SKOPJE (North Macedonia) – The FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2025, Division B returns to a familiar setting, as Skopje will host the tournament for the third time. Twenty-two teams will compete for the Division B title and one of three promotion spots to next year's Division A tournament.
This year's tournament, however, won't just be a battleground for promotion: it will also be a showcase for some of Europe's top-tier talents, with several players already displaying elite upside and advanced skills despite their young age.
We've selected 10 prospects poised to make a major impact in Skopje, and who could become key players in European basketball in the years to come.
Aaron Ona Embo - Belgium
Point Guard
Birth Date: April 14, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 1.80m (5ft 11in) Club: Real Madrid (ESP)
Belgium has become one of the top teams in Division B, with their last three appearances in the tournament all resulting in top-five finishes. One of the reasons for their recent success has been Ona Embo. The 16-year-old guard will be playing in his third U16 EuroBasket and is coming off a standout performance at the U18 Division A tournament, where he was Belgium's leading scorer.
Ona Embo will be one of the best shot creators in attendance at Skopje, possessing a combination of quickness and creativity with the ball in his hands, which allows him to create separation on drives and pull-up jumpers. With his high-level experience, productivity, and creativity, Ona Embo is a pre-tournament favorite to come away with the MVP trophy.
Toni Garma - Croatia
Small Forward
Birth Date: May 21, 2010 (15 years old) Height: 1.97m (6ft 6in) Club: Real Madrid (ESP)
Despite his young age, Garma has been a well-known name in scouting circles for a while. He made headlines after scoring 73 points in a U13 game back in 2023, and soon after signed with powerhouse Real Madrid. Since then, the 15-year-old has been a standout at invitational tournaments across Europe with his versatility and limitless range as a shooter, plus a combination of size, creative handles, and polished footwork that allows him to create drives.
Croatia's only Division B appearance, back in 2023, ended with a perfect 8-0 record en route to a title and a quick promotion back to Division A. With Garma on their roster, the team has a real shot at replicating that success in Skopje.
Marko Popovic - Montenegro
Forward
Birth Date: August 6, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 2.00m (6ft 7in) Club: SC Derby (MNE)
Montenegro has been one of the most dominant teams in Division B, with four of their last five appearances resulting in promotion to Division A. One of the returning players from last year's fifth-place team is Marko Popovic. The 2.00m forward makes an impact with his combination of size, speed, and athleticism, which makes him a threat as a defender and transition target. He has also shown an impressive level of on-ball skill for his size and age, being able to drive to the basket in the half-court and convert jumpers off the dribble. With his optimal positional size, offensive versatility, and defensive productivity, Popovic should be expected to make an impact for Montenegro in Skopje.
Matej Buben - Czechia
Center
Birth Date: March 5, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 2.06m (6ft 9in) Club: BK Decin (CZE)
Buben was impactful in limited minutes in last year's tournament, averaging 4.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game, and he improved as the tournament went on, closing his campaign with an 11-point, 8-rebound performance in the final game against Denmark. His size and his strong frame make him a tough player to stop once he catches the ball in the low post. He should be a reliable scoring option in the paint for Czechia, as one of the winningest teams in Division B looks for the elusive promotion spot they've been chasing since their relegation from the top flight in 2012.
Matus Rybar - Slovakia
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: January 27, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 1.94m (6ft 4in) Club: Real Murcia Baloncesto (ESP)
Slovakia has been on an upward trajectory in recent years, coming off back-to-back Quarter-Finals appearances. This year, they will have one of their most productive players from last year's squad back in Rybar, who made an impact across the board, averaging 14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
The Murcia product is a versatile on-ball creator who can put pressure on opposing defenders with his combination of size, speed, and fluidity. He can also convert jumpers off the dribble and create defensive events on the perimeter. With his all-around skill set, he should be expected to make a major impact in the tournament.
Yevhen Tatunchak - Ukraine
Forward
Birth Date: January 24, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 2.00m (6ft 7in) Club: APEC London (GBR)
Ukraine finished in 21st place in last year's U16 Division B tournament and needed overtime to defeat Luxembourg in the final game of the competition to avoid relegation to Division C. One of the silver linings from last year was the breakout performance of Yevhen Tatunchak, who, despite playing one year up in age, was one of Ukraine's most productive players, averaging 11.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
Tatunchak has an intriguing profile as a multi-level scorer who can finish plays around the basket with his size and length, but also convert three-pointers off the catch. His size, versatile scoring skill set, and two-way impact should make him a key piece for a Ukraine team looking to bounce back after an underwhelming campaign last year.
Skye Bergens - Netherlands
Point Guard
Birth Date: April 16, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 1.87m (6ft 2in) Club: Orange Lions Academy (NED)
The Netherlands will play their third-straight Division B tournament after being relegated from the U16 top flight in 2022. The team returns one of its top contributors from last year's tournament in Skye Bergens. The 1.87m guard averaged 10.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, showcasing an aggressive scoring mentality. He puts constant pressure on the rim with his speed and his quick ball-handling ability, but he's also able to make plays for teammates as a secondary initiator. Expect Bergens to take on an even bigger offensive role for a Netherlands team that should be among the top contenders in the competition.
Fryderyk Klimas - Ireland
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: January 9, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 1.87m (6ft 2in) Club: Limerick Lions (IRL)
One of their top players for this year's event is Fryderyk Klimas, who already made an impact in last year's tournament, averaging 8.9 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. The 16-year-old guard was a productive scorer, getting to the rim via cuts, transition opportunities, and self-created drives, and showed tremendous potential as a versatile finisher around the basket.
With his experience and scoring prowess, he is poised to be one of Ireland's key players in Skopje.
Pavel Gjinovski - North Macedonia
Shooting Guard
Birth Date: April 9, 2009 (16 years old) Height: 1.86m (6ft 1in) Club: CDE Elite International School (ESP)
North Macedonia will host the U16 Division B tournament once again, and they will hope to improve upon their underwhelming 10th-place finish from last year. Their leader in the warm-up games ahead of the tournament has been Pavel Gjinovski, who saw limited minutes in last year's competition but showed impressive flashes of ball-handling and pull-up shooting.
If Gjinovski can replicate the productivity he's shown in recent friendly matches, he should be one of the standouts in the competition.
FIBA