket in Charleville-Mezieres.

One of the players who has a major opportunity to reach the All-Tournament Team if Serbia do well is Aleksandra Crvendakic. 

She is playing with Uniqa EuroLeasing Sopron in Hungary and announced her arrival in the competition with a terrific 15 points in her first game against PINKK Pesci 424. She then added an even better game-winning and near double-double contribution of 17 points and nine rebounds in a thrilling 65-62 win against Basket Landes.

It’s such fun watching these young players and it will be interesting for me to see when they step out in Russia, just how much they have progressed and developed since Matosinhos and consider how playing in a competition like EuroCup Women has contributed.

Paul Nilsen

FIBA