Dovydas Buika, who has broken into the first team of Zalgiris Kaunas this season, is ready to shine at the 2025 NextGen EuroLeague Finals.

Individual training with EuroLeague vet Seibutis helps Buika become star of own movie

There were 2:30 minutes left in Zalgiris Kaunas’s Turkish Airlines EuroLeague home game against ALBA Berlin in Round 25 when it was time for [Dovydas Buika](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/buika-dovydas/011330/)’s moment. Time for the 18-year-old talent to make his EuroLeague debut – and receive the confirmation of all the work he has been putting in.

Buika will never forget February 4 when he entered that game at Zalgirio Arena and ended his first EuroLeague appearance with one missed three-pointer, 1 assist and 1 steal. 

“I feel amazing, a dream come true. I was close to tears,” Buika was quoted on social media after the game.

“I vividly remember the EuroLeague debut to this day. It felt like being in a movie, having the chance to step on the court in front of 15,000+ home fans was truly unforgettable experience,” he told the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague website. 

Two days earlier, Buika had actually made his Lithuanian League debut against BKT EuroCup side Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius. He has since played in another EuroLeague game as well as amassing six appearances in the Lithuanian LKL, practicing with the pro team almost every day.

“The biggest thing I learned is that you have to be a team player, and you have to sacrifice your own priorities for the team’s needs,” said Buika, who is averaging 3.7 points in 11 minutes in Lithuania’s top flight.

“If the team needs you to go out there for a few seconds and make a foul, you have to do it, because it helps the team to win the game. Every single guy on the team has to have the same mindset and only then the team can succeed.”

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Buika says he has been helped by all of Zalgiris’s pro players, adding: “They are always there to help if you have questions, and they try to mentor me as much as possible, which I am really grateful for.”

But it’s actually been former Zalgiris player and long-time Lithuanian international [Renaldas Seibutis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/renaldas-seibutis/kno/) who Buika gives the most credit for his recent improvement. 

“I’ve been training individually with him in the regular season every week. He helped me to work on my game a lot,” Buika said of Seibutis, who played 97 EuroLeague games for Olympiacos Piraeus, Rytas Vilnius and Zalgiris and played at two Olympics, three FIBA World Cups and two FIBA EuroBasket tournaments. 

Buika also said playing for Zalgiris head coach Andrea Trinchieri has been very rewarding.

“Coach Trinchieri has a really deep understanding of the game. He sees the things on the basketball court from the angles that are hard to comprehend and he demands effort, selflessness and thinking on the court,” he said. 

“Playing for him you have to give it your all on the court all the time; and you have to enjoy the game, play with the flow, add your own touch to the game without being robotic.”

Buika is thrilled that he will have a chance to show the world what he can do on the big youth stage now that [U18 Zalgiris Kaunas](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/teams/u18-zalgiris-kaunas/jza/) received a wild card for [the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/2024-25-nextgen-finals-teams-and-calendar-announced/) later this month in Abu Dhabi.

“When I found out that we got the wildcard to this year’s Finals I was extremely happy, especially after not getting it last year,” he said. “It is another great opportunity and an honor to showcase our team and our organization in such a tournament."

Zalgiris was given the wild card after finishing second at the NextGen EuroLeague Ulm tournament, losing 91-89 to U18 FC Barcelona in the first-place game. Buika was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals for an average performance index rating of 22.2. 

“I remember the loss to Barcelona like it was yesterday. That game was a very intense battle between two really good teams and I believe that in the end the luck wasn’t really on our side,” said Buika, who collected 26 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists for a PIR of 30.

“We learned that we have to stay focused and ready for 40 minutes straight without relaxing and that we have to fight for every loose ball until the very end. Of course, losing the first place game adds extra motivation for Abu Dhabi and we will go there with clear intentions to win,” Buika said. 

Zalgiris is one of six clubs with two NextGen titles (2003 and 2007) and also played in three NextGen Championship Games (2005, 2006 and 2011). 

“I believe that the Zalgiris organization is one of the best youth systems in all of Europe, and the two championships prove exactly that,” Buika said. “Our team will give it our all, go into every game like it’s the final and try to add one more trophy to the two we have already brought home. To do that we will need to support each other all the time. It doesn’t matter how tough things get, and we will have to leave it all on the court.”

