Greece parted ways with head coach Dimitris Itoudis after the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and Vassilis Spanoulis is expected to replace him at the helm of the National Team, as reported by Sport24.

It is believed that the official announcement will be made on Monday.

After finishing the World Cup in 15th place, Greece and Itoudis decided to go their separate ways. After just a year as head coach of Peristeri (his first solo position apart from leading the EuroLeague Under-18 Next Generation Select Team), the Olympiacos legend will reportedly take over the Greek NT.

The collaboration, that both sides are excited for, is expected to last for the next two years, covering the 2024 Olympic Games if they qualify from the Pre-Olympic tournament, as well as EuroBasket 2025.

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Dimitris Itoudis is no longer the head coach of Greece’s senior national team.

Itoudis, 53, was released from his contract, the Hellenic Basketball Federation announced Monday.

The Greek tactician was initially contracted through the following summer. However, Greece being among the participants of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments creates “a scheduling conflict with his duties at the club level”, noted the Federation.

The tenure as the selector of the senior national team of his country was marked by Greece ranking fifth in the 2022 EuroBasket and 15th in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Heading to the OQT and a potential berth in the Olympic Games, a new head coach will take over the reins. Apart from the summer schedule, in the following winter international windows, Greece will face Great Britain, Czechia, and the Netherlands in the Qualifiers of the 2025 EuroBasket.

On his social media coach Itoudis confirmed that his obligation towards Fenerbahce makes it difficult for him to stay on the helm of the national team, adding that he intends to stay close to the team in a consultant role if needed without any pay.

As he wrote: “I gave the last ounce of my strength to represent our country worthily, while I was filled with pride and humility, realizing how small the individual size of all of us is, in front of the greatness of representing the country and the participation in our national team”.

Dimitris Itoudis focuses on Fenerbahce

At the club level, Itoudis remains in charge of Fenerbahce Beko, entering the second season of his three-year contract. The two-time Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion with CSKA is currently preparing his side for the 2023-24 editions of the EuroLeague and Turkiye Sigorta Basketbol Super Ligi.

After completing the preseason schedule as a guest participant in the VTB United League SuperCup later this week, Fener will switch to official action. Playing host to Cagdas Bodrum Spor and to EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Ulker Sports Arena opens the domestic campaign on October 1 and the continental campaign on October 6.

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Before the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Shane Larkin and Scottie Wilbekin, who were included in the preliminary roster of the Turkish National Team, did not join the team due to injuries.

Recently, the head coach of the Turkish National Team, Ergin Ataman, stated that they couldn’t reach Scottie Wilbekin during this period. Fenerbahçe Beko also issued a statement regarding the matter, confirming that the player was injured.

Following these developments, TBF President Hidayet Turkoglu spoke to TRT Spor about the issue and said he would disclose the entire process to the public regarding Shane Larkin and Scottie Wilbekin after the tournament.

“It is truly unfortunate for situations like these to reach this point. I don’t want to go into too much detail here. I don’t want to divert the importance of tomorrow’s event in different directions, but I want to tell everyone that after the tournament, as the TBF President, I will make a statement about this matter in all its reality. When we announced the preliminary roster, we are a team that wants everyone to be present. We invite people whom our coach and team want to see as part of this team, along with the extended roster. Of course, some come, and some have excuses, but we need to explain some processes to the public more clearly. Especially regarding Scottie Wilbekin and Shane Larkin. As TBF, we provide certain advantages for these players to be able to play in the national team, and as a result, they need to come and play in the national team until they get injured. When these points are not met, things are taken to different places. At this point, it is wrong for me to make statements about two players before the tournament. But from August 20 onwards, rest assured that I will share everything with complete transparency with the public. As I said, there is misinformation. We, as TBF, need to prevent this because these players, in this process, have their primary obligation to come to the team when invited by the national team. We need to explain these processes better to the public.

Now, our focus is truly on our team starting the Olympic Qualifying Tournament well and, hopefully, ending the process well. However, as I said, there are things that are not correct, things that are wrong. As an administration, we always know how to take on the responsibility. After the tournament, there will be necessary statements, and we will share the steps we will take with everyone about what we will do, so no one should doubt that,” Turkoglu said.

