ALYTUS & KLAIPEDA (Lithuania) - With the Group Phase complete, several players have already made a strong impression at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket.
As the competition heads into the knockout rounds, here are 10 standout performers who have caught the eye with their impact, showcasing the quality and influence they have brought to both their teams and the tournament.
Gal Raviv - Israel
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: Dec 25, 2006 (19 years old) Height: 178 cm / 5'10" Tournament Stats: 32.7 EFF, 31.3PPG, 4.7RPG, 6.3APG, 3.7SPG
Gal Raviv has been the unquestionable star of the Israeli side over the last three games, with two 30-point games thus far, whilst shooting 54 percent from the field. Aside from her scoring exploits, she's dished out 6.3 assists and has been effective defensively, averaging 3.7 steals per contest. An all-round phenom.
Petra Bozan - Croatia
CENTER
Birth Date: Feb 10, 2006 (20 years old) Height: 192 cm / 6'3" Tournament Stats: 28.7 EFF, 19.7PPG, 16.7RPG
Despite Croatia dropping all three of their games so far at FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket, Petra Bozan has been a dominating presence under the basket, and more often than not, any miss from the opposition is the Penn State standout that's grabbing that rebound. From breaking a tournament record with an eye-watering 28 rebounds to a soft touch close to the basket, where she's shooting 46 percent from the field, Bozan has been Croatia's total package.
Berglind Hlynsdottir - Iceland
GUARD
Birth Date: May 22, 2010 (16 years old) Height: 174 cm / 5'8" Tournament Stats: 24.0 EFF, 23.7PPG, 5.3RPG, 4.0APG
Still only 16, Iceland's Berglind Hlynsdottir is making her statement in this tournament. In three games, she's averaged 23.7 points per game and is shooting 38 percent from three-point land on seven attempts per contest. Her masterpiece so far was a sublime 32 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the 86-79 triumph over Italy.
Lea Vukic - Croatia
POWER FORWARD
Birth Date: Aug 9, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 183 cm / 6'0" Tournament Stats: 20.0PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.0APG
Yale University's Lea Vukic has shown why she's at one of the world's most prestigious schools, as her basketball IQ has been a major factor in her on-court game. Averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, Vukic takes the right shots and never seems flustered. Despite her stellar showings, though, she hasn't been able to steer Croatia to a win so far.
Sintija Aukstikalnyte - Lithuania
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: Sep 18, 2006 (19 years old) Height: 178 cm / 5'10" Tournament Stats: 17PPG, 7.0RPG, 2.0SPG
Sintija Aukstikalnyte has been Lithuania's conductor and star so far. Sure, they've suffered heartbreak with two agonizing losses, but her performances have been outstanding, and no doubt, she will look to put the host nation on the right track. The 19-year-old flirted with a double-double in the loss to Israel in one of the games of the tournament, going for 21 points and 9 rebounds and you feel the best is yet to come.
Maria Burliga - Poland
SMALL FORWARD
Birth Date: Sep 17, 2007 (18 years old) Height: 182 cm / 5'11" Tournament Stats: 14.0PPG, 5.7RPG, 1.7SPG, 2.0BPG
Maria Burliga has been prolific across age groups for Poland, and her play at the U20 level is no different. She has filled the statsheet for Poland in her three games so far, guiding them to an unbeaten start. Burliga has averaged 14 points, a shade under 6 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2 blocks per game. Most importantly, she's helped Poland to an unbeaten record in the Group Phase.
Clara Bielefeld - Germany
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: Aug 28, 2008 (17 years old) Height: 194 cm / 6'4" Tournament Stats: 17.3 EFF, 9.0PPG, 7.7RPG, 5.3APG
A German teenage star in the making, Clara Bielefeld has played with a team-first attitude typical of German sides over the years. Averaging close to a double-double, Bielefeld's shooting hasn't been as accurate as she'd like, but when that doesn't work, her unselfish play turns her into a playmaker for her teammates who are hitting their shots, and as a result, she's dishing out a team-high 5.3 assists per game.
Evelina Otto - Latvia
POWER FORWARD
Birth Date: Aug 2, 2006 (19 years old) Height: 188 cm / 6'2" Tournament Stats: 16.0 EFF, 11.0PPG, 10.7RPG, 1.0BPG
Latvia's leader in efficiency and rebounds, Evelina Otto has been as consistent as they come for her side in the first three games, steering the Latvians to a 3-0 record so far, thanks to her double-double averages. Her standout game was a 13-point, 10-rebound game in the 70-60 win against Germany.
Emma Giacchetti - Italy
POINT GUARD
Birth Date: Mar 18, 2007 (19 years old) Height: 178 cm / 5'10" Tournament Stats: 16.7PPG, 3.0RPG, 6.0APG
From inside the arc, Emma Giacchetti has been almost automatic in Italy's first three games, shooting 59 percent from two-point range, en route to leading the team in points and also assists, where she dishes out 6 per game. While her shooting from three-point land hasn't been going for her so far, she is making up for it in other ways and is pivotal to what Italy will hope will be their success in this tournament.
Sarah Cisse - France
CENTER
Birth Date: Jan 26, 2007 (19 years old) Height: 190 cm / 6'2" Tournament Stats: 13.3PPG, 9.3RPG, 1.3SPG
Sarah Cisse has shown the audience how skilled she is around the basket and how adaptable she is in any situation. She has averaged close to a double-double in this tournament so far, with her standout performance being the 17 points and 12 boards she got in the game against Belgium, one of their three wins in a perfect start.
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