LA PALMA (Spain) - As the sun sets on an unforgettable FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket, it's time to see who shone the brightest with their overall efforts.
Here are the 10 players who impressed in La Palma.
Sara Okeke - Spain
CENTER
Birth date: Nov 17, 2007 (17 years old) Height: 193 cm / 6'4"
Stats: 13.8PPG, 7.2RPG, 1.2SPG - 61.9% FG
Spain's leader, and when the dust settled, the overall leader. Winner of the tournament's Most Valuable Player award, and deservedly so. On a roster where all 12 players contributed, Okeke emerged through her intelligent, cool head, especially in the Final against Finland, going 11-for-13 from the field with 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in the Final, saving her best performance for last - and in the biggest game of them all.
Jovana Popovic - Serbia
POINT GUARD
Birth date: Oct 5, 2007 (17 years old) Height: 175 cm / 5'9"
Stats: 15.2PPG, 7.0RPG, 5.0APG, 2.2 SPG
Popovic was admittedly slow to get into gear in this tournament, but once the Quarter-Finals began, her brilliance was evident. She scored the ball, dished to her teammates, got necessary stops, but did it all so effortlessly, almost forgetting that she is only 17 years old. Her triple-double of 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists against Montenegro in the Classification Game 7-8 a strong indicator that she will be a star in Serbian basketball. Remember the name: Jovana Popovic.
Anna Gardziella - Finland
SMALL FORWARD
Birth Date: Mar 17, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 183 cm / 6'0"
Stats: 11.9PPG, 4.0RPG, 1.1APG, 1SPG
Throughout the tournament, a lot was said about Gardziella's deadly shooting, where she ended going 32.1 percent from deep at an average of seven attempts per game. However, her ability to find teammates and push the ball in transition, leading to easy scores, was one of the reasons why Finland was one of the most exciting teams in the tournament.
Maya Zilbershlag - Israel
GUARD
Birth Date: Feb 8, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 177 cm / 5'10"
Stats: 11.9PPG, 4.0RPG, 1.1APG, 1SPG
The tournament's leading points getter, with her best showing being a 27-point haul against Slovenia in the Round of 16, Zilbershlag was a pure scorer but also was able to crash the boards and stop the opposition from gaining several second-chance opportunities. In her final three games, Zilbershlag recorded double-doubles but sadly couldn't prevent Israel from relegation.
Tjasa Turnsek - Slovenia
FORWARD
Birth Date: May 16, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 188 cm / 6'2"
Stats: 18.0PPG, 7.0RPG, 2.9APG - 41.4% 3PT
Two double-doubles and two 20-point scoring games for the evergreen Turnsek in Spain made her one of the main scoring threats at FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket 2025. But in the one game where she wasn't firing on all cylinders, she showcased her other capabilities, where she got 9 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks against Israel. Certainly one to watch as she waves goodbye to the U18 level.
Maria Burliga - Poland
POWER FORWARD
Birth Date: Sep 17, 2007 (17 years old) Height:185 cm / 6'1"
Stats: 13.4PPG, 7.9RPG, 2.0SPG, 2.4BPG - EFF 20.9
The definition of a statsheet stuffer; Burliga was a threat at both ends of the floor, leading Poland to a highly respectable fifth-place finish. Her 23 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in the Round of 16 game against Slovenia exemplified the danger she posed to the opposition. Burliga recorded the first double-double of the competition against Czechia, en route to three overall, and led the way in blocks and efficiency.
Jada Lynch - Belgium
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: Feb 27, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 179 cm / 5'10"
Stats: 12.0PPG, 6.4RPG, 3.4APG, 1.6SPG
A point guard who found great success in attacking the basket and constantly found traces of space to get to the hoop, Belgium's Jada Lynch was always a danger whenever she had the ball in her hands. A frequent scorer inside and out, a clever passer who found her teammates in all the right spots, and a menace on the defensive end, Lynch has all the tools.
Anna Liepina - Latvia
CENTER
Birth Date: Apr 17, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 190 cm / 6'3"
Stats: 16.4PPG, 9.3RPG - 55.4% FG
No one made as impressive a start to FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket than Anna Liepina of Latvia. Three straight double-doubles and four overall, more than any player in the tournament, she also collected more offensive boards than any other player with 25 at an average of 3.6 per game, which she turned into points and priceless second-chance opportunities.
Alicia Tournebize - France
CENTER
Birth Date: Jul 21, 2007 (17 years old) Height: 194 cm / 6'4"
Stats: 12.1PPG, 8.9RPG, 1.9BPG - 54.9% FG
Tournebize certainly put her name in lights on the final day with her two-handed dunk against Belgium, but aside from that, her ability to score in the post was a joy to behold. Comfortable with her back to the basket and can score inside in multiple ways, she possessed crafty footwork that always kept defenders guessing - and of course, there was her unmatched athleticism.
Gina Garcia - Spain
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: Apr 2, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 174 cm / 5'9"
Stats: 7.6PPG, 2.0RPG, 5.6APG
When Spain needed her, Gina Garcia stepped up. In the Semi-Finals against France, she had 15 points, 9 assists, and 5 steals, and Garcia followed that with a double-double of 13 points and 12 assists in the Final against Finland. The composure and how she controlled those two games were inspiring. Throughout the tournament, she was unselfish and always looked for her teammates before taking the glory, leading all with 5.6 assists per game. She was Spain's unsung hero.
Shiloh Kalenga - Sweden (Division B MVP)
SMALL FORWARD
Birth Date: Apr 2, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 174 cm / 5'9"
Stats: 12.9PPG, 5.6RPG, 2.0APG, 1.1BPG
As a bonus, it would be rude not to include the FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket, Division B Most Valuable Player, Shiloh Kalenga of Sweden, in this list. A player who got better as the tournament progressed, with a 29-point, 7-rebound showing in the Final against Germany, which Sweden won 77-69, being her showpiece as she led them to Division A next year.
FIBA