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Turkey will play the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Istanbul to keep on dreaming about a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, but the red-and-white national team won’t have Scottie Wilbekin on board.

Following the latest Turkish friendly game won 87-84 against Poland, the national team head coach Ergin Ataman said they couldn’t reach the 30-year-old playmaker. “We reached out to his club but I believe they couldn’t persuade him either”, the former Anadolu Efes head coach said.

Now, Fenerbahce published an official press release in which the yellow-and-blue responds to the accusations regarding its player. Stating he suffered two long-term knee injuries, Fenerbahce said that Scottie Wilbekin “has programmed the entire summer period to strengthen his injured knee within the special program, to do exercises to prevent injury, and to prepare for the new season with minimum risk”.

“Our player, Scottie Wilbekin, explained the above-mentioned process in detail from the first day we were contacted by our National Team administrative teams and presented his reports to our National Team officials both about his injury processes during the season and all the details of the special program he applied during the summer period”, it was also said in the statement.

Moreover, “Our athlete did not refuse to join the National Team as claimed, he just stated that he was far from playing a match at a competitive level due to this serious knee injury he suffered for the first time in his career and the process after, and he asked for his forgiveness from the qualifying matches to be played this summer. All the details in this process were also conveyed to the Turkish Basketball Federation officials regularly and in detail by our branch”, Fenerbahce’s press release continued.

In the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the former Maccabi Tel Aviv player averaged 11.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 50.6% from two. At the 2019 FIBA World Cup with Turkey, instead, he had 10.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game.

Zorunlu Açıklama | Oyuncumuz Scottie Wilbekin hakkında oluşturulan gündeme dair.

https://t.co/OX3sWVNduz pic.twitter.com/steWZQTek9

— Fenerbahçe Beko (@FBBasketbol) August 11, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague

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Turkiye defeated the Polish national team 98:73.  With this result, the Turkish national team was victorious for the third time in the fourth match in the preparation period.

Coach Ergin Ataman’s team will play against Iceland on Saturday, August 12, in their first match in the Olympic Qualifications. The match will be played at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.

The Polish National Team will face Hungary in their first match in the Olympic Qualifications.

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Alperen Sengun greatly showed the impact he can make for Turkey in the 2023 pre-Olympic Qualifiers in his first appearance with his national team this summer. The Houston Rockets big man had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as Turkey downed Poland 87 – 84 in a preparation game that took place in Istanbul.

He also made a key 3-point play down the stretch and delivered plenty of highlights throughout the match on both ends.

Bizde kullanacak caption kalmadı,
Onun ise yapmadığı şey kalmadı.

Maçın en kritik anında bir kez daha sahnede: Alperen Şengün pic.twitter.com/IFgx0qJl7r

— Eurohoops Türkiye (@EurohoopsTR) August 8, 2023

Alperen Şengün çeyrek sonunda bloğu yapıyor, sayı şansı tanımıyor!

Üçüncü çeyrek sonucu: Türkiye 59-62 Polonya pic.twitter.com/y5vQmZOcsD

— Eurohoops Türkiye (@EurohoopsTR) August 8, 2023

Utah Jazz center Omer Faruk Yurtseven had 14 points plus nine rebounds for Turkey. New Chicago Bulls forward Onuralp Bitim contributed 12 points plus four assists. The “12 Giant Men” begin their games for the pre-Olympic Qualifiers on August 12 in the Istanbul tournament.

For Poland, Olek Balcerowski produced 24 points. His national team will be trying to get a ticket to the Olympic Qualifiers via the Pre-Olympic Qualifying tournament that is co-hosted with Estonia.

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Ahead of the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament, 34-year-old veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon is set to join the Bahamian national team.

Eric Gordon already played for Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Cup averaging 8.6 points per game, but according to 10th Year Seniors USA Basketball granted Gordon’s release and FIBA approved “his change of country representation due to Article 22 of its internal regulations”.

The 34-year-old experienced shooting guard will likely join Phoenix Suns’ DeAndre Ayton, Indiana Pacers’ Buddy Hield, and Charlotte Hornets’ Kai Jones, who already gave their availability to represent the Caribbean national team.

