2021 FIBA U19 World Cup (Latvia, Jul 3-11)

[JGX]

Except for Africa I think they just determined the qualifiers through FIBA rankings.

Group A
Senegal
Canada
Lithuania
Japan

Group B
Puerto Rico
Iran
Serbia
Latvia

Group C
Argentina
France
Korea
Spain

Group D
Turkey
Mali
Australia
United States

[JGX]

USA tryout roster:

The 27 athletes expected to attend the U19 training camp are: Devin Askew (Texas/Sacramento, Calif.); Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Hamilton H.S./Sussex, Wis.); Kendall Brown (Sunrise Christian Academy /Cottage Grove, Minn.); Kennedy Chandler (Sunrise Christian Academy/Memphis, Tenn.); Jonathan Davis (Wisconsin/La Crosse, Wis.); Derek Fountain (Mississippi State/Holly Springs, Miss.); Caleb Furst (Blackhawk Christian School/Fort Wayne, Ind.); Jordan Hall (Texas A&M/Wildwood, N.J.); Chet Holmgren (Minnehaha Academy/Minneapolis, Minn.); Harrison Ingram (St. Mark’s School/Dallas, Texas); Jaden Ivey (Purdue /South Bend, Ind.); Dishon Jackson (Washington State/Vallejo, Calif.); Meechie Johnson (Ohio State/Cleveland, Ohio); Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton/St. Louis, Mo.); Trey Kaufman-Renn (Silver Creek H.S. /Sellersburg, Ind.); Zed Key (Ohio State/Bay Shore, N.Y.); Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Louisiana Tech/Port Arthur, Texas); Langston Love (Montverde Academy/Cibolo, Texas); Mike Miles (TCU/Lancaster, Texas); Adam Miller (Louisiana State/Chicago, Ill.); Trey Patterson (Villanova /Somerset, N.J.); Hunter Sallis (Millard North H.S./Omaha, Neb.); Deivon Smith (Georgia Tech/Loganville, Ga.); Dalen Terry (Arizona/Tempe, Ariz.); Jabari Walker (Colorado/Inglewood, Calif.); Peyton Watson (Long Beach Poly Tech H.S./Long Beach, Calif.); and Jaylin Williams (Arkansas/Fort Smith, Ark.).

https://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2021/06/w-americup-roster.aspx

[Hepcat]

Here's Lithuania's preliminary U19 roster:

Dominykas Stenionis - Kauno KA „Žalgiris"
Jokūbas Rubinas - Vilniaus KM
Hubertas Pivorius - Sostinės KM
Kasparas Jonauskas - Kretingos SM
Mantas Rubštavičius - Panevėžio SC
Justas Maceikis - Klaipėdos „Neptūnas-Akvaservis“
Augustas Marčiulionis - Vilniaus „Rytas"
Liutauras Lelevičius - Kauno KA „Žalgiris"
Edgaras Preibys - Mažeikų SM
Tautvilas Tubelis - Arizona Wildcats
Gabrielius Mažeika - Klaipėdos V. Knašiaus KM
Kornelijus Zikas - Klaipėdos V. Knašiaus KM
Paulius Murauskas - Kauno „Žalgiris"
Ąžuolas Tubelis - Arizona Wildcats
Motiejus Krivas - Kauno „Žalgiris-3“
Titas Sargiūnas - Kauno KA „Žalgiris"
Rokas Jocius - Kauno KA „Žalgiris"
Radvilas Kneižys - Klaipėdos V. Knašiaus KM



Training camp will start on June 21st.

[serbianhoops]

Serbia U19 lost 82:87 (29:15, 19:23, 16:24, 18:25) to Al Kuwait SC in its first friendly game.

Serbia U19: Kovačević, Manojlović 4, Mušikić 2, Todorović 14, Petrović 7 (5 ast), Aksentijević 2, Bošković 7, Stefanović 13 (5 ast, 8 reb), Škobalj 12, Đurišić 14, Medarević, Jović 2, Joksimović 1, Belić 2, Andrić 2.

Elmedin Kikanović and AJ Slaugther led the Kuwaiti club with respectively 26 pts and 8 reb, and 27 pts and 5 ast.

[Hepcat]

On June 7th Canada Basketball announced the appointment of Paul Weir as head coach. Weir had previously been the head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos.

But not a word since then regarding the composition of the team on the Canada Basketball website.