These lessons have been pivotal in Dovydas Buika's journey as he made his dream come true by debuting in the EuroLeague.

Dovydas Buika will be one of the leaders for U18 Zalgiris Kaunas at the NextGen Finals

U18 Pole France INSEP Paris v U18 Zalgiris Kaunas (2025-05-22T10:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid's Declan Duru: 'Three-peat is more than a title. It’s a legacy'

U18 Real Madrid will be entering the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals with a chance at history. *Los Blancos* can become the first team in nearly 20 years of the competition to complete a three-peat. Declan Duru knows the team cannot expect any advantage because of its successful past but it would be an unforgettable moment for the star forward and the team.

Duru helped Real win last year’s NextGen title, bringing the club’s total to a record five trophies. The German admits that he will never forget last season’s NextGen Championship Game - a thrilling 85-84 overtime win over U18 PFBB INSEP Paris in Berlin.

“That game will stay with me forever. It was intense, emotional and physically exhausting - everything a final should be,” said Duru, who contributed 3 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks in the win, including a spectacular put-back dunk and one with 34 seconds left in overtime.

“We knew how strong INSEP was, and taking it to overtime just showed how closely matched we were. The energy in Berlin was absolutely unreal, and winning in such a thrilling way made it an experience I'll never forget.”

"I knew I had to step up. It’s been a big responsibility, but also a great opportunity for me to grow."

Duru is one of six players from this year’s squad who were in the championship game, but the team lost much of its firepower and leadership with the generational graduation of the likes of Hugo Gonzalez, Egor Demin, Ismaila Diagne and Mitar Bosnjakovic.

“It was definitely a big shift. Those guys were more than just talented players, they were leaders - both on and off the court. Their absence created a space that needed to be filled and I knew I had to step up. It’s been a big responsibility, but also a great opportunity for me to grow,” Duru said.

The forward averaged 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds at the NextGen EuroLeague Munich, but it was not enough to book an automatic ticket to the NextGen Finals. Real lost to U18 Next Gen Team Munich in the final group game to snap its streak of consecutive qualifying tournament first place finishes at 11. And it meant Real was reliant on a wild card to have a chance to defend their title in Abu Dhabi.

Declan Duru highlights - 2024 NextGen EuroLeague

Real will face a major test in Abu Dhabi, being put into Group B along with U18 Overtime Elite, U18 Zalgiris Kaunas and INSEP.

“It’s definitely a tough group where there’s no easy game. Overtime Elite brings a unique playing style, Zalgiris is always disciplined and efficient, and INSEP… well, we know exactly how dangerous they can be,” said Duru. “But this kind of competition pushes us to be at our best from the very first game, and that’s exactly what we want.”

The highlight of the group schedule is the showdown between Real and INSEP. A number of players on both teams were in last year’s championship game and the French side - itself a two-time U18 continental champion - will be out for revenge.

“That game is going to be intense. It might be a sense of unfinished business from their side, and we’re aware of that,” Duru said.

"It’s not about defending the past. It’s about earning it all over again."

Duru insists he and his teammates will not be thinking about previous games or previous tournament results.

“For us, it’s not about defending the past. It’s about earning it all over again. It’ll be emotional and physical, but I trust our preparation and mentality,” he said.

Should Real overcome the group and then prevail in the championship game on May 25, the team would increase its record to six NextGen crowns. And the club would match U18 CSKA Moscow as the only other team to three-peat. The Russians won the competition in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

“It would mean everything. To be part of a team that makes history is what you dream of as a kid. The three-peat is more than a title. It’s a legacy. We’re all motivated by that and we know what it would mean to the club, our coaches and everyone who’s helped us along the way. Although we all know too how difficult it is,” Duru said.

Real will already have played in the Spanish domestic junior championship before it heads to Abu Dhabi, meaning the NextGen EuroLeague games will be the final youth games for Duru.