Over the course of his career, which started back in 2008 when he was selected with the 7th overall pick in the NBA Draft, the Indiana Hoosiers product played for the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Hornets and Pelicans, and Houston Rockets.

In the 2022-23 season, he had 11.0 points for the team who drafted him, earning a two-year deal for $6.5 million with the Suns with a player option the second year.

The Bahamas are set to face Cuba, Panama, and Argentina in Group A of the 2023 Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament to keep on hoping for a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In Group B, Chile, Colombia, the Virgin Islands, and Uruguay will clash.

It’s been a long time coming…and NOW it’s official.

Eric Gordon becomes the latest roster addition to Team Bahamas.

USA Basketball granted Gordon’s release and FIBA approved his change of country representation due to Article 22 of its Internal Regulations.

Article 22… pic.twitter.com/J5Jm059bn3

— 10th Year Seniors (@10thYearSeniors) August 7, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

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Germany is preparing for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and the 87-68 win in yesterday’s friendly game against Sweden proves it. Before the encounter, Robin Benzing was celebrated by the German basketball federation following his decision to retire from national team duties.

“The national team is in good hands, the boys are great. I always wanted to lead by example. The national team is a family for me, they are all my children. I’ll keep looking out for it”, he said about Germany after representing his country in 167 international matches. “If you play in the national team for 14 years and aren’t there every summer, you deserve a big thank you. It wouldn’t have happened without you”, he then added by thanking his wife Katharina.

Next year, the 34-year-old will play for the Gießen 46ers in the German second division. Previously, after growing up with Langen, he also represent ratiopharm Ulm, Bayern Munich, Zaragoza, Würzburg, Besiktas, Fortitudo Bologna, and finally Peñarol in Uruguay.

EHRENMANN 🫡

Danke für alles, Capitano @rosinio12!

Bis bald pic.twitter.com/n5m1cYjNn1

— Dt. Basketball Bund (@DBB_Basketball) August 5, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: 2023 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers

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In the first of two friendly games in Brno, Czech Republic, the Belgian national team had the better of Argentina by beating the Albiceleste 85-84, pretty much controlling the encounter from the beginning until the end, where Facundo Campazzo tried to put his team back on track.

Manu Lecomte was the real star for the Belgian Lions, ending the game with an exceptional stat line of 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists. The newest Surne Bilbao Basket’s 20-year-old addition Thijs De Ridder followed him with 19 points and 7 rebounds in only 21:00 minutes on the court.

On Pablo Prigioni’s losing side, Facundo Campazzo had a pretty impressive game despite the defeat with 23 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists. Nicolas Brussino assisted him in the starting five with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, while Juan Fernandez came off the bench to deliver 17 points and 5 boards.

Both teams will be occupied in the 2023 FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments, respectively for America and Europe. Argentina will play at home in Group A against Cuba, Panama, and DeAndre Ayton’s Bahamas, while Belgium is suited to play in Turkey’s Group D against the Netherlands, Croatia, and Sweden.

We beat Argentina in our first of 2 friendly games in Brno.

@ManuLecomte20 with 27 pts
@RidderThijs with 19 pts pic.twitter.com/GFsInix1WG

— Belgian Lions (@belgianlions) August 5, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: Argentina Basquet

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Ukraine gets a win in a friendly match against Israel. In an up-and-down game, the Ukraine won 75-69.

Leading most of the game, it was the second half that was a bit strange, especially after a run and gun third qourter when we saw 60 combined points, and then just the opposite, teams could not hit open shots in the last qourter which ended 8-7 for Israel but Ukrain manage do hold on

Oleksandr Kovliar led the way for Ukraine with 16 points, and Vitaliy Zotov added 14.

For Israel, Oz Blayzer scored 18 points and Roman Sorkin added 14 while Yam Madar had 10 points and five assists

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Spanish basketball star, Ricky Rubio, announced that he “decided to stop his professional activity to take care of his mental health,” just weeks before the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

Sergio Scariolo was one of the first to show support to the experienced point guard, as his longtime coach in the Spanish national team.

