U18 Real Madrid capped a thrilling four days of action at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals by collecting its second ANGT crown, following the title it had won in 2015. 

2019-20 ANGT Finals recap: Madrid stood tallest again

Mario Nakic set ANGT Championship Game records with 33 points and a performance index rating of 41 in Madrid's 95-76 victory over U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade at Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, where there were plenty of interesting developments during the entire weekend among the future stars of European basketball.

### Madrid's second title highlighted many thrills in Vitoria-Gasteiz

In an event full of storylines, Madrid was the biggest spectacle as the Spanish powerhouse was clearly the best team of the tournament. Head coach Mariano De Pablos's team won the four games by an average of 29.5 points. If the four games from the ANGT Munich qualifier are added, then Madrid's average winning margin was 35.0 points over the eight games of the ANGT season. ANGT Finals MVP Nakic was just one of many star talents on the Madrid team, which also included fellow All-Tournament Team member Usman Garuba as well as Amar Sylla, Golden Dike, Boris Tisma and Ziga Samar. Garuba and Tisma can both be back for a title defense next season as they are a year younger than their teammates, as are Javier Ramos, Ruben Lopez and Dan Duscak. Matteo Spagnolo is two years younger. One question regarding many of Madrid's top players is if and when they might join Pablo Laso's senior Madrid team -- something that 2015 ANGT Finals MVP Luka Doncic did the following season.

### Madrid became fifth team with two trophies

From a team standpoint, Madrid joined a group of five clubs with two ANGT crowns. The others are U18 Zalgiris Kaunas (2003, 2007), U18 FMP Belgrade (2008, 2009), U18 INSEP/CFBB Paris (2010, 2017) and U18 Rytas Vilnius (2012, 2018). The record champion remains U18 CSKA Moscow, which won the tournament three straight years, from 2004 to 2006.

### Mega was one step short yet again

Mega was a great story. The Serbian club came to the finals off a dream ANGT Belgrade qualifier, where it knocked off city rival U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade in the first-place game, snapping a Zvezda's eight-year winning streak in that event. Despite being a team without a standout star, Mega played stellar team basketball and got back to the ANGT Championship Game for the second time, following its 2017 appearance. But again Mega was tripped up just one step short of the club's first title, just like two years ago, when the team featured Goga Bitadze, who was recently named the Rising Star Trophy winner in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

### Avdija nearly got triple-double

Arguably the best player in the tournament was Deni Advija of U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv. Avdija, who has already played in the EuroLeague for Maccabi's senior team, showcased his skillset to the tune of 24.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 8.0 fouls received per game for a PIR of 29.7, earning him a spot on the all-tournament team. But the future star was not without his struggles as he seemed to press at times, hitting just 7-of-37 three-pointers (18.9%) and committing 17 turnovers for an average of 5.7 per game. Avdija registered three double-doubles and twice fell just 3 assists short of a triple-double. That would have made him the only player in ANGT history with two triple-doubles. His 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against U18 FC Bayern Munich in the ANGT Munich qualifier was just the sixth triple-double achieved in the 17 years of the competition.

### Revelation of Zalgiris talent Murauskas

One of the biggest revelations of the ANGT Finals was Paulius Murauskas of U18 Zalgiris Kaunas. The forward had played just 5:18 minutes over two games in the ANGT Kaunas qualifier, as he was born in 2004 -- making him 3 years younger than the rest of the competition. That didn't stop the 15-year-old from stepping up right away in Vitoria-Gasteiz as Zalgiris star Modestas Kancleris missed the team's opening game against U18 FC Bayern Munich with an illness. Murauskas started instead, and he collected 14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in 24 minutes. He ended up averaging 10.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks for a PIR of 14.7 over three games, earning him the ANGT Rising Star award.