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The sequence of 𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔻𝕌ℕ𝕂 of the tournament😤<br><br>Declan Duru from <a href="https://twitter.com/RMBaloncesto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RMBaloncesto</a> U18s over Ivan Kharchenkov🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AdidasNGT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AdidasNGT</a> <a href="https://t.co/757uowvDrk">https://t.co/757uowvDrk</a> <a href="https://t.co/i7yGGRBbG2">pic.twitter.com/i7yGGRBbG2</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1751928257031630859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“It’s been an incredible journey. Moving to Spain at 13 wasn’t easy, but Real Madrid became home. I’ve grown so much not just as a player, but as a person. The coaches, teammates, and the entire organization helped shape who I am today. Whatever comes next, this chapter will always be special,” said Duru, who debuted with Real’s senior team in early November 2024 and then made his EuroLeague debut on November 12 against Vitrus Segafredo Bologna. 

This last junior season has been special for Duru because he has had fellow German Fabian Kayser alongside him.

“Having Fabian on the team has been great. We understand each other on a different level not just culturally, but in how we approach competition,” Duru said of the 2009-born talent who came to Real in the off-season. “I’ve seen how hard he works and how much he has developed this season. He has a bright future ahead, he is competitive, talented and grounded. I’m proud of him and excited to see where his path takes him.”

Duru hopes he can experience a first NextGen EuroLeague title with his compatriot and make history at the same time.

NextGen EuroLeague champ Duru knows Real Madrid faces a massive test for another title

The Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals will once again bring together the world's top U18 basketball talents as part of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four celebration, which will be held in Abu Dhabi this May

2024-25 NextGen Finals Teams and Calendar Announced

- Overtime Elite representing the USA and Dubai Basketball representing the Middle East to participate
- NextGen Finals to take place from May 22 to 25 in Abu Dhabi, alongside the EuroLeague Final Four

The Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals will once again bring together the world's top U18 basketball talents as part of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four celebration, which will be held in Abu Dhabi this May. This marks the second time a NextGen Tournament is hosted in the Middle East, following the successful 2023-24 Qualifier in Dubai. The NextGen Finals will be played at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City, a premier sports complex known for hosting a wide range of sports events and activities.

The NextGen Finals, the world's premier club-based junior basketball event, will feature eight elite teams:

- Dubai Basketball
- EA7 Emporio Armani Milan
- FC Barcelona (Winner of NextGen Ulm)
- Mega SuperBet Belgrade (Winner of NextGen Istanbul)
- Overtime Elite
- Pole France INSEP Paris (Winner of NextGen Belgrade)
- Real Madrid
- Zalgiris Kaunas

This marks the second consecutive year an Overtime Elite representative will compete in the NextGen Finals. Overtime Elite, an elite U16 to U20 league, features many of the top young talents from the United States and beyond. The league, consisting of eight teams, recently completed its fourth season.

Dubai Basketball, a newly established project founded in 2024, has rapidly made its mark by securing participation in the ABA League. Their U18 team will represent the Middle East in its second consecutive NextGen Tournament appearance, following their role as hosts of a qualifier last season.

The eight teams will be divided into two groups:

- Group A: Mega SuperBet Belgrade, FC Barcelona, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan and Dubai Basketball
- Group B: Pole France INSEP Paris, Real Madrid, Zalgiris Kaunas and Overtime Elite

See the full game schedule below.

A combined total of nine U18 continental trophies have been won by the clubs participating in the NextGen Finals. Real Madrid enters as the reigning champion, having edged out INSEP by a single point (85-84) in last year’s final in Berlin. Real Madrid has claimed the title in 2023, 2015, 2019, and 2021, while INSEP was crowned champion in 2010 and 2017. Barcelona secured the European championship in 2016, and Mega won its first title in 2022.

Fans attending the NextGen Finals in Abu Dhabi or watching via the EuroLeague’s official YouTube channel will enjoy 12 group-stage games over the first three days (Thursday, May 22, to Saturday, May 24) at the Mubadala Arena. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, May 25, with the championship game between the two group winners.

Tickets for the NextGen Finals will be available for purchase during the following weeks.

This season marks the 23rd edition of the NextGen. Some of the biggest names in basketball have passed through the competition, including future stars such as Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Kristaps Porzingis, Domantas Sabonis, Milos Teodosic, Vasilije Micic, Nikola Mirotic, Donatas Motiejunas, Dario Saric, Jonas Valanciunas, Omri Casspi, Luigi Datome and Goga Bitadze, among others.

2024-25 NextGen Finals teams and calendar announced

Noa Kouakou values the joy of celebrating - like he did with U18 Pole France INSEP Paris at the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade - but deeper inside the French forward is the motivation of two gut-wrenching losses on the biggest of stages in 2024.  

