REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - Once again the elite of youth hoops has converged on Greece. The Greeks might be going through financial struggles but there is a wealth of talent at the U18 European Championship, which promises to be an intriguing battle including a chance at history. 

Just 18 days after the Final of the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship on the Greek island of Crete, the U18 Euros tipped off on Thursday in the port city of Volos with a number of teams hoping to knock Turkey off the perch they have held for two summers. 

Turkey come into the tournament as back-to-back champions with the chance for a historic three-peat. The last time a country won three straight crowns was the Soviet Union, who actually captured four consecutive U18 titles between 1978 and 1984. 

As if a shot at history is not enough, the Turks also have extra motivation to keep going the country's great run this summer as the country finished third at the U19 Worlds and U20 European Championship within two weeks of each other. 

Furkan Korkmaz was named to the All-Star Five of the U19 Worlds and he will be one of the biggest leaders for Turkey in Volos, along with Omer Yurtseven, who was named to the All-Star Five of the 2014 U16 European Championship. 

Turkey however will face a major challenge in a very deep U18 Euros field. 

Serbia have a quintet of players out for redemption after Aleksandar Aranitovic, Milos Glisic, David Miladinovic, Borisa Simanic and Vojislav Stojanovic could only guide the Serbs to ninth place at the U19 Worlds despite going into the tournament as title contenders.

And while Turkey are looking for a three-peat, the 2014 U18 Euros runners-up Serbia are looking to end a title drought dating back to 2009. The Serbs definitely have the talent to reach the podium’s top spot. 

Greece's only U18 crown came in 2008, which was the last time the country hosted the tournament. The 2015 group features five players who took Greece to the U19 Worlds Semi-Finals - headed by Vasilis Charalampopoulos, Georgios Papagiannis and Vasilis Mouratos. And the home crowd at Nea Ionia Hall will do their best to push the Greeks.

Fans of France have to go back even further in their memory for the country's last U18 crown. The leaders of the team in 2006 were Adrien Moerman, Nicolas Batum and Antoine Diot and the side also included Kim Tillie. 

There are two direct connections between the 2006 and 2015 Les Bleus teams, with Greece as a backdrop to both tournaments. And both events have a Tillie playing as Kim's younger brother Killian Tillie will play a major factor in France's chances. The younger Tillie was named MVP of the 2014 U16 European Championship and then was on the All-Tournament Teams of the 2015 Adidas Next Generation Tournament and the 2015 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championship. 

France have a very talented group including guys such as Jonathan Jeanne, Stephane Gombauld and Bathiste Tchouaffe. 

Any list of contenders really should include Spain and this Spanish team is coached by Luis Guil, the man who guided the country to its last U18 crown, in 2011. And Guil's group in Volos is an excellent mix of players who can do a lot of things. In addition to Jonathan Barreiro, Andres Rico and Santiago Yusta, Spain's team also features Sergi Garcia and Xabi Lopez from the U19 Worlds squad.

Another country that is always in the running for the podium is Lithuania and this team actually might have one of the most talented quintet of players in the tournament with Laurynas Beliauskas, Laurynas Birutis, Martynas Echodas, Tadas Sedekerkis and Martynas Varnas. If that group can get support from the bench, Lithuania could challenge for their first U18 title since 2010. 

One possible darkhorse contender is Germany. 

They have been working hard for years now in producing high-level young talent and we are really starting to see some of that come through. The Germans got back to Division A last summer - in undefeated fashion in Division B - and now they have a serious chance to challenge for the podium. 

Isaiah Hartenstein, Richard Freudenberg and Niklas Kiel are among the top talents in Europe and the German team is packed with good players. But the Germans will likely go as far as their point guards take them. Haris Hujic got injured shortly before the tournament and the other playmakers will need to step up. 

With so many teams considered among the title contenders, the 2015 U18 European Championship promises plenty of intrigue. 

David Hein

FIBA 

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