### Valencia won its first ANGT Finals game

The one team making its debut at the ANGT Finals was U18 Valencia Basket, winner of the ANGT Valencia qualifier. After losing its first two games against U18 Real Madrid and U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade, head coach Xavier Albert's team collected its first win in ANGT Finals history by knocking off U18 Rytas Vilnius 102-91.

2018-19 ANGT Finals recap: Madrid stood tallest again

Among many highlights for the players at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals each season is the Players Educational Session, which took place during Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four weekend. 

ANGT players learn life lessons from Rubio, Nachbar

The eight ANGT teams came together at the Mi Castillo de Arena outside of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain to learn more about the EuroLeague and adidas brands and their goals around the sport. The players also got a chance to hear about the experiences of two stars of European basketball's past and present, Bostjan Nachbar and Ricky Rubio.

"I wanted to explain from my experience what it takes to make it as a pro and what it means behind the curtain," said Nachbar, who spoke to the players in the role of managing director of the EuroLeague Players Association. "It's a great life on the outside but to get there, there are a lot of hills you have to get over and these young players are getting very, very close. And they need to hear this. They need to hear the reality. Not everything is roses and fun, but there is also a harsh reality behind how much it takes to make it as a pro."

Nachbar, from Slovenia, played eight seasons in the EuroLeague, averaging 8.8 points and 2.7 rebounds for five different teams while also playing six campaigns in the NBA.

Rubio has just finished his eighth season in the NBA and second with the Utah Jazz, having played with the Minnesota Timberwolves for his first six years. The Spanish star also played in the EuroLeague four years, two each for Joventut Badalona and FC Barcelona Lassa, winning the continental title with the latter in 2010, the same year he won the Rising Star Trophy in a vote by the league's head coaches.

"What the EuroLeague is doing is giving the kids an experience of what EuroLeague means," said Rubio, who made his EuroLeague debut three days after turning 16. "It's more than just basketball. It's a league that embraces all their teams, and not just the professional teams but the young teams, too. And that's a great experience as a kid. I wish I had that experience.

"I just wanted to share my path. If I can help their path a little bit with my experience, that's good. I know that most of the kids will not listen to most of the stuff, and if I was their age I would do the same thing that they do. But if they just remember one sentence or one experience that I went through, and I can help just one kid, then that's good enough."

One player who paid close attention to what Rubio said was Matteo Brazzi, U18 FC Bayern Munich's captain and point guard.

"For me, the most important thing was what Ricky Rubio said, that there's always room and space to get better. It doesn't matter how old you are. It never stops. Just trust in yourself and keep believing," Brazzi said. "Everyone has someone they would love to see and speak to, and for me, Ricky Rubio plays my position. So speaking to him really helps me learn a lot."

The session proved beneficial to many more of the players, who ranged in age from 15 to 18.

Matas Repsys of U18 Zalgiris Kaunas said the biggest lesson he learned was: "Work hard, don't be a star because you don't know when someone will come and take your place on the team. Everybody has someone who wants to be where you are at."

Jonathan Atias of U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv had another: "The most important thing I learned was how to be a good professional basketball player. What you need, what it costs: the practices, the diet, the pros and cons of making money for something you love the most."

And Marko Andric of U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade added: "It's definitely special to meet all these guys from the EuroLeague and NBA. They all talk about players needing to be smiling and be good to other people and be nice. That's the thing I remember most."

For Euroleague Basketball and adidas, the fifth annual Players Educational Session continued a tradition of reaching out to the future protagonists of the sport to help them prepare to become true professionals.

"We give the guys basketball, but we don't give them backgrounds. I don't think they have enough information, when it comes to adidas or Euroleague, on what we stand for. And that's important for these guys to know," said Jelena Soce, the global senior sports marking manager basketball at adidas.

"I think having someone like Ricky or Boki giving them something that money cannot buy is exactly what helps. Nowadays, kids are exposed to so much information in general, so having them spend 20 minutes with Ricky is something they cannot find on Instagram or any website. It's something personal, something they will take back. The same goes for Boki."

