SKOPJE (North Macedonia) - The FIBA U16 EuroBasket, Division B 2026 has come to an end, with Croatia crowned champions. They will be joined in Division A next summer by Iceland and Estonia.
Before the tournament fades into the collective memory, it’s time to take one final look back at the players who made their mark.
Here are eight standout players who rose above the rest during the competition.
Luka Leni Ukic - Croatia (MVP)
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: June 21, 2010 (16 years old) Height:194 cm / 6'4" Stats: 22.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.4 APG - 20.4 EFF
With his father - and head coach - Roko Leni Ukic keeping a watchful eye, Luka Leni Ukic impressed throughout the tournament, masterminding Croatia's run to the Final and finishing with an average of 22.7 points and 6.4 assists per game. He capped it all with 27 points and 11 assists in the showpiece game against Iceland, highlighted by a clutch three with two seconds left to secure the win - and the title.
Niksa Zlopasa - Croatia
SHOOTING GUARD
Birth Date: January 21, 2011 (15 years old) Height: 196 cm / 6'5" Stats: 11.3 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.7 APG - 20.6 EFF
While the spotlight shone on Ukic after the Final, there was no doubt that 15-year-old shooting guard Niksa Zlopasa was the most efficient player for Croatia, filling up the stat sheet throughout the tournament and doing it while shooting 60 percent from the field. He averaged 11.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game and impressed with a mature, all-around approach that formed an unbeatable duo with Ukic.
Atli Haraldsson - Iceland
GUARD
Birth Date: April 13, 2010 (16 years old) Height: 202 cm / 6'7" Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.8 BPG - 23.2 EFF
Atli Haraldsson led Iceland in nearly every statistical category in this summer's tournament and was shy of averaging a double-double. Haraldsson did post three double-doubles during the tournament and shot an impressive 58 percent from the field, with a standout performance coming in the Quarter-Final win over Montenegro, where he had 19 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks.
Bert Martin - Estonia
GUARD
Birth Date: April 29, 2011 (15 years old) Height: 182 cm / 5'11" Stats: 18.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG - 15.3 EFF
Estonia's offensive weapon, and three-point marksman, shooting 37 percent in the tournament on eight shot attempts, Bert Martin was outstanding, but what impressed was his ability to bounce back after a poor shooting night. He shot a combined 6-for-24 against Austria and Great Britain, yet still found other ways to influence those games and came back with four triples and 21 points in the Quarter-Final win over Sweden, as Estonia eventually secured promotion by finishing third.
Mak Omerovic - Bosnia and Herzegovina
GUARD
Birth Date: January 16, 2010 (16 years old) Height: 190 cm / 6'2" Stats: 21.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.6 APG - 20.1 EFF
The Semi-Final against Israel was a blip in an otherwise electrifying showcase from Mak Omerovic, who delivered unforgettable scoring bursts that nearly led Bosnia and Herzegovina to promotion, only to fall at the last hurdle. Omerovic averaged 21.9 points, along with 6.6 rebounds per game, with two 30-point games thrown in against Bulgaria and Finland in the Group Phase.
Ilija Radovic - Montenegro
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: August 2, 2010 (16 years old) Height: 196 cm / 6'5" Stats: 27.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 4.1 SPG - 30.4 EFF
The astonishing fact that Ilija Radovic never scored fewer than 20 points in a game speaks volumes about his scoring talent. Radovic led the tournament in points per game at 27.6 and efficiency at 30.4, shooting 48 percent from the field on a whopping 20 field goal attempts per contest. A scoring phenomenon.
Elijah Imevbore - Great Britain
FORWARD
Birth Date: June 23, 2010 (16 years old) Height: 197 cm / 6'5" Stats: 17.3 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 1.1 BPG - 18.9 EFF
Great Britain's Elijah Imevbore was a rebounding monster throughout the tournament at both ends, resulting in him leading the way in rebounds per game at 11.7, including a mammoth 23 boards in the Quarter-Final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aside from his presence on the glass, Imevbore had a soft touch close to the basket and wasn't afraid to shoot from outside, averaging 17.3 points per contest.
Alexander Lukic-Gavric - Sweden
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: February 3, 2010 (16 years old) Height: 190 cm / 6'2" Stats: 16.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG - 14.0 EFF
Alexander Lukic-Gavric did most of his scoring damage from midrange and close to the basket, and always felt comfortable attacking the basket. A solid product who averaged 16.4 points per game and, defensively, proved to be a pest to the opposition, taking the ball away on average a shade under twice per contest.
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