Hustler Kouakou turned gut-wrenching losses into motivation 

Noa Kouakou values the joy of celebrating - like he did with U18 Pole France INSEP Paris at the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade - but deeper inside the French forward is the motivation of two gut-wrenching losses on the biggest of stages in 2024. 

Kouakou was a force at both ends of the court for INSEP in Belgrade as the two-time continental champion proved too much for U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in the first-place game. The athletic and versatile forward collected 15 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in the 74-60 victory and earned the Most Valuable Player award.

“It’s a team title - not just mine. If I am MVP, it’s because of my teammates. If they don’t pass me the ball I can’t score. It’s all the work of the team, not just mine,” said Kouakou, who averaged 15.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.8 blocks for the tournament.

“I am really happy for my team. And proud of myself for doing everything I could to help my team win. And that is what happened. We will just enjoy the moment and then focus on Abu Dhabi.”

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/noakkh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@noakkh</a> is the MVP of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NextGenEuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NextGenEuroLeague</a> qualifier in Belgrade 🇫🇷👏🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NextGenEuroLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NextGenEuroLeague</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/adidasBasketball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#adidasBasketball</a> <a href="https://t.co/HMPLVVrGOt">pic.twitter.com/HMPLVVrGOt</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1898848431797354914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

And it is in the United Arab Emirates that Kouakou hopes to avenge one of the most bitter losses in his still young career. He is one of six INSEP players back from the team that lost 85-84 to U18 Real Madrid in an overtime thriller in the NextGen Championship Game last season in Berlin.

“I learned a lot of things. Real was a really, really good team. They played good basketball with a really high IQ. They had really good players. The game was really hard physically,” said Kouakou, who contributed 1 rebound in 6:09 minutes of action playing a year younger. “Last year I didn’t have the same role as this year. It taught me that you have to be really consistent the whole game.”

Kouakou then played with his own 2007-born generation last summer at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 in Istanbul, where France was considered a title challenger to the United States, which had never lost a game in the history of the cadet global competition with six undefeated championships.

France held tight with the USA in the first game of the tournament and lost 104-81 but then were surprised by China in the second game. A win over Guinea meant a Round of 16 matchup with Puerto Rico, who ended up shocking the French 91-84 to end the hopes of a rematch against the Americans in the Final. And Kouakou had visions of Real and Berlin all over again.

"The finals will be the real, real games. The real basketball, the real best players."

“It was really the same thing as Real Madrid. The fact that you have to be really consistent the whole game. The game is 40 minutes. It’s not 39 or 38. You have to play 40 minutes and give your whole body on the court,” said Kouakou, who contributed 1 point, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 block in 16 minutes against Puerto Rico.

“The energy that the bench can give us on the court is really important. We could have been better in this aspect than we were in Turkiye - bring more energy.”

Kouakou averaged 6.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16 minutes at the U17 World Cup last summer. But those two losses fueled him.

“It’s really extra motivation for me. I have never won a gold medal with the national team or a final tournament with the club. We won this tournament but it’s just a qualifier. The finals will be the real, real games. The real basketball, the real best players. It hurts me a lot to always lose, but I learned so much from those losses. It’s all a benefit for me for later.”

Kouakou has put that motivation into his work off the court. His Instagram profile includes the phrase “Hustler 69” and on one of his posts it says: “Hustlers don’t stop, they keep going”.

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The number represents France’s 69th department Lyon - Kouakou’s home city - and hustler, he says, is a mentality.

“Hustle hard every day. Reach your potential one percent more every day by giving your full potential every day. Don’t waste your time. Every day you have, improve yourself. Improve your weaknesses and try to be your best self,” Kouakou said.

The 2.08-meter forward also prides himself on his defense.

“Defense is a mentality. It’s the thing that makes you win the game. Without defense, you cannot win and you cannot be a complete player. You cannot be a very versatile player without defense. I really enjoy being able to defend every position from point guard to center. I try my best at that. It means a lot for me to get a stop and see my teammates enjoy the moment. It makes me happy,” he said.

INSEP head coach Francois Peronnet can see the work Kouakou has put in.