*All photos by Alex Muñoz*



Check out all the champions and MVPs of the Euroleague Basketball U18 Tournament over the 17 years in which it has become the greatest gathering of young basketball talent in the world!

Euroleague Basketball U18 Tournament champions (2003 - 2019)

[2019 - Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2018-19%20VITORIA-GASTEIZ%20FINALS&team=All%20teams)

U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade **76 - 95** U18 Real Madrid

*Finals MVP: Mario Nakic, Real Madrid*

[2018 - Belgrade, Serbia](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2017-18%20BELGRADE%20Finals&team=All%20teams)

U18 Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius **76 - 71** U18 Stellazzurra Rome

*Finals MVP: Deividas Sirvydis, Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius*

[2017 - Istanbul, Turkey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2016-17%20ISTANBUL&team=All%20teams)

U18 CFBB Paris **65 - 58** U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade

*Finals MVP: Ivan Fevrier, CFBB Paris*

[2016 - Berlin, Germany](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2015-16%20BERLIN&team=All%20teams)

U18 FC Barcelona Lassa **90 - 82** U18 Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade

*Finals MVP: Borisa Simanic, Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade*

[2015 - Madrid, Spain](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2014-15&team=All%20teams)

U18 Real Madrid **73 - 70** U18 Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade

*Finals MVP: Luka Doncic, Real Madrid*

[2014 - Milan, Italy](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2013-14&team=All%20teams)

U18 Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade **55 - 42** U18 Real Madrid

*Finals MVP: Vojislav Stojanovic, Crvena Zvezda Telekom Belgrade*

[2013 - London, United Kingdom](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2012-13&team=All%20teams)

U18 Club Joventut Badalona **82 - 59** U18 FC Barcelona Regal

*Finals MVP: Agustí Sans, Club Joventut Badalona*

[2012 - Istanbul, Turkey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2011-12&team=All%20teams)

U18 Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius **88 - 70** U18 Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul

*Finals MVP: James Metecan Birsen, Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul*

[2011 - Barcelona, Spain](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2010-11&team=All%20teams)

U18 KK Zagreb **76 - 65** U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

*Finals MVP: Dario Saric, KK Zagreb*

[2010 - Paris, France](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2009-10&team=All%20teams)

U18 FMP Belgrade **73 - 83** U18 INSEP Paris

*Finals MVP: Livio Jean-Charles, INSEP Paris*

[2009 - Berlin, Germany](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2008-09&team=All%20teams)

U18 Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius **110 - 123** U18 FMP Belgrade

*Finals MVP: Dejan Musli, FMP Belgrade*

[2008 - Madrid, Spain](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?season=2007-08&team=All%20teams)

U18 AXA FC Barcelona **70 - 80** U18 FMP Belgrade

*Finals MVP: Dejan Musli, FMP Belgrade*

[2007 - Athens, Greece](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2006-07&team=All%20teams)

U18 FMP Belgrade **74 - 78** U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

*Finals MVP: Donatas Motiejunas, Zalgiris Kaunas*

[2006 - Prague, Czech Republic](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2005-06&team=All%20teams)

U18 CSKA Moscow **59 - 55** U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

*Finals MVP: Ivan Nelyubov, CSKA Moscow*

[2005 - Moscow, Russian Federation](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2004-05&team=All%20teams)

U18 CSKA Moscow **97 - 64** U18 Zalgiris Kaunas

*Finals MVP: Vasily Zavourev, CSKA Moscow*

[2004 - Tel Aviv, Israel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2003-04&team=All%20teams)

U18 Montepaschi Siena **62 - 90** U18 CSKA Moscow

*Finals MVP: Vasily Zavourev, CSKA Moscow*

[2003 - Barcelona, Spain](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/ngt/game-center/?round=Game%204&season=2002-03&team=All%20teams)

