LAKTASI (Bosna and Herzegovina) - Group C on paper looks like it could be the Group of Death this year.
Back-to-back champions Rytas Vilnius are here and any hopes of being able to ease their way into this year's attempt to claim a third title, have been instantly dashed by a draw that matches them up against an old foe in 2024 Finalists Galatasaray, and a talented Oldenburg roster.
The first game of the group will see Gala take on Oldenburg at 15:00 CET on April 7.
Both teams will know they face a slippery slope in this opener because a trip in this game will see them needing to find a win against the reigning champs just to stand a remote chance at reaching the Semi-Finals.
Galatasaray MCT Technic
Gala’s young team last year only had two players from the 2007-born generation, meaning that up to ten of that squad was eligible to return this season. As it happens, Gala have re-tooled with their squad this time around, but still retain seven players with YBCL experience.
Amongst those is 2008-born Alp Yildirim. Yildirim was Gala’s second-top scorer last time out, putting up 11.3 points and 9 assists, whilst also pulling down 3.8 rebounds.
Batu Anlar is another 2008-born who averaged double digit scoring whilst playing a year young in 2025. He put up 11.3 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds.
The rest of that returning 2008 generation includes Yusuf Ersoy, Omer Altinak, Mert Aydin, and Doruk Karadag. Ersoy, Altinak, and Aydin all played north of 20 minutes, whilst Karadag also saw more than 16 minutes of court time.
The ones to watch in that group are point guard and floor general Mert Aydin, power forward Yusuf Ersoy with his athletic abilities around the rim, and hustle player Doruk Karadag, who is a menace on the glass.
Hasan Ali Yayla is also a new recruit in the senior age group.
From the 2009-born generation Ilkay Sertel and Bogac Bozbey saw limited opportunities whilst playing up two years but look well set to increase their roles this year. New head coach Tolga Esenci has served as head coach for senior teams at Gala in the past and certainly has the experience to get the best out of what looks to be a talented roster.
Gala open their campaign with a matchup against Oldenburg at 15:00 CET on April 7. The winner of that game will still need to complete the not-insignificant task of overcoming the elephant in the room for Group C, Rytas Vilnius.
EWE BASKETS Oldenburg
Oldenburg missed last year’s event but have returned with a familiar face in the backcourt.
German international Djordje Klaric was just 15 when he played with his older brother Lazar Klaric in 2024. He’s now 1.89m and firmly established as the go-to-guy in this team, despite the fact that he’s still playing up a year.
Built around him, Oldenburg have a cast of seniors that includes 1.91m shooting guard Nai-Yahrell Leeuwin, Marko Cuvalo, Bruno Walz, Bilal Fye, Josiah Knust, Johnell Nyalwal Katatumba, Ari Von Wiegen, and Mathis Wickman.
Jonas Bendixen is a 2009-born guard from Denmark that will look to make his mark, alongside a strong cast of Oldenburg’s 2009-born team that includes Bilal Akyildiz, Clemens Bokesch, Luan Lauer, Matti Oldiges, and Nemanja Prodanic.
2010-born Canadian Samuel Shchepotkin also plays with that group in Germany.
That opening game against Galatasaray already feels like a knockout game with respect to Oldenburg’s chances of reaching the Semi-Finals. Head coach Mladen Drijencic knows a thing or two about winning tournaments with EWE Baskets Oldenburg, he guided the senior team to the German Cup title in 2015 and his son, Robert, played his youth basketball in Oldenburg.
And if they are able to earn a win against the Turkish giants, their prize is a back to back game against the defending, back-to-back champions Rytas Vilnius.
Rytas Vilnius
It’s all change for the champs in Laktasi.
The Rytas Vilnus group, led by MVP Ignas Urbonas, that won consecutive YBCL titles also went to the FIBA U18 EuroBasket last year and came close to winning that as well. That all-conquering generation have essentially graduated and moved on.
The only returning player from that team is Lithuania U16 National Team star Gabrielius Buivydas.
Buivydas is a 2.00m guard that put up 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists for Lithuania in last summer’s U16 EuroBasket, and was already putting up 9.5 points in just 12 minutes of action for Rytas in last year’s YBCL.
Given Rytas’ record in this event, it doesn’t feel hyperbolic to predict that Buivydas is already an early front-runner for this year’s MVP award.
Joining him from that Lithuanian U16 team last summer is 2009-born Benas Birzinis. The 2.00m forward played 21 minutes for Lithuania, recording 7.6 points, and 4.4 rebounds on 63 percent shooting and 44 percent from deep.
Point guard Kornelijus Snitka is the only returning senior player for Rytas this year.
The 1.92m floor general put up 7.5 points, and 4.5 assists in 17 minutes of burn in last year's championship team. We can expect all of those numbers to go up this time.
Rytas have brought in some new 2008-born talent to compete this year, 2.06m big man Tauris Aliukonis and 2.01m big man Gabrielius Askinas will provide some much needed size.
The rest of the 2008-born includes Armandas Bukelskis, Tomas Daraskevicius, Gabrielius Krivas, Neidas Linartas, and Jonas Trivokas.
Whilst the refresh of this roster is completed by exciting 2010-born talent, 1.96m guard, Raigardas Ciunys, and a cast of 2009-born players that includes 2.04m Dominik Lavrinovich, Nojus Satas, Martynas Suzanovicius, and Vykintas Vaitkevicius.
Gintaras Kadziulis is back as head coach to lead an almost entirely new cast of characters but the goal will undoubtedly be the same.
Rytas are here with gold on the mind again. We will see them start the campaign at 15:00 CET on April 8, vs EWE Baskets Oldenburg.