“He has energy at both sides of the court and on and off the court. He has improved a lot the last two seasons. Now he is more facing the basket. He can really move on the floor - both offensively and defensively. He can be an outside player. He still can improve but it’s great to have him on the team,” said Peronnet, who is spending his first season as INSEP head coach.

Koukoua has one more chance to win a NextGen EuroLeague crown, which would make hoisting the trophy in Abu Dhabi that much more special.

“It would mean a lot because it’s my last year at INSEP. I did my three years at INSEP and improved a lot. I respect all my coaches, shout out to them. It would mean a lot of things for me,  lots of emotion to play with those guys. I have known some of them for eight years. So it would really make me happy.”

And the hustler could finally call himself a champion.

Noa Kouakou was named the NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade MVP

Noa Kouakou will have special memories of the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade as the forward guided U18 Pole France INSEP Paris to the title and he grabbed the Most Valuable Player award. 

Noa Kouakou collects MVP as INSEP reigns supreme in Belgrade 

[Noa Kouakou](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/noa-kouakou-heugue/012430/) will have special memories of the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade as the forward guided U18 Pole France INSEP Paris to the title and he grabbed the Most Valuable Player award.

Kouakou scored 15 points, including making 9 of 10 free throws, to go with 9 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal for a performance index rating of 21 in INSEP’s 74-60 victory over U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in the first-place game. The forward’s performance helped the two-time U18 continental champion book its ticket to the NextGen Finals in Abu Dhabi.

Kouakou was joined on the All-Tournament Team by his INSEP teammate [Hugo Moukouri](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/hugo-yimga-moukouri/012426/), Milan’s [Diego Garavaglia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/diego-garavaglia/012115/), U18 Next Gen Team Belgrade guard [Aaron Towo-Nansi](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/aaron-towo-nansi/012847/) and [Ian Platteeuw](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/players/ian-platteeuw/012226/) from U18 Joventut Badalona.

Kouakou averaged 15.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.8 offensive boards and 2.5 assists for a 21.0 PIR at the tournament. He ranked third in PIR, sixth in points, fifth in total rebounds and sixth in offensive rebounds.

Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade All-Tournament Team

Noa Kouakou - U18 Pole France INSEP Paris

Hugo Moukouri - U18 Pole France INSEP Paris

Diego Garavaglia - U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan

Aaron Towo-Nansi - U18 Next Gen Team Belgrade

Ian Platteeuw - U18 Joventut Badalona

Moukori posted 19 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists for a PIR in the first-place game. Over four games, the forward averaged 17.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists for a 16.2 PIR. Moukouri was eighth in PIR, third in scoring and seventh in rebounds.

Garavaglia tried all he could in the first-place game for Milan but his 12 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 13 PIR were not enough. Overall, the forward averaged 12.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.0 steals to register a 17.5 PIR. He was seventh in PIR, sixth in assists and second in steals.

Towo-Nansi led the tournament in scoring (20.5 points), PIR (23.8) and steals (3.0) while also contributing 2.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He was fifth in assists. Towo-Nansi registered the fourth-highest PIR average in all the qualifying tournaments.

Plaateeuw averaged 16.2 points, 15.0 rebounds, 7.2 offensive rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals for a 21.5 PIR. He led the competition in rebounds and offensive rebounds, was second in PIR, fourth in scoring and third in assists. Plaateeuw had the most rebounds and offensive rebounds in the entire NextGen season.

The French forward takes the top individual honor in fourth NextGen EuroLeague qualifier 

U18 Pole France INSEP Paris clinched a berth at the Adidas Next Gen EuroLeague Finals with a 60-74 victory over U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in the first-place game of the NextGen EuroLeague Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade

INSEP beats Milan 60-74 to win Next Gen Belgrade Qualifier 

U18 Pole France INSEP Paris clinched a berth at the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague Finals with a 60-74 victory over U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in the first-place game of the NextGen EuroLeague Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade. INSEP completed a perfect weekend while handing Milan its lone defeat. After winning the Next Gen crown in 2010 and 2017, INSEP joins U18 Mega MIS Belgrade and U18 FC Barcelona as the automatic qualifiers for the NextGen Finals, which will be held from May 22 to 25 in Abu Dhabi.

