[Hugo Gonzalez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/players/hugo-gonzalez/011649/) never questioned whether U18 Real Madrid could come back and win the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Podgorica first-place game last Sunday afternoon. The star guard talent is wired like that and he learned too many lessons from his veteran leaders inside the Real first-team locker room.

Gonzalez had been saddled with 4 fouls late in the third quarter and found himself sitting on the bench with Real down by 13 points to the U18 Next Generation Team Podgorica. The 17-year-old came back in the game with 7 minutes left and Real still down by 6 points, but having shifted momentum. 

Gonzalez scored 8 of his 16 points down the stretch – as well as dishing 2 assists – to help Real fight off the select team and win an ANGT qualifying tournament for the 11th straight season. 

“It was a really tough game. They play how we are not used to. They run the court unlike anybody in this tournament. They knew our weaknesses, but we played well. We played with a good mentality,” said Gonzalez who ended up winning the Most Valuable Player honor for his outstanding showing all tournament. 

“He’s amazing, and I am not talking about the player – I am talking about the person. One of the best things that basketball has given me in my life is the opportunity to coach Hugo,” Real coach Javier Juarez commented after Sunday’s nailbiter. “He has a winner’s mentality.”

### Putting together an impressive resumé

Gonzalez took home his second MVP distinction after he was named the top player of the ANGT Munich last season. During the ANGT Podgorica, he averaged 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals for a 17.5 PIR. He ranked 10th in scoring, seventh in PIR, tied for eighth in assists, came second in steals and was seventh in fouls drawn at 4.5.

Since winning the ANGT Munich MVP award, Gonzalez averaged 16.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.8 blocks at the ANGT Finals in Kaunas, where Real won its fourth U18 continental crown (2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023). Over the summer, he also helped Spain take second place at the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship. 

This season, he has practiced exclusively with Real’s senior team. Gonzalez has already appeared in four EuroLeague games in the 2023-24 campaign and picked up 4 points and 1 assist over 16 combined minutes. He has played in 10 Spanish League games, too, averaging 3.0 points and 0.8 rebounds in 6 minutes.

That time spent with a veteran-laden Real squad has really helped Gonzalez excel in his development. And that carried over to the ANGT Podgorica, as he said the competitiveness of the Real pro team is what helped him the most in the Montenegrin capital.

“Don’t put your head down when you are down 10, down 12. Maybe you have 4 fouls and you think that the game is already over, but the club we represent says you cannot get down at any point until the 40 minutes are over. We took that to another level and we showed that today. We can be really proud of what we did today,” said Gonzalez. 

### Playing and training with his idols

The Madrid native noted he has valued playing alongside and learning from an idol he had both during his childhood and the present day: Rudy Fernandez.

“I’m trying to play like him and have his mentality, too,” added Gonzalez. 

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">😍😭 <a href="https://t.co/P1sLvAtncx">pic.twitter.com/P1sLvAtncx</a></p>&mdash; Hugo González Peña (@hugoglezz_) <a href="https://twitter.com/hugoglezz_/status/1660374409457070081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

But he also mentioned taking things from Fabien Causeur, Sergio Llull and Mario Hezonja. 

“I have the best teachers to help me,” explained the young talent. “They have some of the biggest experience that any player can dream about. It’s great training with and against them every day and trying to learn from them. All of them are excellent professionals and maybe it’s not easy to accept a junior like they do. And they are helping me a lot.”

### Eyeing back-to-back titles

Gonzalez and the U18 team are not satisfied with what they have accomplished by winning the ANGT Podgorica. They want to become the first team to win back-to-back titles in consecutive years since U18 FMP Belgrade in 2008 and 2009. Real won two straight ANGT crowns but those came in 2019 and 2021, with the 2020 ANGT Finals being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have to keep our good attitude because we are the champions and we have to defend our title. This is our generation’s last year and it will be very competitive,” stated Gonzalez. “Berlin will be even more competitive with the best teams in all of Europe and you have to take this mentality to a whole other level.”

<center>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2p2g0ytsre/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2p2g0ytsre/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">Ver esta publicación en Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2p2g0ytsre/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">Una publicación compartida de Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@euroleague)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

Gonzalez is already an ANGT champion, but he won last season’s trophy as the youngster of the team. Now he wants to win the title with his own 2006-born group.

“Last year was our first chance of playing and the older generation had incredible players like Jan Vide, Szymon Nowicki and Abel Delicado. But this year we have even more motivation because we have to defend a championship that we won last year with a lot of struggling along the way. We have even more motivation,” he said. 

That winner’s mentality and the lessons he has learned from Rudy Fernandez and others left no doubt in Hugo Gonzalez’s mind that Real would not take home the ANGT Podgorica trophy.

The 17-year-old sensation shined as he secured his second MVP award at an ANGT event.

