2014 27th Albert Schweitzer Tournament

[carlo]

The 2014 International Albert Schweitzer Tournament for junior teams will be held in Mannheim/Viernheim, GER, 19-26 April.

The final 16 participants field has been announced:

Argentina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Chile
China
England
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
Serbia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
Ukraine
USA

Official Site Announcement

[carlo]

Some general notes on Albert Schweitzer Tournament (AST) history.

. AST is a biennial junior tournament played in Mannheim, Germany, that started in Dec 1958.

. After the first two editions (won by Belgium), there was a break until the 1966 tournament (won by Italy).

. AST took place in odd years from 1967 through 1993, but the 1991 edition was canceled due to the Gulf War. It was resumed in 1993 and then played in even-numbered years since 1994.

. Formerly a U19 tournament, the age-limit went down to U18 by mid 1970s. It is believed the most important international tournament at its age-level.

. USA earn the all-time record wins with 10, followed by Italy and Yugoslavia with 3 wins, Belgium, Greece and Spain with 2, Australia, France, Poland and Turkey with 1.

. USA participated in the first 5 editions with their Overseas European Schoolboys only (mainly from Germany) and never won. From the 1973 event US officials took the tournament more seriously and US-based schools players, usually 8-9 units, were mixed with their European schools mates. Some of the best US-HS players and later NBA superstars participated to various tournaments (Kent Benson 1973, Earvin “Magic” Johnson 1977, BJ Armstrong 1985, Tim Duncan 1993, Vince Carter 1994, Jermaine O’Neal 1996 just to mention a few).

. From 1973 through 1996 USA earned 10 golds on 12 editions – but after 1996 a long winning drought started for the Stars & Stripes teams, lasting until today. As a matter of facts, the US HS players quality level has substantially decreased in the last tournaments.

. Among many non-US players who participated to AST and later had a standout career, Arvydas Sabonis, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, Dražen Petrović, Toni Kukoč, Dino Radja, Hedo Türkoğlu, Antonello Riva.

[carlo]

Argentina Basketball has invited 27 players for a first training camp by mid Febr, to select the U18 NT for AST tournament and the Fiba Americas qualifier.

http://www.cabb.com.ar/noticia_ficha.php?id=7604

[Joško Poljak Fan]

lol, Slovenia gets invited now with some weak generations under the belt while it was generaly overlooked with it's 80ies generations for the likes of Sweden and England.

[carlo]

Prelim Groups:

A (GBG-Halle Mannheim): Serbia, Argentina, England, Sweden
B (GBG-Halle Mannheim): Germany, Turkey, Slovenia, Japan
C (Waldsporthalle Viernheim): USA, France, Ukraine, Chile
D (Waldsporthalle Viernheim): Spain, Italy, China, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Complete program here.

[carlo]

From AST site:

This year a US select team from the New England region will start as team USA

[carlo]

Prelim rosters:

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Chile
China
Turkey
Ukraine

[carlo]

A roster of 11 players has been announced for team USA.

http://www.basketball-bund.de/ligen-ergebnisse/albert-schweitzer-turnier/ast-2014-teams/ast-2014-usa

Six players are 2014-class and five from 2015, none of them being nationally ranked among Top100 in the specialized press, except Tim Delaney (#99 by Prospect Central) and Brock Miller (#79 by 247Sports) both from the 2015-class. Some consideration also for 2014 Ethan Happ, ranked around #140.
Unknown if the pending 12th spot will later be filled by a Euro-based player.
Lack of size and general low quality level (at least on paper) should leave this team out of the top favorites.

[CKR13]

Some news about Argentina:

http://www.ellitoral.com.ar/es/articulo/303246/Arengo-convocado-al-equipo-nacional-U18

[Jokinen]

Some news about Argentina:
http://www.ellitoral.com.ar/es/artic...o-nacional-U18

Here is the info from the argentinian confederation -> http://cabb.com.ar/noticia_ficha.php?id=7748 José Vildoza (MVP of the Southamerican U17 2013) will join the team. The bad news is that Argentina will be missing Juan Pablo Vaulet. Vaulet is the kid who was called to join the senior national team previous to FIBA Americas 2013. But he got injured in the second game of the southamerican U17 2013 and haven´t recovered yet (underwent another surgery a month ago).

[carlo]

A group of 16 candidates was named by French Federation for an evaluation & training camp to be held in Heidelberg (GER), April 13-17.

http://www.ffbb.com/16-joueurs-convoques-en-stage-heidelberg

The core of the group is based on the 2012 U16 team that earned the 2nd place at the European Championship.
Etienne Ory, Antoine Wallez, Cyrille Eliezer-Vanerot and Lenny Charles-Catherine were the top players at that time.

[carlo]

NetScouts' coverage of US selection:

http://netscoutsbasketball.com/blog/albert-schweitzer-tournament-tips-off-april-19th-usa-team-named/

Strangely, one more player (center Kory Kuenstling) is mentioned, in addition to the announced 11-man roster.



Update: USA roster of 12 includes 2.10 m Kuenstling.

http://www.basketball-bund.de/ligen-ergebnisse/albert-schweitzer-turnier/ast-2014-teams/ast-2014-usa

[carlo]

Spain roster named:

Point Guards:
Paco Alonso, Sergi Costa, Francesc Iturria

Wings/Forwards:
Marc García, Carlos Martínez, Jacobo Díaz, Xabi Oroz, Adnan Omeragic

Centers:
Yankuba Sima, David Martínez, Marc Bauza, Nil Sabata

Backcourt not so deep. Top players should be Marc García, Sergi Costa, Carlos Martinez and Adnan Omeragic.

http://www.feb.es/2014/4/7/baloncesto/rumbo-mannheim/53281.aspx

[carlo]

Italy preliminary squad of 14:
Alberto Cacace, Riccardo Cattapan, Lorenzo D'Alessandro, Daniel Donzelli, Diego Flaccadori, Andrea La Torre, Ion Lupusor, Bruno Mascolo, Martino Mastellari, Federico Mussini, Riccardo Rossato, Luca Severini, Andrea Spera, Ruben Zugno.

Mussini, Donzelli, Rossato and La Torre (1997) should be the most talented of the gorup, Cattapan (211 cm) is the tower.

Serbia preliminary selection of 16:
Nikola Kocovic, Stefan Ciric, Jovan Starincevic, Nikola Pavlovic, Nikola Kostic, Stefan Simic, Radovan Djokovic, Matija Popovic, Djordje Bjelobaba, Uros Carapic, Jovan Andjelkovic, Stefan Lazarevic, Danilo Ostojic, Stefan Peno, Vasilije Vucetic, Dejan Kovacevic.

Stefan Peno (1997), Lazarevic, Pavlovic, Vucetic, Djokovic and Starincevic among the team's top names.

[carlo]

Japan roster (from AST official site):

http://www.basketball-bund.de/ligen-ergebnisse/albert-schweitzer-turnier/ast-2014-teams/ast-2014-japan