“In La Familia, people have always come before results. All my love and support to Ricky, and my admiration for his transparency and, through it, his ability once again to lead by example,” Scariolo wrote on social media.

Many others followed, with Willy Hernangomez writing “never too high, never too low,” Rudy Fernandez adding “always with you, little brother,” and Sergio Llull stating “may that smile never disappear.”

Ricky Rubio was expected to be a key player in Sergio Scariolo’s team, aiming to reclaim the world champions’ title they achieved four years ago in China, with Rubio named the MVP.

He started his career at Joventut and later joined Barça from 2009 to 2011, where he was part of the squad that won the 2010 Euroleague in Paris. Rubio then moved to the NBA in the summer of 2011, playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers during his twelve seasons in the league.

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In a shocking turn of events, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio has decided to put a stop to his professional career to take care of his mental health.

The Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) made an announcement on his behalf and “expressed its respect, admiration, and affection for Rubio.”

“I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health. I want to thank all the support I have received from the FEB to understand my decision. Today La Familia makes more sense than ever. Thank you. I would ask that my privacy be respected so that I can face these moments and be able to give more information when the time is right,” Rubio stated.

Ricky Rubio was expected to be one of the key players in Sergio Scariolo’s team, aiming to reclaim the title of world champions, which they had achieved four years ago in China.

Having started his career at Joventut, Ricky Rubio later played for Barça from 2009 to 2011, being part of the squad that won the 2010 Euroleague in Paris. He then moved to the NBA in the summer of 2011 and has spent the last twelve seasons with various teams, including Minnesota Timberwolves (2011-2017 and 2020-2021), Utah Jazz (2017-2019), Phoenix Suns (2019-2020), and Cleveland Cavaliers (2021 to present).

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On the occasion of the friendly game between Greece and Slovenia that will take place tonight ahead of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 66-year-old legendary Greek player Nikos Galis will be honored with his 1987 EuroBasket jersey which will ascend in OAKA.

Eurohoops Academy Director and Euroleague Legend Theodoros Papaloukas, talking on the EOK WebRadio of the Hellenic Basketball Federation, expressed his gratitude towards such an important figure for Greek basketball.

“Back then, I was 10. We did not see ourselves as making a professional career yet. However, the national team was the reason we were drawn to the court and made us want to be like those players. We watched them play and tried to copy their moves. We were not following to become professional basketball players. We might be dreaming about it, but we followed to play and that gave us joy, made us feel well”, he first said about that 1987 EuroBasket.

“I think Nikos Galis, because he grew up in the USA, introduced new aspects of the game in Greece, on and off the court. Certainly, investments are required to develop anything. Also, success and additional platforms for more people to watch, and get more sponsors involved. Galis was one of the main reasons behind all this happening in Greece. If we must pick out one single person with the greatest influence, he was Nikos Galis. Thinking about it, talking about him after so many years, we can realize his influence”, Theo Papaloukas added.

Finally, he went on to praise Nikos Galis. “In any event with him present and honored, I tried to be there. I am fortunate enough to have met and talked with him on multiple occasions. You are in awe of his presence. My generation really did grow up with Nikos Galis. We used his moves and tried to add as much to his game to the best of our abilities. His stature was a motivation for us. Overall, he is a person that does say much, but a few and important. For me, being with him in the same room and sharing things was a dream come true”, the former Olympiacos and CSKA Moscow player said.

Greece is set to celebrate Nikos Galis with Luka Doncic and Slovenia in Athens to complete the home-and-away friendly series #FIBAWC https://t.co/Xsdk7TpPBm

— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 4, 2023

PHOTO CREDIT: EuroLeague

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The U18 European championship in Nis, Serbia, got off to a rough start due to difficult conditions in the venues caused by heavy rain. But as the tournament went along, things improved, and the focus was only on basketball.

The hosting nation, Serbia, kept winning and made it to the finals against the reigning champions, Spain. Led by Crvena Zvezda’s Nikola Topic and Real Madrid’s Mitar Bosanjakovic, they won the gold with an impressive 81-71 victory in the final.

Topic led his team to glory with 24 points and eight assists for a PIR of 24 in the championship game, and in the end, won the MVP honors. He averaged 15.3 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and two steals per game throughout the tournament.