Hugo Yimga Moukouri scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead INSEP. Noa Kouakou-Heugue posted 15 points and 9 boards and Cameron Houindo added 10 and 6 for the winners, who outrebounded Milan 49-39. Achille Lonati and Omar Karem paced the Milan attack with 13 points apiece and Diego Garavaglia tallied 12 points, 6 assists and 3 steals in defeat.

INSEP, which never trailed, jumped out to a 5-20 lead as Yimga Moukouri scored 8 in a 0-14 run. Milan closed the gap to 11-21 after 10 minutes and was within 29-37 at halftime. The INSEP defense put the clamps on in the third quarter when it held Milan to just 9 points. INSEP then pulled away to lead by as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter and even a late 12-0 Milan run was not enough to threaten the final result.

Game News

Hugo Yimga Moukouri stood tall with 19 points and 9 boards for the winners 

INSEP beats Milan 60-74 to win NextGen Belgrade Qualifier 

U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan v U18 Pole France INSEP Paris (2025-03-09T15:30:00.000Z)

Watch LIVE: Day 3 of NextGen EuroLeague in Belgrade

The fourth event of the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague 2024-25 season concludes today at the legendary Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade, Serbia. After two days of action featuring the continent’s top young talents battling in the last of four NextGen EuroLeague Qualifying Tournaments, it will be U18 Emporio Armani Milan and U18 Pole France INSEP Paris clashing in Sunday's first-place game at 16:30 CET.

Stream live

Stream live (Serbia only)

### Sunday schedule:

**10:00 CET** [U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. U18 Dolomiti Energia Trento](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/news/machettis-buzzer-beater-lifts-trento-over-maccabi/)

**12:00 CET** U18 Crvena Zvezda Belgrade vs. U18 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

**14:00 CET** U18 Joventut Badalona vs. U18 Next Gen Team Belgrade

**16:30 CET** U18 EA7 Emporio Armani Milan vs. U18 Pole France INSEP Paris

Join the NextGen EuroLeague Belgrade Watch Party!

U18 Joventut Badalona v U18 Next Gen Team Belgrade (2025-03-09T13:00:00.000Z)

U18 Crvena Zvezda Belgrade v U18 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade (2025-03-09T11:00:00.000Z)

U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv v U18 Dolomiti Energia Trento (2025-03-09T09:00:00.000Z)

U18 Next Gen Team Belgrade won the third-place game at the NextGen EuroLeague Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade 77-85 over U18 Joventut Badalona

NGT Belgrade is third after beating Joventut 77-85

U18 Next Gen Team Belgrade won the third-place game at the NextGen EuroLeague Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade 77-85 over U18 Joventut Badalona. Aaron Towo-Nansi shined with 31 points, Kaum Tomann added 15 and Akram Naji scored 11 for the winners. Ian Platteeuw led Joventut with 21 points and 15 rebounds and Helmuts Petrovics contributed 14 points and 6 assists in defeat.

Joventut started strong and led 22-15 late in the opening quarter. NGT Belgrade came back to tie the game after 10 minutes and then scored 30 second-quarter points to build a 39-50 halftime advantage. While Joventut didn't fold, NGT Belgrade stretched the lead to 15 after three quarters and never let Joventut make a serious rally after that.

Towo-Nansi put on a shot again for NGT Belgrade

Crvena Zvezda beats Partizan 75-67 for fifth place

U18 Crvena Zvezda Belgrade outlasted U18 Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 75-67 to finish fifth at the NextGen EuroLeague Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade. Zvezda finished the weekend with a 2-2 record after previously placing third in Group A. Partizan, which was third in Group B, leaves with a 1-3 mark.  

Stefan Marjanovic led the winners with 19 points, Jovan Bikic added 11 points – including 8 points and 2 assists in the fourth quarter, Novak Pavlovic also scored 11 and Lazar Stojkovic filled the stat sheet with 5 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks. Daris Sijaric scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Zivko Mirkovic added 15 points and 5 assists in defeat.

Partizan roared out to a 4-16 start and led by as many as 16 early in the second quarter. Zvezda used an 8-0 run shortly before halftime to close the gap to 34-36 at the break. It was close after that. Down 62-63 with 5 minutes remaining, Bikic scored 5 straight points and then assisted on a Lazar Stojkovic triple as Zvezda took control for good. Marjanovic added two more clutch buckets to help Zvezda put the game away.

Stefan Marjanovic and Jovan Bikic stood out for the winners