Facing father tops achievement list thus far for Estonian talent Kriisa

PODGORICA (FIBA U16 European Championship 2017) - Kerr Kriisa's face lights up when the topic of his father comes up. Estonia's star guard talent experienced a heart-warming moment with him this season which helped him develop to become a budding star at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017.

One of Kriisa's goals this season was to get in an Estonian Korvpalli Meistriliiga (KML) game for Tartu Ulikool against BC Valga-Valka/Maks & Mooritsa. And making his KML debut nearly two months shy of his 16th birthday earlier in the season, Kriisa was allowed to play against Valga on February 24.

What made this game so special is that one of Valga's veteran role players was Valmo Kriisa, young Kerr's 42-year-old father who has since turned 43 year old but was still going strong in Estonia's top flight in a 24-year career which took him to Sweden, Netherlands and Latvia.

"That was cool," Kerr says with a big smile. "I think it's the best moment of my basketball career so far. It was really fun and we won, and that is the biggest thing."

Sure this might be in Estonian and not everybody can understand it, but it still is interesting to see the composure of the 16-year-old Kerr and his interaction with his father

Tartu won 85-69 and Kriisa collected two points, three assists, one steal and one rebound while his father picked up four points, four assists, one rebound and a steal.

This has been a special season for Kriisa with the build-up to the game against Valga and his father, who played for the Estonian senior national team from 1995 to 2011.

"A few weeks ago we looked at old videos. He was giving an interview and I was so little. We were just amazed that this thing really happened that I played against him. It was really fun," Kriisa said.

But it wasn't just a public relations stunt. Kriisa had been working his way into Tartu's top team as he is considered one of Estonia's top prospects for the future. The 6ft 2in (1.87m) guard is also playing at his FIBA U16 European Championship for a second time after averaging 7.0 points, 4.1 assists and 1.7 rebounds last summer.

Like Kerr Kriisa, Estonian veteran Tanel Sokk is a point guard and the youngster has learned a lot from Sokk at Tartu

Kriisa also was able to learn a lot from some of Estonia's top players at Tartu, where he played with Tanel Sokk, Taner Talts and Gert Dorbek who all played for Estonia at FIBA EuroBasket 2015. And the Tartu coach is long-time Estonian international Gert Kullamae. 

"It gives you a lot," said Kriisa, who averaged 2.9 points, 2.9 assists and 1.9 rebounds in seven games this season in the Estonian top flight. "You see them every day. You practice with them. They help me. They give me tips. That gives a lot of good things. It's good for my abilities to work."

And that experience and talent showed in Estonia's opening game at the 2017 tournament as he poured in 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting to go with four rebounds and two assists against Russia. But Kriisa could not keep Estonia from losing 74-71 in the Group C encounter.

"It's tough. We are not as tall as them. I think that's our main problem. We did really good, our bigs. They helped each other and they never gave up, and that's the key I think. We believe in ourselves," said Kriisa, who helped Estonia cut a 21-point deficit down to three points before losing.

Kriisa downplayed his game and said he would have rather had scored zero points and Estonia win than hitting for 30 points in a loss. But that's exactly what you would expect from the team captain - a fact that makes Kriisa proud.

"That means that my guys trust me. They chose me to be captain. That means a lot to me because every single guy trusts me, and I trust them," Kriisa said.

Kerr Kriisa taking a free throw last summer at the FIBA U16 European Championship Classification 13-16. Estonia beat Greece to send the Greeks to the Division B

It also means a lot to Kriisa and his team that they are playing in Division A this summer, especially after Estonia knocked off the nominal reigning U16 continental champions Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Classification 13-14 game to stay in the Division A.

"It's really big. Estonia don't get to Division A often," said Kriisa, who picked up five points, seven rebounds and four rebounds in the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. "We are usually and we are used to being in Division B. So being here in Division A is a really big thing for us and for all Estonians who play basketball."

After losing their first five games at the FIBA U16 European Championship last summer, Kriisa and the Estonians sent two big basketball countries to the Division B with wins over Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina. When asked about what is possible in Montenegro, Kriisa only offered up that same flashy smile and said: "We'll see."

FIBA