Bosnjakovic also had a great final match and was the X-factor for the Serbian national team, with 21 points and seven rebounds. He will certainly remember this year for a long, long time, as he also won the EuroLeague title with Real Madrid’s youth team in Kaunas.

Andrej Musicki followed them with 12 points on the winning side.

As for Spain, Mario Saint Supery had 17 points, Hugo Gonzalez added 16, while Lucas Langarita and Aday Mara contributed 12 points each.

Germany defeated France 67-59 in the third-place match, with Johann Grunloh scoring 15 points, while Jack Kayil and Christian Anderson added 14 points apiece.

Photo: fiba.basketball

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Aleksandar Djordjevic took an exciting challenge with the Chinese national team, aiming to lead them to the Olympics in Paris, potentially by becoming the best Asian team in the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup.

He tested his team against Slovenia and narrowly lost 73:75 in a preparation game in Celje, but the 2017 Eurobasket champions didn’t have Luka Doncic in the team.

Djordjevic talked about Doncic during his stay in Slovenia and admited that even a star like him needs his teammates to achieve the highest goals.

“Basketball is not an individual sport. Luka Doncic is not Usain Bolt, with all respect. Everyone needs the power of a team to achieve the results they deserve and are happiest with. None of us would win medals if we didn’t have fantastic people by our side. These are primarily teammates and coaches. Luka Doncic is a megastar, and he is becoming a world star. He is still young and has immense talent. I congratulate him on everything he has achieved and wish him much success on his further journey. Luka is unique, but he will face new challenges and goals,” Djordjevic said to Sport Klub.

The subject of naturalized players in national teams arose as Minnesota Timberwolves’ Kyle Anderson will be joining China for the World Cup.

“Kyle Anderson has Chinese and Jamaican blood, so his position is slightly different. FIBA allowed the naturalization of one foreign basketball player per team. Therefore many coaches and federation presidents often call me and ask for my opinion on certain American players. What can I say to that? Anthony Randolph is not Slovenian. This is my point of view as a Serbian coach and former national team player. But on the other hand, the rules are clear. They must be accepted. I would not comment further.”

Djordjevic was the key player in Partizan’s only winning European championship run, and now his former team is making strides again in the top continental competition. Both Partizan and Crvena Zvezda will represent Serbia once again in the EuroLeague, and they have shown big ambitions with quality moves in the market this summer.

“This is good for the popularity of basketball. There is a lot of talk about both clubs. People support both of them en masse. Partizan and Crvena Zvezda have very competitive teams, and players are still coming. But I am surprised by the financial side of it. Above all, the fact that we have enough money in Serbia for all these enormous expenses. I didn’t grow up in that kind of environment. The level is different. It needs to be talked about. But we’ll see if it gives results,” Djordjevic concluded.

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Sharpshooter Jordan Schakel is interested in international action with Germany.

Schakel, 25, hopes to represent Germany in the 2024 Olympic Games, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Presumably covering the single naturalized slot available to every national team, Schakel would also require Germany to advance to the Olympics through the approaching 2023 FIBA World Cup or next summer’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

On a related note, the team coached by Gordon Herbert welcomed Kansas native Nick Weiler-Babb as the naturalized player heading to the 2022 EuroBasket. The current FC Bayern Munich and former MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg defensive specialist has spent all four years of his professional career in Germany. Upgraded to the international level, he helped the country’s senior national team capture the EuroBasket bronze medals.

During the ensuing 2022-23 season, Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers was rumored as a potential candidate to play for Germany. The 25-year-old guard was eventually included in the Team USA squad for the 2023 World Cup.

Three-point threat

As for Schakel, he went undrafted in 2021 but logged six games played in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, spread from 2021-22 to the 2022-23 editions of the league’s Regular Season. Averaging six minutes per game, he packed 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest.

Professional experience extends to the G League, playing for the Capital City Go-Go and Santa Cruz Warriors. Displaying his range in style last season, he tallied 10.8 points per game with 39.9% from three-point range over 33 appearances.

