LIEPAJA (FIBA U19 World Championship) – When the draw was made in Riga on 17 February, three of the five continental champions landed together, making for an explosive Group D.

Indeed, USA, Egypt and China were the strongest teams in their respective regions at U18 level last year, while the group’s European representative Serbia had were left with the bitter taste of finishing just outside the podium, after being overpowered by Latvia in the bronze-medal game of the 2010 FIBA Europe U18 Championship in Vilnius.

Gold medalists in the 2010 FIBA Asia U18 Championship have just proved China’s dominance in the Asian continent, but the Chinese are yet to take off on in the international stage. The country’s youngsters will try to show that China have what it takes to make that final push to become acknowledged as part of world’s elite.

The basketball boom in China has produced a lot of interesting talent, who will be keen to make a name for themselves in the World Championship.

This year’s team will be formed around the skilled playmaker Guo Ailun, who not only finished top scorer with an average of 22.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the 2010 FIBA World U17 Championship, but also travelled to the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey with China’s senior national team for a debut at only 17 years of age, making the youngest player to play in the FIBA World Championship in the modern era.

Another player to keep an eye on is the 17-year-old tower Wang Zhelin, who emerged as one of the team’s key players in the 2010 FIBA Asia U18 Championship last year, despite having a quiet U17 World Championship in Hamburg.

In spite of their triumph in at 2010 FIBA Africa U18 Championship, Egypt will definitely not get pharaoh treatment in Latvia and will head into the tournament downgraded to underdog status in this very strong group.

The draw hasn’t been kind to the Egyptians, but coach Zaher Abdelbasset will have to play with the cards in hand and in masterminding a serious upset. After all, the Egyptians couldn’t have done much more after beating everything that was put in front of them last year.

Egypt’s big man Aly Mohamed was the biggest contributor to the team’s success and was chosen as the MVP of the U18 AfroBasket, finishing the championship with a massive 30 point and 21 rebound double-double in a victorious final against Tunisia.

There were tears of disappointment in Vilnius, when Serbia lost out on the medals after being crushed by Latvia in the third-place game of the 2010 FIBA Europe U18 Championship. The team from the Balkans will be hoping that the story doesn’t repeat itself, or – if it does – that it may come with a happier ending.

Like always, Serbia will field a strong and deep squad for the U19 World Championship, as the never-ending mine of talent has once again produced an intriguing generation of players.

At the top of this list are the names of Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nenad Miljenovic, who have both been under the biggest spotlight, but it would be unfair to circle someone out from a rather equal and well-spread Serbian roster.

Whenever the letters USA are mentioned in the context of international basketball, it’s clear that it doesn’t get much more serious. Team USA, as in virtually every tournament, will be heading into the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship as the main candidates to take gold.

Although only Tony Mitchell and Patric Young were part of USA’s gold-winning roster in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, that doesn’t make the talent-stuffed squad any bit weaker.

There is no question that there will be plenty of players willing to fill the roles of Austin Rivers and Kyrie Irving, but the trio of Khyle Marshall, Jeremy Lamb and Tim Hardaway Jr. stand out from the rest of the squad in terms of star potential and look the likely leaders.

In a group of three continental champions, there is more than a chance that one might be sent packing already after the first round.

For those who do make it to the second group stage in Riga, every single victory and even point difference might turn out to be the changing factor later on in the tournament. This is what coaches will be drumming into their players if and when they go on court already having secured a second round spot.

For fans, having the chance of seeing champions of three continents come face to face and discovering if the mighty USA can be beaten – in Liepaja or later in Riga – will provide the intrigue for Group D.

Check our group A preview.
Check our group B preview.
Check our group C preview.

FIBA