U18 Zalgiris Kaunas **87 - 80** U18 Maccabi Tel Aviv

*Finals MVP: Rolandas Alijevas, Zalgiris Kaunas*

u18-real-madrid-champ-angt-2019-angt-final-four-vitoria-gasteiz-2019-jt18-9oc5pweit48v3ndp.jpg

### Nakic dominates as Real claims its third ANGT crown

U18 Real Madrid captured the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament crown on Sunday with a 76-95 rout of U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade at Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Mario Nakic was the star fo the show as he setting championship game records with 33 points and a performance index rating of 41. He drew 10 fouls and made 16 of 19 free throws. Usman Garuba added 21 points and Amar Sylla posted 16 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners. Nakic's PIR total bested freshly-crowned EuroLeague Rising Star Goga Bitadze for the most in an ANGT Finals title game. Bitadze posted a PIR of 38 for Mega two seasons ago. Nakic's scoring total was the highest in the deciding game since Milan Macvan had 28 for U18 FMP Belgrade in 2007. Aleksandar Langovic, Aleksa Markovic and Marko Kljajevic scored 12 points each for Mega and Marko Brekic had 11. Markovic also grabbed 10 rebounds.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/game-center/2018-19-vitoria-gasteiz-finals/u18-mega-bemax-belgrade-u18-real-madrid/JTF418/13/#boxscore)

EB ANGT Championship Game Highlights: U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade - U18 Real Madrid

Bemax started well with Langovic scoring 5 points as his team jumped to a 9-4 lead. Real turned up the pressure on defense and scored 8 unanswered points – half of which came on Nakic free throws. The teams parted ways at 20-20 after 10 minutes. Real took charge in the second quarter with Garuba throwing down a number of slams in a 4-22 charge. The boys from the Spanish capital rode Nakic and Garuba to a 33-50 halftime lead.

EB ANGT Finals MVP: Mario Nakic, U18 Real Madrid

Mega came out aggressive for the second half and – aided by the three-point shooting of Brekic – drew within 53-62. Sylla and Nakic helped Real right the ship and surge to a 55-72 advantage through three quarters. Real remained in control the rest of the way, allowing Coach Mariano De Pablos to send all his players into the game before celebrating the title.

ANGT Finals 2019 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Mario Nakic of U18 Real Madrid was named MVP of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament after leading his team to the crown. He set championship game records with 33 points and a performance index rating of 41. 

MVP Nakic of Real Madrid headlines All-Tournament Team

Nakic made 16 of 19 free throws and also collected 8 rebounds in helping Real defeat U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade 76-95 at Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Nakic finished the weekend ranked third in PIR (23.3) and assists (4.8 apg.) and fourth in scoring (17.3 ppg.). The 17-year-old forward is joined by teammate Usman Garuba, Deni Avdija of U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv, Aleksandar Langovic of Mega and Matej Rudan of U18 FC Bayern Munich on the All-Tournament Team.

Avdija dominated the proceedings by leading the tournament in scoring (24.7 ppg.), rebounds (12.0 rpg.) and performance index rating (29.7). He also ranked second in assists (6.7 apg.) and fifth in steals (1.7 spg.). Garuba posted 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for Real. He led the tournament in two-point shooting (70.6%), ranked third in blocks and fourth in PIR (22.3). Langovic played a key role in Mega reaching the championship game with 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Rudan was the weekend's No. 3 scorer with 17.7 points per game. He shot 8 for 15 from downtown (53.3%) and collected 4.7 rebounds per game. Paulius Murauskas of U18 Zalgiris Kaunas was named ANGT Rising Star. The 15-year-old averaged 10.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and a PIR of 14.7 over three games.