Photo Credit: YouTube

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To celebrate the Centenary of its Basketball Federation, Catalunya organized a friendly game against Argentina, with Pablo Prigioni’s team winning the match between the two sides 94-88.

For Argentina, which didn’t manage to qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, instead, were present several high-level players in Europe, such as Facundo Campazzo. The newest Real Madrid playmaker had 11 points and a wonderful dime to Lee Abraham Aaliya.

Lucio Redivo led the way with 21 points with 6/8 from beyond the arc. On the losing side, instead, former Barcelona veteran Pierre Oriola had a losing effort of 15 points with 4/4 at the free throw line, while both Lluis Costa and Gran Canaria’s Ferran Bassas scored 14 each.

Barcelona’s newest arrival Joel Parra, Joventut Badalona’s Pau Ribas, who scored 11 points, and BAXI Manresa’s Dani Perez were also present on the court of the Nou Congost.

🪄 Frotó la lámpara @facucampazzo: faja y puntos para @LeeAaliya

Estadísticas: https://t.co/pkeadQSSFY

Lo seguís en vivo por @basquetpasstv: https://t.co/Rboesh0tE7 pic.twitter.com/VuZnFXwAxn

— Argentina Básquet (@cabboficial) July 25, 2023

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Deni Avdija will not participate in the Pre-Olympic Qualifying tournament with the Israel National Team. As per the IBBA, due to a hip injury the Washington Wizards won’t allow Avdija to take part in the competition this summer.

Israel will compete in the Pre-Olympic Qualifying tournament in Poland and Estonia. Israel is placed in Group A and will compete with the Czech Republic, North Macedonia, and Estonia.

Last season, Avdija averaged 9.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the Wizards.

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The FIBA U18 European Championships in Nis, Serbia, got off to a rough start as the Mika Antic elementary school’s gym faced unsafe conditions caused by heavy rain and lack of air-conditioning.

As reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, multiple injuries occurred due to the slippery playing surface, with Poland’s Jakub Szumert suffering a harsh fall during a fast break.

In response to the unfavorable conditions, players from the Turkish and Polish national teams protested by spending the last five minutes of their match passing the ball without attempting any shots, as Turkey had already established an unattainable lead and eventually won 78-63.

Chaos at the FIBA U18 European Championship in Nis, Serbia. Heavy rain and no air-conditioning caused unsafe conditions and multiple serious injuries caused players to essentially boycott finishing the game with 5 minutes left. Next game starting regardless. The show must go on pic.twitter.com/MauCzsUza8

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) July 22, 2023

Despite the protest, the following game between Sweden and France proceeded as scheduled at the same venue.

Givony also reported several leaks in the roof of the other venue, Cair sports hall, resulting in game delays. For instance, the Serbian team’s match against the Czech team, which was initially scheduled for 20.30 CET, started at 21.40 CET due to the delays caused by the roof leaks.

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A rare misstep for the USA in the FIBA U19 World Cup with France drawing the win in Debrecen, Hungary.

The team coached by Lamine Kebe prevailed, 89-86, Saturday.

Promising power forward Zacharie Perrin poured a game-high 18 points to go with nine rebounds, five assists, and one steal, before fouling out.

“We had a game plan before the game and we respected the game plan. We did an amazing job. I don’t know how to explain this. I am so proud of our guys,” reacted Perrin, “We did a perfect job today.”

Melvin Ajinca followed with 17 points, including a clutch three-pointer to wrap up the game-winning 14-3 run for a five-point lead in crunch time. Alexandre Bouzidi chipped in 16 points.

“We have one more game to go. We are ready for the Final,” underlined Zaccharie Risacher following a 13-point input for France.

For the losing side, Mark Amstrong tallied a team-high 17 points and Tobe Awaka posted a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double.

According to the blowout win, 83-51, for Spain in the second semifinal, France learned the opponent in the gold medal game Sunday. The USA will instead battle with Turkiye for the bronze medals.

More classification contests send Argentina and Serbia for the fifth place, Canada and Japan for the seventh place, Slovenia and China for the ninth place, Brazil and South Korea for the 11th place, Egypt and Madagascar for the 13th place, and Lebanon and Hungary for the 15th place.

Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL

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