Can Martinez and company break Spain's fourth-place curse in Slovak Republic?

MADRID (FIBA U18 European Championship 2017) – Always among medal contenders, Spain head coach Joaquin Prado announced his talent-packed squad for the FIBA U18 European Championship 2017 in Slovak Republic.

After heartbreaking fourth-place finishes at the FIBA U16 European Championship and FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2016, the Sergi Martinez-led Spain will be looking to finally break the spell and get on the podium.

Spain 16-player squad ahead of FIBA U18 European Championship 2017
Josep Busquets	Raimon Carrasco	Didac Cuevas	Osas Ehigiator	Alejandro Gallan
Luis Eugenio Garcia	Eric Gonzalez	Miguel Gonzalez	Jose Luis Ibanez	Sergi Martinez
Pol Molins	Joel Parra	Arnau Parrado	Josep Puerto	Fracisco Salvador
Alex Tamayo

Having been one of the FIBA U18 European Championship 2016 standouts with the 1998-born team last year, rising star Martinez headlines the 16-strong candidate list for this year's event.

The 6ft 7in (2.00m) power forward averaged nearly a double-double against older players in Samsun last year and will undoubtedly be the most prized piece in coach Prado's puzzle this summer as well.

Last year, Martinez was the team's go-to player at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Spain, earning All-Star Five honors after lighting up the field on fire with 19.9 points, 12.9 boards, 2.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game, but Spain could not secure a podium finish after losing out to Lithuania in the bronze-medal game.

The 1999-born generation of Spanish players was similarly unlucky at the FIBA U16 European Championship in Kaunas two years ago, when they were denied a medal by Turkey.

In a space of a year, the team has changed significantly, with returning players filling up just 7 of 16 training camp slots, but the main stars – Miguel Gonzalez, Joel Parra, Josep Busquets, Osas Ehigiator – will all be present.

It will be a particularly busy summer for Ehigiator and point guard Pol Figueras, who will be making his debut for the 1999-born team, but already has FIBA U18 European Championship experience from last year under his belt. 

These two players will represent Spain at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2017 in Egypt at the start of July before joining the U18 team a week into training camp. 

Spain will play Italy, Serbia and Ukraine in the Piestany-based Group B of the FIBA U18 European Championship.

FIBA