Mario Nakic was the star fo the show as he setting championship game records with 33 points and a performance index rating of 41. He drew 10 fouls and made 16 of 19 free throws. Usman Garuba added 21 points and Amar Sylla posted 16 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists for the winners. Nakic's PIR total bested freshly-crowned EuroLeague Rising Star Goga Bitadze for the most in an ANGT Finals title game. Bitadze posted a PIR of 38 for Mega two seasons ago. Nakic's scoring total was the highest in the deciding game since Milan Macvan had 28 for U18 FMP Belgrade in 2007. Aleksandar Langovic, Aleksa Markovic and Marko Kljajevic scored 12 points each for Mega and Marko Brekic had 11. Markovic also grabbed 10 rebounds.

Bemax started well with Langovic scoring 5 points as his team jumped to a 9-4 lead. Real turned up the pressure on defense and scored 8 unanswered points – half of which came on Nakic free throws. The teams parted ways at 20-20 after 10 minutes. Real took charge in the second quarter with Garuba throwing down a number of slams in a 4-22 charge. The boys from the Spanish capital rode Nakic and Garuba to a 33-50 halftime lead. Mega came out aggressive for the second half and – aided by the three-point shooting of Brekic – drew within 53-62. Sylla and Nakic helped Real right the ship and surge to a 55-72 advantage through three quarters. Real remained in control the rest of the way, allowing Coach Mariano De Pablos to send all his players into the game before celebrating the title.

### [Game Info](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/ngt/game-center/2018-19-vitoria-gasteiz-finals/u18-mega-bemax-belgrade-u18-real-madrid/JTF418/13/#boxscore)

U18 Real Madrid captured the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament crown on Sunday with a 76-95 rout of U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade at Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. 

Nakic dominates as Real claims its third ANGT crown

U18 MEGA BEMAX BELGRADE v U18 REAL MADRID (2019-05-19T08:00:00.000Z)

At the 17th edition of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals, U18 Rytas Vilnius will try to do something that hasn't happened since 2009 – repeat as U18 continental champion at the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four.

Rytas aims for first ANGT repeat since 2009

Three other past title-winners will be among the teams fighting to keep Rytas from matching U18 FMP Belgrade's feat 10 years ago.

Joining Rytas in the eight-team field in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, with the goal of returning to the top of Europe are 2003 and 2007 winner U18 Zalgiris Kaunas, 2014 champion U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade and 2015 champ U18 Real Madrid. Among the other teams are U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade, which reached the 2017 ANGT championship game, and U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv, which lost in the 2003 title game. The other two teams are U18 FC Bayern Munich and debutant U18 Valencia Basket.

The finals will see the eight teams divided into two groups of four, which will play a round-robin format during the first three days of the event at Polideportivo Mendizorrotza. Sunday's championship game will take place at Fernando Buesa Arena and will serve as the prelude to the game later that day on the same floor that will crown this season's EuroLeague champion.

Group A is comprised of ANGT Belgrade winner Mega, ANGT Kaunas victor Zalgiris, ANGT Munich runner-up Maccabi and ANGT Munich fifth-place team Bayern. Mega is making its fourth straight appearance at the ANGT Finals and would love to at least get back to the championship game, which the Serbian side lost in 2017 to U18 CFBB Paris. Zalgiris is back in the field for a 14th time after missing the ANGT Finals last season. Not only did the Lithuania giant win the first-ever edition of the competition and the crown in 2007, but it also reached the championship game in 2005, 2006 and 2011. Maccabi returns to the ANGT Finals for the first time since 2008 and will be playing in the tournament for the sixth time. Bayern meanwhile is making its second appearance after making its ANGT Finals debut last season.

Group B features ANGT Valencia winner Valencia, ANGT Munich winner Madrid, ANGT Belgrade runner-up Zvezda and ANGT Kaunas runner-up Rytas. Valencia is in the tournament for the first time. Madrid, for its part, is playing in the finals for the sixth straight season and seventh in total. In addition to winning the crown in 2015 with Luka Doncic being named MVP, Madrid played in the championship game in 2014. That game was won by Zvezda, which is making its ninth straight showing in the finals. After winning the 2014 crown, Zvezda lost in the championship game the following two seasons to Madrid and U18 FC Barcelona Lassa, respectively. Reigning champion Rytas, meanwhile, is participating in the finals for the seventh time and will be shooting for a third title following 2012 and last season. The Lithuania power also reached the championship game in 2009.