Hugo Gonzalez never doubted Real Madrid would win ANGT Podgorica 

Hugo Gonzalez claimed the Most Valuable Player of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Podgorica after guiding the reigning continent champion U18 Real Madrid to first place in a thrilling comeback victory over U18 Next Generation Team Podgorica.

Gonzalez fought through foul trouble against NGM and collected 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for a performance index rating of 15. Gonzalez, who was one of the leaders of the team that won the title at the ANGT Finals last season, won his second consecutive MVP honors after he was named the top player at the ANGT Munich.

Gonzalez was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Real teammate Ismaila Diagne, Lefteris Liotopoulos of NGM, David Mirkovic of host team U18 SC Derby Podgorica and Ivan Kharchenkov of U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball.

For the tournament Gonzalez averaged 13.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.5 steals for a 17.5 PIR. He ranked 10th in scoring, seventh in PIR, tied for eighth in assists, even for second in steals and seventh in fouls drawn at 4.5.

Diagne played a major factor in the first place game with 9 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. For the tournament, the Senegalese center averaged 11.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.2 offensive rebounds, and 1.5 blocks for an 18.8 PIR. He was fifth in PIR in the tournament, second in blocks, third in offensive rebounds and fifth in rebounds.

Liotopoulos had a strong first place game with 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals and he averaged 19.5 points with 3.2 three-pointers made, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals and a PIR of 21.2. The Greek guard ranked third in PIR, third in scoring, second in three-pointers made, sixth in assists and fourth in steals.

Mirkovic guided competition host side and debutant SC Derby to third place with 22.2 points, 13.0 rebounds, 2.8 offensive rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 8.0 fouls drawn for an average PIR of 26.5. He led the event in PIR, scoring, defensive rebounds, rebounds and fouls drawn. And he was tied for fourth in offensive rebounds, tied for eighth in assists and tied for fourth in steals.

Kharchenkov was the leader for fourth-place finisher Bayern with 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.2 blocks and 6.2 fouls drawn for an PIR of 12.5. He was fifth in scoring, tied for fifth in blocks and third in fouls drawn.

2023-24 EB ANGT Podgorica All-Tournament Team

Follow all the action from the final day of ANGT Podgorica with live blogs from courtside by junior basketball specialist David Hein while watching the live video from Verde Sports Hall.

 ANGT Podgorica Live Blog: U18 Next Generation Team Podgorica vs. U18 Real Madrid 

<incrowd-live-blog id="65b5aaba2ae1bd3064b3d2cf" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

Real Madrid was victorious at the ANGT Podgorica after beating U18 Next Generation Team Podgorica 79-86 on Sunday at Verde Sports Hall.

U18 Real Madrid advances to ANGT Finals after winning Podgorica qualifying tournament

U18 Next Generation Team Podgorica v U18 Real Madrid (2024-01-28T15:45:00.000Z)

 ANGT Podgorica Live Blog: U18 SC Derby Podgorica vs. U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball 

<incrowd-live-blog id="65b5aa5d2ae1bd3064b3d2cb" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

 ANGT Podgorica Third-Place Game: U18 Derby Podgorica 82-65 U18 Bayern Munich

U18 SC Derby Podgorica v U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball (2024-01-28T13:30:00.000Z)

Ivan Kharchenkov of U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball averaged 20.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the group stage in Group B.

Emotions come after the game for Bayern star talent Kharchenkov

If you look at Ivan Kharchenkov’s facial expressions, you wouldn’t know if U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball is winning or losing a game at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Podgorica or if he is on fire or in a slump. It’s all part of the winning DNA built into the talented guard who has already collected an impressive list of achievements.

Kharchenkov was very excited to get onto the ANGT court in Podgorica after he missed last season’s ANGT Munich event with an injury. The German teenager has made up for lost time and shown in the Montenegro capital why is one of the most dynamic prospects on the continent. Kharchenkov averaged 20.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in the group stage in Group B.

“I was really looking forward to this tournament because I was hurt last season during the ANGT Munich. I want to compete against my age group and show my best on a really high level where players like Luka Doncic and many more showed themselves,” said the 1.98-meter guard, who just missed out on playing in Munich in January 2023.

“It was really devastating because it was a home-court advantage and the fans. It was tough for me to get over it but I made the most of it. I watched the games and supported my teammates as best I could. And now I am here and I am happy.”

Kharchenkov even helped out the ANGT staff at last season’s Munich event, serving as the interpreter for Desmond Yiamu since he speaks Russian and Yiamu could not speak in English or German as a war refugee from Ukraine.

Kharchenkov speaks Russian because he was born in Moscow in 2006 to a father who had a successful playing career, including playing 22 years for CSKA Moscow, Dinamo Moscow and Spartak St. Petersburg. Father Alexander Kharchenkov was also a member of the Soviet Union team that won the title at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 1974.

