REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - The calendar is just about to flip from 2016 to 2017. So let’s look back on the year 2016 that was. And since there are 12 months in the year, here are 12 moments that shaped youth hoops this year.

12. Villanova wins at the buzzer

11. INSEP finally wins again - four years later 

The French sports academy INSEP has produced nearly all of France's top basketball players in the past two decades. But 2016 saw a rare occurrence as INSEP won their first game in the French NM1 third division in nearly four years. INSEP, which plays under the name Centre Federal du Basket-Ball - or CFBB, beat Caen 93-87 on April 16 for their only victory of the 2015-16 season and their first win since January 21, 2012 - snapping a 142-game losing streak.

10. Musa plays for Bosnia and Herzegovina senior team at 17

9. Germany claim first Albert Schweitzer crown

8. Iran win Asia U18s in Summer of Korea

Iran snapped China's run of three straight titles at the FIBA Asia U18 Championship by winning the 2016 edition as hosts. The Iranians beat China in the Quarter-Finals meaning the Chinese will miss out on the FIBA U19 World Championship for just the third time in 13 tournaments. Korea came in third for their fourth straight U19 global appearance. The Koreans' great summer also included a best-ever 8th place showing at the FIBA U17 World Championship, including a Round of 16 win over China.

7. Garuba, Garcia gave Spain youth double

6. Doncic picks Slovenia

Rumours have existed for years that Real Madrid’s teenage sensation Luka Doncic might consider playing for the Spanish national team. But when Spanish federation boss Jorge Garbajosa said publicly that Espana would gladly take Doncic into the team, the 17-year-old went to Twitter to announce he would play for his native Slovenia - with a huge sigh of relief coming from Ljubljana and other cities around the country. Doncic, who doesn’t turn 18 years old until February 28, has yet to play a national team game for any country - youth or senior level. 

5. Angola finally break through again at FIBA Africa U18 Championship

Angola have been a power in Africa for decades, but their track record in youth competitions had been lacking. That changed this summer as Angola won the FIBA Africa U18 Championship in Rwanda thanks to Bruno Fernandes and Silvio de Sousa, who both played for the country’s senior national team at the 2016 Olympics Qualifying Tournament in Serbia. Angola knocked off Egypt in overtime in the final for their first U18 title since 1988. 

4. USA still undefeated and perfect at FIBA U17 World Championship

3. France 1998 generation claims second European title

2. New Zealand qualify first time for FIBA U19 World Championship, keep Aussies home

New Zealand qualified for the FIBA U19 World Championship for the first time by defeating rivals Australia in the FIBA Oceania U18 Championship 2016 final. New Zealand will actually be appearing in the U19 spectacle for the second time after hosting it in 2009. But Australia will miss out on the event for the first time - after missing a number of their best players who are in the United States playing collegiate basketball. The New Zealand victory could end up leading to structural changes in Australia as many of the top young talents flock to high schools and colleges in the United States and are unavailable for the tournament. 

1. Ferguson passes up college for Australian pro league

The biggest impact on youth hoops could come from Terrance Ferguson’s decision to pass up NCAA basketball to play professionally for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian NBL league. The move, a similar one to the choice Ferguson’s friend Emmanuel Mudiay made in playing professionally in China in 2014-15, could start a trend of more high level USA talents heading to Australia or other countries instead of playing collegiately.

David Hein

FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.