The stage is set for the finest young players in Europe to thrill fans as they battle to become continental champion at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals!



Nemanja Popovic went through something generations of U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade talents have not - a home loss at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Belgrade. 

ANGT Finals: Popovic out to give 'correct' impression of Zvezda

Now the talented big man is hoping to give a "correct" impression of the Serbian power at the ANGT Finals.

Zvezda lost to local rival U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade 73-63 in the ANGT Belgrade first-place game to snap Zvezda's 38-game winning streak in the tournament, which dated back to the 2010-11 season.

"We were so disappointed, especially when you know the previous eight generations of our club won this tournament," said Popovic, who tallied 9 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist in the game. "But quickly after that, we put our heads up and started to train very, very hard so we can move forward with our goals."

Popovic and Zvezda's big goal for the season is winning the ANGT Championship Game on May 19 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, where the team will play in Group B with U18 Valencia Basket, U18 Real Madrid and U18 Rytas Vilnius. And that is only possible thanks to Zvezda receiving a wild card, something which really pleased the 2.03-meter forward. "I am so happy with all my teammates that we made it to the final eight in Vitoria-Gasteiz. In Spain, we will have another chance to show what we know, and to correct the impression from the qualification tournament in Belgrade," said Popovic, who averaged 13.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks and was named to the All-Tournament Team. "We need to approach the tournament as another opportunity differently: to be relaxed, to train and prepare very hard and to listen to our coach, and the wins will come."

Zvezda is hunting for its second ANGT title following the 2014 crown. The club, which will be playing in the ANGT Finals for the ninth straight season, also reached the ANGT Championship Game in 2015 and 2016 and lost to U18 Real Madrid and U18 FC Barcelona Lassa, respectively.

This is Popovic's second ANGT season. He was worth 4.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists at ANGT Belgrade last year and 10.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists at the ANGT Finals in Belgrade.

His journey with basketball started in 2009 with the small club Knjaz in Arandjelovac near Belgrade.

"My father had a great wish and he told me: 'try basketball.' After my first training it was love at first sight," said Popovic, who was born in Arandjelovac but lived in nearby Topola.

Popovic arrived at Zvezda two years ago from Vizura. That move that fulfilled a dream.

"When I was a small boy, my dream was to play for Crvena Zvezda. This is the best club in our country and also the best system for the development of young players," he said. "If you have the talent and desire to become a good player, in Serbia this is the best system and environment to succeed."

One of the things that helped Popovic stand out was his long hair and headband. When asked about the history behind that look, he said: "I am used to it, I have had long hair since I was younger and started to wear the headband because of my long hair. Nothing special, but people notice it, obviously."

They also notice the talent, which is good enough to have earned him spots on Serbia's youth national teams. He helped Serbia take third place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017.

"That was very nice, a great experience for me. It was a big honor to play and represent your home country. But the biggest lesson was: Every time when you are on the court you give everything you have, 100 percent for your country and your team," said Popovic.

Last summer at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018, Popovic collected 5.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists but Serbia lost to Turkey in the Round of 16 and finished 10th. "We were so disappointed after losing the game versus Turkey because I knew that we were the better team. But you must learn important lessons after losses like these," he said.

Popovic learned his lesson from that U17 World Cup game and now hopes the lessons from the defeat to Mega in the ANGT Belgrade first-place game will help Zvezda capture a second U18 continental title.



Marko Andric helped U18 Mega Bemax Belgrade make history by beating U18 Crvena Zvezda mts Belgrade to reach the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals. 