[Toruko]

The U19 team of Turkey lost a training game against U19 Serbia 73:69. Adem Bona arrived yesterday in Turkey and played his first game. The starting five did a good job but the bench is very weak built of many 2004 guys. Many of our 2002 guys like Furkan Haltali, Alperen Sengün etc. are with the A national team. Its not a bad result. I am sure that Furkan Haltali will be added to this team eventually.

I dont care the results. I want to see many of our 2003 and 2004 guys on the floor. Will be a solid experience for them.

https://altyapibasket.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/u19-milli-takim.jpg

[mojo13]

Getting some news from the Canadian team - nothing official but one of the youth scouts in Canada (Wes Brown) has reported a camp of.

S. Alamutu
T. Biel
D. Deaveiro
E. Mahi
Z. Edey
R. Nembhard
Z. Cross
E. Fisher
C. Bediako
C. Houstan
D. Parolin
B. Mathurin
J. Monegro
K. Duke
W. Exacte
N. Owusu-Anane
J. Brown-Ferguson
M. Lestin
E. Boag
L. Hunger
M. Olivier-Prosper



So Shaedon Sharpe (declined) and Josh Primo (NBA draft process) would be the primary missing pieces, but this is a very excellent group if true.

Top 6-7 something like:

PG: Nembhard
Wing: Benn Mathurin (NBA 1st round prospect)
Wing: Elijah Fisher (NBA 1st round prospect - younger though)
Wing: Caleb Houstan (NBA 1st round prospect)
Big: Charles Bediako (possible NBA prospect)

Big (Very): Edey
Wing: Olivier-Prosper

Might be the best team Canada has floored pure depth of talent-wise. Hopefully it comes together....

[Straight forward]

I hate such players Z. Edey, but he may be a pain in the ass. Can such players still be stars? I wish small ball would eliminate any chances for such guys, it's just unwatchable to me (no intend to insult anything but literal giants are very aesthetically unpleasant..nothing personal Edey if you read).

A lot of athleticism and mobility by Canada, and likely immense defensive versatility. Any deadly shooters?

We will start the tournament against Canada. Quite an opener, I hope it won't be a sweep and we'll give you a proper run, maybe even fighting for a win if our shots will be falling. Loosing 4 stars prospect Murauskas hurts us, but for our standards very talented NT. We may lack a little bit of toughness, athleticism and size in the second unit though.

[mojo13]

Zach Edey - I hear you. 7'4 285 already. He is big, strong and really nice hands for his size. But I really don't think he is a legit NBA prospect - I just don't think he'll ever be quick enough for the NBA and at best would be a Boban-light type player. Tell me....is there a role for a player like this in Europe in today's game (Tavares?). I hope the kid has a meaningful chance to be a good professional player. He will be very interesting in the U19 - quite a useful tool, but it will be in limited minutes I think.

Deadly shooters??? Why yes...yes there is. Caleb Hosuton might be the best shooting prospect in the NCAA (freshman in the fall at Michigan - projected lottery pick). His shot is as pure as they come and he is developing very well as an all around player. Benedict Mathurin is also showing to be an elite shooting prospect. 42% from three with Arizona in his freshman season.

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2021/2/12/22279444/bennedict-mathurin-arizona-wildcats-best-3-point-shooters-basketball-nba-draft-mock-projections

It looks like a very balanced team, with all sorts of tool.

[Hepcat]

I hate such players Z. Edey, but he may be a pain in the ass. Can such players still be stars? I wish small ball would eliminate any chances for such guys, it's just unwatchable to me (no intend to insult anything but literal giants are very aesthetically unpleasant....

Well now we know why you're always disparaging "lumberjacks". You're speaking for only yourself though.

[Hepcat]

Two friendlies:

June 13

Lithuania 76 Latvia 64

June 15

Lithuania 79 Latvia 67

Augustas Marčiulionis saw action and scored 10 points for Lithuania. Seventeen year old Freds Bagatskis scored 24 for Latvia.

