Eight standout performers from the Group Phase in Skopje

SKOPJE (North Macedonia) - A number of players have shined over the first three days of the FIBA U16 European Championship 2022 as the Group Phase provided some great performances.

With the tournament moving to the Round of 16, here is a look back at eight of the top performers up until the knock-our stage.

URBAN KROFLIC - Slovenia

 

SHOOTING GUARD

Birth date: March 28, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 195cm / 6'5"
Tournament Stats: 20.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 3.7 SPG

Kroflic does not shy away from shooting, leading the tournament in attempts, and he ranks third in scoring at 20.0 points per game for Slovenia, who went 2-1 in the Group Phase. He struggled from outside against Denmark (1-of-9) and Serbia (1-of-13) but the wing does plenty of other things to help his team, averaging 8 rebounds to go with 3.3 assists and also has swiped 3.7 steals per game. He is also shooting 57.5 percent on two-pointers.

STYLIANOS MARAGKOUDAKIS - Greece 

POINT GUARD

Birth date: February 1, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 180cm / 5'11"
Tournament Stats: 14.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.7 SPG

Greece are one of three undefeated teams through three games and Maragkoudakis has been a major part of that. Neoklis Avdalas of Panathinaikos is the bigger talent but Maragkoudakis leads the Greeks in scoring at 14 points per game. The Peristeri playmaker also tops the tournament in shooting at 62.5 percent from the floor, despite standing at just 1.80m, and has also swiped 2.7 steals per game.

SAMUELE MICCOLI - Italy 

GUARD

Birth date: January 14, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 187cm / 6'2"
Tournament Stats: 14.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.0 APG

Italy reached the Round of 16 with a perfect 3-0 record thanks in large part to Miccoli. The guard leads his team in scoring with 14 points per game, shooting 50 percent from three-point range and ranking second in the tournament in field goal percentage at 58.1 percent. The Olimpia Milano guard has helped in other ways as well, playmaking when needed and also playing tough defense on the perimeter.

DAVID MIRKOVIC - Montenegro

 

POWER FORWARD

Birth date: January 6, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 205cm / 6'9"
Tournament Stats: 20.3 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.7 SPG

Montenegro may have lost all three games in the Group Phase but Mirkovic has been a dominant force in the middle, ranking second overall in scoring, first in rebounds and efficiency, including a monster 30-point, 19-rebound double-double versus North Macedonia. After playing 79 of 80 minutes in the first two games - and shooting 19-of-29 from the floor - Mirkovic was slowed by Greece with 11 points and 6 rebounds in a 79-42 loss.

OGNJEN RADOSIC - Serbia 

SHOOTING GUARD

Birth date: May 26, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 195cm / 6'5"
Tournament Stats: 21.7 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 3.0 SPG

Radosic leads the tournament in scoring despite playing just 13 minutes in Serbia's third game, which he exited with three minutes left in the first half after a right hip injury and did not return. He still scored 10 points after he had poured in 55 points in 51 minutes over the first two games. The shooting guard is just a scoring machine, connecting on 18 of 22 free throws in the first two contests. Radosic will need to be healthy for Serbia to have a chance to win the title.

MARIO SAINT-SUPERY - Spain 

POINT GUARD

Birth date: April 14, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 190cm / 6'3"
Tournament Stats: 18.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.3 APG

Saint-Supery and the rest of Spain struggled to deal with the Greece defense in the opener as he picked up 12 points on 2-of-10 shooting in a 75-47 loss. The Unicaja Malaga talent stepped up after that with 28 points against Montenegro and 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists versus hosts North Macedonia, including 8-of-19 from long range in those two games. Those two performances showed why Saint-Supery is considered the star of Spain's next generation.

KRISTUPAS SMIRNOV - Lithuania 

SHOOTING GUARD

Birth date: March 25, 2006 (16 years old)

Height: 191cm / 6'3"
Tournament Stats: 10.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.0 SPG

Smirnov is a big reason Lithuania are still perfect at 3-0 going into the Round of 16 as he collected two double-doubles - including 13 points and 10 rebounds in a shocking 73-41 drubbing of France in the opener. Smirnov's bigger build has seen him play more inside - averaging 3.7 offensive rebounds with his great rebound instincts - but he also is hitting 55.6 percent from the outside. Smirnov might be the most talented player on the Lithuania team but they wouldn't be undefeated without his contributions.

TALIS SOULHAC - France 

POINT GUARD

Birth date: September 19, 2006 (15 years old)

Height: 186cm / 6'1"
Tournament Stats: 11.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 6.5 APG, 4.0 SPG

France lost their opening game to Lithuania without Soulhac and the point guard showed the other two group games how important he is to the team. He flirted with a triple-double in an overtime win over Israel in collecting 10 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists to go with 4 steals and followed that with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in a win over Netherlands. Soulhac ranks first in the competition in assists and second in steals.

FIBA