Assessing the FIBA U18 European Championship Final: Serbia vs. Spain

The FIBA U18 European Championship final between Serbia and Spain was a must scout. What should we take away from a game that featured several legitimate NBA prospects?

Last weekend's FIBA U18 European Championship final didn't disappoint.

It was a clash of two basketball-rich countries, with Serbia defeating Spain, 81-71, to win their fifth U18 title. Let’s assess some of the standout prospect skills, qualities and other takeaways from the tournament’s final game:

Topic’s Pick and Roll Play

From beginning to end, Nikola Topic’s fingerprints were all over the game en route to game-highs of 24 points and eight assists (three turnovers) and MVP honors. Most of his damage was done as the pick-and-roll handler where he routinely found success reading the defense then making the appropriate scoring or playmaking decision.

Topic used ball screens to get downhill for rim finishes in traffic including a couple finishes around Mara’s NBA size, snaked a screen into a floater and delivered an outstanding wraparound kick out pass to a Bosnjakovic three (my favorite play of the game).

At 6-foot-5, Topic is a big lead guard whose blend of pace, craft, basketball IQ, playmaking and scoring scream NBA appeal. I don't believe anyone else in this tournament boosted their stock more than Nikola Topic.

Aday Mara’s Passing Feel and Vision

Despite a few questionable decisions, Mara’s passing feel and vision was outstanding, as usual. He effortlessly found cutters with precision and accuracy, highlighted by faking a handoff to Langarita then delivering a pinpoint post bounce pass along the baseline to him that drew a shooting foul.

There shouldn't be much doubt about Mara’s passing feel and vision translating to both the collegiate and professional levels, those are two clear NBA-ready skills that Mara must bank on alongside his 7-foot-3 frame.

In what will likely be a one-and-done year at UCLA, I’m hoping to see Mara utilized more as a live-dribble and short roll passer to better assess his value as a potential playmaking and/or connector big.

Off-Ball Hugo

Off ball movers always catch my eye because of the blend of feel, basketball IQ and effort it takes to thrive when playing off the ball. Hugo Gonzalez possesses all of those qualities, manifesting itself in his excellent cutting ability.

Gonzalez cuts with purpose and force alongside solid timing and an understanding of how to set defenders up to create/open up cutting and passing lanes. Mara’s passing and Gonzalez’s cutting is a perfect pairing that was in sync throughout the tournament.

A Supery Reminder

At times, Mario Saint-Supery can get forgotten about when assessing Spain’s top NBA prospects, but his final performance was a definite reminder. Supery delivered off the bench to lead Spain in scoring with 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting (2-of-6 from three) as he helped keep the team in the game with his multi-level shotmaking and co-facilitation.

Mitar Bosnjakovic’s Skilled and Tough Shotmaking Glimpses

Bosnjakovic’s dropped 21 points for Serbia, providing the needed scoring punch alongside Topic to emerge as champions. At 6-foot-5, his impressive moments of skilled and tough shotmaking should catch the eye of evaluators.

In particular, it was these four moments that really stood out. A post fadeaway jumper, outstanding footwork on a stop and pivot fadeaway jumper, a right to left cross pull-up three over the contesting Mara and a closeout attack against Mara into a contested reverse finish at the rim.

Lucas Langarita’s Intrigue

Langarita, a 6-foot-5 lead guard, tallied 12 points and dished out six assists (no turnovers) for Spain.

Lead guard’s with his combination of size, ball skills, projectable shooting and playmaking will always garner intrigue and attention. Langarita is developing into one of my favorite long-term Spanish NBA prospect. 

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