Third time’s a charm for Barcelona at ANGT

REGENSBURG (David Hein’s Eye on the Future) - What have Rodions Kurucs, Eric Vila and Aleix Font done that European stars like Mario Hezonja and Nihad Djedovic could not? They helped lead Barcelona to their first title at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament. 

Kurucs was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2016 ANGT where Barcelona knocked off Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade 90-82 in the final for the club’s first title in Europe’s elite U18 club competition. 

Kurucs scored 14 points while Vila poured in 21 points and Font hit for 13 in the win over Zvezda as Barcelona finally ascended to the top of Europe at the junior level. 

Barcelona had a slow start to their ANGT campaign in in Berlin, going down to INSEP by 18 points in the first quarter before charging back to win that game by eight points. Alfred Julbe’s team then downed Mega Leks by 15 points before brushing aside Zalgiris Kaunas by 17 points in a game where the winner would reach the final. 

In the title game, Barcelona raced out to a 16-point lead in the first quarter. Zvezda fought back to within two points but were never able to grab the lead with Barcelona pulling away by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter. 

The crown was a long awaited first for Barcelona, who had finished runners-up twice in the ANGT’s first 13 editions. 

NIhad Djedovic poured in 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds but could not get Barcelona the title in their first final appearance in 2008, losing out to Dejan Musli and FMP 80-78. 

Barcelona also reached the title game in their ANGT Finals in 2013 but could not beat city rivals Joventut Badalona, losing 82-59 despite a team featuring future NBA player Hezonja. Also on Barcelona’s 2013 team were Marc Garcia and Ludde Hakanson. 

The Swedish international Hakanson made sure to congratulat the youngsters from the club under which he is still contract but playing with Sevilla on loan this season. 

This Barcelona team is more talented and deeper than either of the two previous teams which reached the ANGT title game. Kurucs, Vila and Font are all long, skilled wings while Sergi Martinez is a 1999-born talent who can play either forward position. 

Barcelona also featured Senegalese-born Atoumane Diagne, an athletic big man who ended up joining Kurucs on the All-Tournament Team. And Pol Figueras was the perfect point guard for this team, a playmaker who cared more about getting his teammates going than taking his own shot. 

The foundation for the success in the German capital was laid in two incidents. 

First off, the Latvian talent Kurucs returned from a severe meniscus injury in early April - his first action for Barcelona, whom he joined at the end of last season from Latvian club VEF Riga. 

Kurucs averaged 15 points per game at the ANGT Finals to go with 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals. He showcased his absolute killer instinct offensively - scoring all 15 of his points in one quarter of one game - while also playing tough defense and getting others involved. 

Kurucs was not with Barcelona when they lost to the 2015 ANGT champions Real Madrid in the final of this season’s ANGT L’Hospitalet qualifying tournament - an ugly slugfest that ended in a 50-48 Madrid win. 

Kurucs’ versatility gave Barcelona another major weapon and the Catalans used that difference to make a major breakthrough. Julbe’s team knocked off Real Madrid 65-58 in the final of the 2016 U18 Spanish club championship on May 7 in Guadalajara with Kurucs scoring 14 points while Vila had 17 points and Diagne and Martinez combined for 18 points, 19 rebounds and four blocks. 

Barcelona had finally gotten their breakthrough after losing to Madrid in the last two ANGT L’Hospitalet finals as well as during this season’s U18 group stage. 

We were thinking we’re never going to beat them, they’re unbeatable, and we can’t do it. But we had a lot of confidence and that got our hopes up and we played really well. - Font

Barcelona, who made it to Berlin as wild card recipients, were more than worthy ANGT champions. Sure it would have been fun to see them face off again with Real Madrid in the final. But Zvezda had been in the last two finals against Madrid and was just as big a powerhouse in European youth hoops. 

This group of Barcelona players have loads of talent and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they make their mark on the Barcelona senior team in the very near future. 

One thing is certain … they’ve already done something that greats like Mario Hezonja and Nihad Djedovic could never do.

David Hein

FIBA

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