Ivan’s father was the leading force behind his development in the game, even driving him long distances for practices before the young talent joined Bayern and moved into the dorm of the club’s Bayern campus.

Ivan said his relationship with his father really hasn’t changed much but what has evolved is what the two basketball junkies talk about.

“The things we talk about now compared to like five years ago have become more detailed. Smaller mistakes are being addressed more now than bigger mistakes were discussed when I was 12,” said Kharchenkov, who has been with Bayern since 2018.

Bayern management has recognized the potential of Kharchenkov, who will not turn 18 until September 20, 2024, and gave him his first appearances with the senior last season.

On November 19, 2022, he made history in the German League by playing 4:29 minutes and scoring 5 points - hitting his only three-point attempt and both of his free throws - against SYNTAINICS MBC. That made him at 16 years 1 month and 29 days the youngest scorer in the league since the start of data collection in 1998.

“I wasn’t even expecting it. I was working on my craft and one day somebody called me up and said you’re traveling tomorrow with the BBL \[team\] and it happened. I was really happy about it.”

Kharchenkov ended up appearing in three German League games last season and has collected 15 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in 56 minutes over four German League games this season.

He came into the 2023-24 season on a high after helping Germany finish third at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2023 - the first medal the country collected at the age category.

“I was really proud of my team. It was history. I think we can really be proud of ourselves,” said Kharchenkov, who served as captain despite being a year younger.

Kharchenkov participated in Bayern’s pro team’s pre-season training camp after the U18 tournament and also has played in three EuroLeague games for Bayern this season, scoring 8 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 28 minutes.

“I really learned the physicality of the game. Everybody is physical and the game is non-stop. So even if you are asleep for one second there can be another situation. And the intensity,” said Kharchenkov, who scored 4 points on 1-of-5 three-point shooting in nearly 16 minutes against Olympiacos Piraeus in Round 13.

Those three-pointers taken speak for Kharchenkov and his fearlessness, full conviction and zero hesitation for his game. And his game is dynamic.

In the third division with Bayern’s second team, he is averaging 21.2 points on 29.2% three-point shooting with 7.4 triples attempted per game and 8.0 free throws attempted per game. Because of his quickness to the basket, he has taken at least 10 free throws six times in the league, including making 15 of 17 in one game. He has also collected 4.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 steals in nearly 30 minutes per game.

And all that without showing his poker face - either positively or negatively. 

“A lot of people ask about it. I guess just because I am focused, maybe because I don’t react to anything like it’s the worst or the best. I’m just trying to stay focused. The emotions can be after the game,” Kharchenkov said. 

Just watching Kharchenkov around the team it’s not hard to see a leader gene in his blood. 

“I always try to be aggressive and get everybody involved so that we can play as a team. That also helped develop my leadership skills. Because I only ask from other people what I ask from myself,” he said. 

Just don’t ask him to show emotions on the court.

The son of former world champion Alexander Kharchenkov is already making a name for himself.

 ANGT Podgorica Live Blog: U18 ALBA Berlin vs. U18 Umana Reyer Venice 

<incrowd-live-blog id="65b5a9d02ae1bd3064b3d2c7" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

 ANGT Podgorica: U18 ALBA 64-71 U18 Reyer

U18 ALBA Berlin v U18 Umana Reyer Venice (2024-01-28T11:15:00.000Z)

 ANGT Podgorica Live Blog: U18 Cholet Basket vs. U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 

<incrowd-live-blog id="65b5a8a4537d4cee3d35f00d" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

 ANGT Podgorica: U18 Cholet Basket 76-80 U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana

U18 Cholet Basket v U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (2024-01-28T09:00:00.000Z)

Follow all the action from the ANGT Podgorica this weekend with live blogs from courtside by junior basketball specialist David Hein while watching the live video from Verde Sports Hall.

ANGT Podgorica Live Blog: U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball vs. U18 Real Madrid

<incrowd-live-blog id="65b457c79fdacd7b7737e35a" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

ANGT Podgorica: U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball 60-84 U18 Real Madrid

U18 FC Bayern Munich Basketball v U18 Real Madrid (2024-01-27T19:15:00.000Z)

ANGT Podgorica Live Blog: U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana vs. U18 Umana Reyer Venice

<incrowd-live-blog id="65b457779fdacd7b7737e356" client-id="EUROLEAGUE" server="standard"></incrowd-live-blog><script src="https://live-blog.incrowdsports.com/index.js"></script>

ANGT Podgorica: U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 72-76 U18 Umana Reyer Venice

U18 Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana v U18 Umana Reyer Venice (2024-01-27T17:00:00.000Z)