One of the world's premier youth basketball showcases will be played in the United Arab Emirates for the first time
ANGT Dubai players to watch
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Qualifying for the Euroleague Basketball Adidas EuroLeague Next Generation Tournament Finals continues this weekend in a new location with the third of the four qualifiers being held in Dubai for the first time. The United Arab Emirates will see eight top-tier junior teams arrive for the event and they will seek to join ANGT Podgorica winner U18 Real Madrid and ANGT Belgrade winner U18 FC Barcelona, which already secured their spots at the ANGT Finals to be played in May alongside the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin. The last of the qualifying events will be in Paris on March 29-31. One thing that all ANGT events have in common is that it is a stage for tomorrow's top talents to shine on. Here are some names to watch out for from each of the eight teams in Dubai.
Matteo Baiocchi, U18 Virtus Segafredo Bologna
Baiocchi will be playing in the ANGT for the first time. The 2007-born Bologna native is a 1.96-meter combo guard. He missed out on the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023 with an injury but participated in every camp for the Italian 2007-born players. Baiocchi has averaged 13 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the U19 Italian LBA Next Gen Tournament while also posting 16.1 points in the Italian U17 championship and 12.3 points in the domestic U19 championship. Baiocchi is a talented and physical player, who is versatile and can cover different positions. He still needs to improve his pull-up jumper and his post-up game to become a complete player.
Jorge Carot, U18 Valencia Basket
Carot will be playing his third ANGT after he averaged 4.5 points and 2.0 rebounds at the ANGT Belgrade last season. The 2.05-meter big man can play both the power forward and center positions. He helped Spain take second place at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022 with 9.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks. Carot is splitting time this season between Valencia’s second team in the Spanish third division and third team in the fourth division. He has been worth 6.0 points and 3.6 rebounds for Horta Godella in the third division and 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds in the fourth league. Carot is strong and can defend multiple positions - both inside and outside. He is physical and can rebound well. Carot can play in the low post with a variety of moves and he plays through physicality. He can also run the court and sometimes attacks from the outside.
Noa Essengue, U18 ratioipharm Ulm
Essengue will be playing his third ANGT season after he averaged 13.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals at the ANGT Belgrade for PFYM Paris. The 2.05-meter forward moved to Germany in the off-season to join ratiopharm Ulm. Before that, he helped France reach the semifinals of the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2023 with 10.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.1 steals. In nine German League games with the professional first team, Essengue has averaged 3.0 points and 0.4 rebounds in 4.4 minutes. He has also been worth 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 6.3 minutes over seven BKT EuroCup contests. He has been playing predominantly for Ulm’s team in the third division and dominating with 19.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.9 blocks. Essengue twice has scored 30 or more points and has four games with 13 or more rebounds. Essengue is capable of defending multiple positions because of his length and athleticism. Offensively he has developed his shot and ball handling since his arrival in August. He still needs to improve his three-point shot as well as passing off the dribble.
Miikka Muurinen, U18 Next Generation Team Dubai
Muurinen is one of the top Finnish talents since Lauri Markkanen and the 2.08-meter forward will be making his ANGT debut in Dubai. The 2007-born Muurinen starred at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2023, where he averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 2.0 blocks. He spent the 2022-23 season in Spain playing for Zentro Basket and this season is playing at Sunrise Christian High School in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States. Muurinen is long and mobile and shoots the ball very well. He possesses great athleticism and can finish above the rim.
Nedas Raupelis, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas
Raupelis will be competing in his second ANGT season after he averaged 2.0 points and 1.8 rebounds at the ANGT Munich. At the ANGT Finals, the 2.05-meter center stepped up his game and had 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block. Raupelis helped Lithuania take the title at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022 with 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. This season he has averaged 3.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in the Lithuanian second division, including a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds on March 11. Raupelis is a mobile big man who is a great shot blocker and pick-and-roll player. He is also a good rebounder and passer. He is still working on his shooting and his lateral movement.
Yohann Sissoko, U18 LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne
Sissoko will be playing in the ANGT for a second straight season after he starred at the ANGT Patras, averaging 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists to earn All-Tournament Team honors. In the French U21 league this season, the 1.94-meter guard has averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He has six times attempted 10 or more free throws in a single game. Sissoko is a very good one-on-one player, a great driver, and has a strong ability to create for himself and his teammates. He needs to develop his shooting, which is currently unstable, but Sissoko is seen as a true team leader.
Filippos Tsachtsiras, U18 Aris Midea Thessaloniki
Tsachtsiras will be making his ANGT debut, just like Aris. The 2.05-meter power forward averaged 10.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.7 steals at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2022, where Greece reached the semifinals. Tsachtsiras is playing this season for APS Navarchos Votsis in the Greek fourth division and has also played in the Greek U18 league, where he averaged 14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals. The big man understands the game well, has a good post-up game and also can shoot from the outside. He is a tenacious rebounder despite lacking elite athleticism. One of his weaknesses is his dribbling skill which if improved would make him an even greater threat when playing with his face to the basket.
Aleksa Vlajic, U18 Dubai Falcons Basketball Academy
Vlajic will be making his second appearance in the ANGT after he played 2:50 minutes over two games for Crvena Zvezda Belgrade at last season’s ANGT Belgrade. The 2.07-meter Serbian center has also played for Mega Belgrade and is competing this season with Dynamic Belgrade, having already debuted in the Serbian first division. In the Serbian U19 league, Vlajic is averaging 12.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists for Dynamic. For Dubai in the U19 ABA Adriatic League, Vlajic tallied 20.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in three games. He is a modern big man who can play both power forward and center while playing the low post or with his face to the basket. Vlajic has good pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop games thanks to his good shooting from three-point range. He is an excellent rebounder and is improving from a physical standpoint.