Andric, Mega want to build on historic win

But the point guard is not finished and would love to help the Serbian club win its first U18 continental title.

Andric collected 13 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists as Mega knocked off city rival Zvezda 73-63 in the ANGT Belgrade first-place game to snap Zvezda's 38-game winning streak in the tournament and book Mega's fourth straight ticket to the ANGT Finals.

"I remember it very well for sure. A lot of people were watching. It was a true final, a great atmosphere and a big experience for all of us," said Andric, who averaged 12.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals in the tournament. "Defeating Zvezda and getting a chance to compete against the top teams in Europe again – for the fourth straight year – is a really big accomplishment for Mega. It shows that there is continuity in the excellent work at the youth categories in the club."

Andric, who been with Mega since 2016, began playing basketball in 2007 at the age of 5. He was born in Zrenjanin and said everyone he knew there was a basketball fan. The move from northern Serbia to the country's capital and Mega was made to help take his game to the next level.

"Mega has great working conditions for the development of young players and that was the key in making my decision. I was about to start my first year in high school and that was one of the main reasons as well," said Andric, who joined Mega along with his brother Lazar, who is a year and a half younger than him.

The Andric brothers lived in a student dormitory the first year and then the rest of the family – including younger brother Mateja and youngest sibling sister Ana – joined the following year. The younger two siblings also play basketball.

The Belgrade tournament was Marko Andric's first ANGT event and the 1.87-meter playmaker called the win over Zvezda his biggest success at the club level – along with helping Mega grab the U15 Serbian title in 2017. Mega is definitely thinking bigger than a U15 Serbian title in Vitoria-Gasteiz at the ANGT Finals, where the team has been drawn into Group A with U18 Maccabi Teddy Tel Aviv, U18 FC Bayern Munich and U18 Zalgiris Kaunas.

"Those are some of the top teams and of course it won't be easy to beat them. We'll have to show ourselves if we want to make it to the ANGT Championship Game," Andric said.

Reaching the ANGT Championship Game on May 19 at the Fernando Buesa Arena would actually be Mega's second appearance in the final. Goga Bitadze and Nikola Miskovic carried the club to the ANGT Championship Game in 2017 before losing to U18 CFBB Paris 65-58. Andric said that defeat drives him and his teammates.

"We’re all motivated to win and we will be more than ready to do that when the tournament starts," Andric said.

Andric, who used to practice karate alongside basketball until giving it up in the eighth grade, would love another big success to celebrate. He was part of the Serbia team that finished third at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 – a result Andric, who was a year younger than most of the competition, called his biggest success.

"I played only a few minutes, but just being there as a year younger was fun," said Andric, who averaged 0.5 points, 0.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 3.3 minutes over four games.

The 2002-born Andric did not go with the 2001-born generation – including Mega teammates Aleksandar Langovic, Aleksa Markovic, Stefan Agoc and Novak Miskovic – to the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018 and instead played for Serbia at the FIBA U16 European Championship.

"Guys older than me were better and more experienced at that moment. I wasn't disappointed [about not playing at the U17 World Cup] and that was something I expected. I had to focus on the U16 European Championship that summer because I was the captain of our team," he said.

Andric averaged 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals, but Serbia lost to France in the quarterfinals. Despite that result, Andric and co. learned a lesson and kept playing hard.

"We didn't let that loss stop us from finishing fifth overall. It was a good experience, we learned to stand up right after the loss," he said.

However, Andric still called that performance the biggest disappointment of his young career, especially because Serbia was playing in front of the country's home fans in Novi Sad.

"We were the hosts and everybody expected us to be number one," Andric said.

Some of that hurt can be forgotten for Andric in Vitoria-Gasteiz when Mega shoots for its first ANGT title.

"Expectations are always high, and to be successful we'll have to do our best in every aspect of the game. I think we can do it," he said.

Andric and Mega made history by beating Zvezda, but they are not done just yet.

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