Group D Preview: Reigning champs Spain out for title No. 5, hosts Montenegro ready to battle

PODGORICA (FIBA U16 European Championship 2017) - The teams are already in Montenegro so that means the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 is about to start. It also means the final instalment of the preview series with Group D, which has 2014 runners-up Latvia, hosts Montenegro, Sweden as well as reigning and four-time champions Spain.

Latvia

Roberts Berzins knows what to expect at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017 after playing in the event last summer.

Players to Watch: Latvia have a group of leaders who should give the team a chance to challenge in most games. Roberts Berzins is the sole returning player from last summer and the shooting guard is a strong scorer. Ojars Berzins can also fill the basket but he is more of a playmaker with a good sense of passing the ball and also playing good defense. Kristaps Kilps is also a two-way player on the wing. While those three can all rebound the ball well for their position, Latvia's main low post presence will be Jekabs Beks, who is half Latvian-half German and decided to play for Latvia and can score inside and rebound.

Outlook: Latvia are kind of living off their senior national team players as well as the second place at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2014. That was the country's only top-four finish at U16 level. It was also Latvia's only placing in the top nine in the last five editions. Even though the Latvians have a top-two U16 finish to their credit, they have never played at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. The Baltic country hopes to reach the 2018 edition in Argentina by finishing in the top five.

Montenegro

Jovan Kljajic is the captain and leader of the host side Montenegro.

Players to Watch: Montenegro come into the tournament with three players with experience from last summer's U16 tournament. The leader of the team will be captain Jovan Kljajic, who plays his club ball in Spain and is a great leader from the guard position with the ability to do a bit of everything. Stefan Vlahovic is another strong guard who is a driver and creator with good body control and good passing skills. Bojan Tomasevic meanwhile is a good-sized power forward who can play inside but can also knock down the three-pointer and drive past slower big men.

Outlook: Montenegro come into the tournament as the FIBA U16 European Championship hosts for a second time following on from 2010. This is the country's seventh Division A appearance, including the third-straight summer. Last year the Balkan country reached the Quarter-Finals and finished eighth. That bodes well as the hosts have three players back from that team. Montenegro come into the championship with the clear goal of a top-five finish which would give them their first-ever ticket for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup.

Sweden

Sweden have some interesting talent on their team for FIBA U16 European Championship 2017.

Players to Watch: Sweden do not have any players back from their U16 team last summer. The leader of the team will be Pelle Larsson, who can light up the scoreboard but also create for others. Andre Lorentsson is a wing who can also play inside and is a good shooter. Denzel George is athletic and a good offensive rebounder. Erik Kall, who plays with Spanish giants Barcelona, provides some good rim protection as a center who can also score a bit.

Outlook: Sweden are in back-to-back FIBA U16 European Championship Division A tournaments for the first time since 1985, which was the last of three in a row. The Swedes have been in Division A now for three of the last five summers at the age group. Their top showings at the U16 level were 10th place in 1971 and 1983. Sweden also have never played at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, which would be the case next summer if they can manage a top-five showing in Montenegro.

Spain

Golden Dike had a good FIBA U16 European Championship last summer and he will be a major force this year as well.

Players to Watch: Spain's chances in Montenegro will be helped by two players returning from the team that won the FIBA U16 European Championship title last summer - both of those players are low-post presences. Golden Dike is still more of an inside player but he can also move outside and likes to get out in transition. Jaime Pradilla was also on the championship team and gives Spain a back-to-the-basket force. Santi Aldama is a talented wing who can drive and shoot while Hector Alderete can handle the ball and score at will and is someone with a good understanding of the game.

Outlook: Spain are the reigning champions and are hoping to become the first repeat winners since Croatia went back-to-back in 2010 and 2011. The Spanish have been one of the major powers at the level with two of the last four U16 crowns and four titles in the last 11 years. Spain's four triumphs are third-best all-time behind the five titles won by Yugoslavia and Serbia (crowns as Yugoslavia going from 1992 to Serbia & Montenegro in 2006). Spain have reached the Semi-Finals in the last four tournaments and have seven top-four showings in the last eight. A top-five finish in Montenegro would mean Spain qualify for their fifth-straight FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup.

FIBA