[JGX]

Seventeen finalists for US team:

Named as finalists were: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (Hamilton H.S./Sussex, Wis.); Kendall Brown (Sunrise Christian Academy /Cottage Grove, Minn.); Kennedy Chandler (Sunrise Christian Academy/Memphis, Tenn.); Jonathan Davis (Wisconsin/La Crosse, Wis.); Caleb Furst (Blackhawk Christian School/Fort Wayne, Ind.); Jordan Hall (Texas A&M/Wildwood, N.J.); Chet Holmgren (Minnehaha Academy/Minneapolis, Minn.); Harrison Ingram (St. Mark’s School/Dallas, Texas); Jaden Ivey (Purdue /South Bend, Ind.); Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton/St. Louis, Mo.); Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Louisiana Tech/Port Arthur, Texas); Mike Miles (TCU/Lancaster, Texas); Adam Miller (Louisiana State/Chicago, Ill.); Trey Patterson (Villanova /Somerset, N.J.); .); Deivon Smith (Georgia Tech/Loganville, Ga.); Jabari Walker (Colorado/Inglewood, Calif.) and Peyton Watson (Long Beach Poly Tech H.S./Long Beach, Calif).

https://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2021/06/mu19-finalists.aspx

[ChuckDiesel2]

Would the Lithuanians in this tournament be speaking to their hosts in English, Russian or some neighborly Baltic hybrid? What language was the yelling Linas Klieza and Kaspers Kambala (sp.)* did at one another back in the day?

*Unable to spellcheck at this time.

[mojo13]

Getting some news from the Canadian team - nothing official but one of the youth scouts in Canada (Wes Brown) has reported a camp of.

S. Alamutu
T. Biel
D. Deaveiro
E. Mahi
Z. Edey
R. Nembhard
Z. Cross
E. Fisher
C. Bediako
C. Houstan
D. Parolin
B. Mathurin
J. Monegro
K. Duke
W. Exacte
N. Owusu-Anane
J. Brown-Ferguson
M. Lestin
E. Boag
L. Hunger
M. Olivier-Prosper



So Shaedon Sharpe (declined) and Josh Primo (NBA draft process) would be the primary missing pieces, but this is a very excellent group if true.

Top 6-7 something like:

PG: Nembhard
Wing: Benn Mathurin (NBA 1st round prospect)
Wing: Elijah Fisher (NBA 1st round prospect - younger though)
Wing: Caleb Houstan (NBA 1st round prospect)
Big: Charles Bediako (possible NBA prospect)

Big (Very): Edey
Wing: Olivier-Prosper

Might be the best team Canada has floored pure depth of talent-wise. Hopefully it comes together....

Unofficial leak of the roster says:


Enoch Kalambay
Zach Edey
Ryan Nembhard
Elijah Fisher
Charles Bediako
Caleb Houstan
Bennedict Mathurin
Kyle Duke
Olivier Maxence Prosper
Khalfani Hill
Javonte Brown-Ferguson
Nana Owusu-Anane
Dominic Parolin

Some rumours that Edey or Mathurin could still move up to the Men’s team. With the size of Bediako and Brown-Ferguson already on the Junior roster, highly possible the Men’s team takes Zach Edey (7'4, 285) who is the closest of the bigs to being ready for the Men’s game.

[Straight forward]

Unofficial leak of the roster says:


Enoch Kalambay
Zach Edey
Ryan Nembhard
Elijah Fisher
Charles Bediako
Caleb Houstan
Bennedict Mathurin
Kyle Duke
Olivier Maxence Prosper
Khalfani Hill
Javonte Brown-Ferguson
Nana Owusu-Anane
Dominic Parolin

Some rumours that Edey or Mathurin could still move up to the Men’s team. With the size of Bediako and Brown-Ferguson already on the Junior roster, highly possible the Men’s team takes Zach Edey (7'4, 285) who is the closest of the bigs to being ready for the Men’s game.

Went through the roster to have an impression about each player. Extremely athletic team. Realistically Lithuania doesn't have as much material to match that, even if it's really talented roster for our standards. In last 5 U19 WC tournaments Lithuania reached semis 3 times. Canada did it once, but this time you surely have a serious bunch of guys. On other hand, Lithuania really can field a good defensive starting line-up and to hold away Canadians from dominating the glass and climbing all over, but our second unit is much softer and smaller, specially the guards. However, if Mathurin is ATM arguably the most ready and best player of Canada, Azualas Tubelis fairs quite well competing for the best player's status per 2 teams. Lithuania should go against USA and Australia this week as exhibition. This will show better where Lithuania stands athleticism and size wise and if we will be able to challenge this stacked Canadian NT in the opening.

PS: It's interesting that Serbia stands only 7th in FIBA youth rankings. Canada now second and from now on it's probably impossible to move them below.