Germany overwhelming favourites in Group B

SAMSUN (FIBA U18 European Championship) - Germany have not been to the FIBA U19 World Championship since 1987 but this German team is not only the overwhelming favourites for Group B but many think it could claim the country's first FIBA U18 European Championship title.

On paper, it looks like hosts Turkey, Finland and Greece will be playing for second place in the group - and the second spot in the Quarter-Finals.

Anything but first place would be a disappointment for Harald Stein’s German team which features an embarrassment of riches. Elite talents Kostja Mushidi and Isaiah Hartenstein are just the two biggest names, and two who played and excelled at this competition in 2015. Mushidi also played this summer at the FIBA U20 European Championship. But Germany have so many different ways to beat teams - as they showed at the 2016 Albert Schweitzer Tournament.

They can play inside with the efficient Lars Lagerpusch or outside with versatile players like Oscar da Silva, Louis Olinde and Philipp Herkenhoff. Ferdinand Zykla is lurking on the outside as a deadly shooter, who can also drive and finish at the rim if his defender gets too close.

The German team also features strong point guard play, including the long Nelson Weidemann and the more diminutive Bennet Hundt, the latter who plays with great heart and energy.

The German team is somewhat weakened as Richard Freudenberg is playing in the United States in college and star talent Isaac Bonga suffered a thigh injury late in camp and did not make the team. But Germany still have enough firepower and it seems a lock they should at least match their best-ever U18 European Championship showing of fourth place in 1986.

Hosts Turkey enter the tournament with the unusual status as non-favourites. Looking at their team, the first thing one notices is the missing players for the U18 champions from 2013 and 2014. Omer Yurtseven starred at this tournament in 2015 and had a strong showing at the FIBA U20 European Championship. But the big man will not play as he is in the United States playing collegiately. An additional blow came when creative wing Onuralp Bitim suffered an eye injury in the build-up to the tournament and will also be missing.

Turkey’s leader in Samsun will be point guard Omer Al, who will be playing his second U18 European Championship.

Ragip Atar will have a chance to fill the gap in the post after he averaged a near double-double this summer at the FIBA U17 World Championship, where forward Yigitcan Saybir gained valuable experience as well. And Gorkem Dogan has already gained minutes in the Basketball Champions League.

The other major leader will be Ahmet Can Duran, though it's unclear exactly how much he can play as he is nursing an ankle injury.

Finland enter the tournament hoping to qualify for their first ever FIBA U19 World Championship. Some of the players who will be leading this team played this summer at the FIBA U17 World Championship, which was the first time that Finland advanced to that tournament, including the all-around talent of Elias Valtonen, Andre Gustavson and Ricky and Erik Waxlax.

Teaming up at the point guard with Erik Waxlax is the top player from the 1998 generation in Edon Maxhuni, who is appearing in the competition for a second time after averaging 16 points and 3.4 assists in 2015.

Greece for their part are actually the nominal defending champions after Hellas claimed the title in 2015 in Volos. But this team will not have the power of players like Vasileios Charalampopoulos and Giorgios Papagiannis.

Still, Michalis Lountzis and Vassilis Christidis were the two 1998-born players on the title-winning team and will be back to show their leadership abilities. Dimitris Moraitis is an intriguing point guard talent who has already earned minutes in the Greek first division with AEK.

If that trio can become real leaders, then this group could surprise some people as they are not being highly regarded coming into the tournament.

FIBA