Guards on the Zaragoza watch-list

NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women’s Basketball Worldwide) - With the big tip-off at the 2016 FIBA U17 Women’s World Championship now less than a month away, here's a watch-list of backcourt players who could stand out and make the difference in Zaragoza.

Elisa Pinzan (Italy)
While it felt that it was all about Italy's terrific frontcourt rotation last year in Matosinhos when they took third place, their excellent record of losing only one game at the 2015 U16 European Women's Championship was also largely down to Pinzan. The point guard played more minutes than anyone else and while she didn't finish at the basket as clinically as she would have liked, she showed terrific defensive intensity and had a tendency to hit big shots from downtown when needed. If she can control the tempo again and feed ‘the bigs’ then Italy could go far in Zaragoza.

Rokia Doumbia (Mali)
Set to be the standout African player on show, Doumbia was MVP at last year's FIBA Africa U16 Women's Championship as she posted a nice 14.9 points per game. She is trying to take her skills up a gear by playing in the United States at Central Park Christian School in Birmingham, Alabama. Mali went undefeated last year with seven wins in as many games and shouldn't be overlooked with a player as capable of Doumbia in the side. She will be at the top of any opposing scouting report for sure.

Jazmin Shelley (Australia)
Australia's leading scorer en-route to the top step of the podium at the 2015 FIBA Oceania U16 Women's Championship, Shelley is highly rated and absolutely shot the lights out in Rotura and Tauranga. Her 63 percent shooting from the field included some very nice accuracy from three-point range (58.3 percent) and so leave her open at your peril. A recipient of the Junior Female Player of the Year in winning the Kristi Harrower Award, it speaks volumes of her skills and potential to be a real standout at her first global competition.

Abby Cubillo (Australia)
It's probably fair to say that Cubillo has been overshadowed a little by the exploits of her compatriot, but those in the know in Australia do appreciate that the Sapphires actually bring a real 1-2 backcourt punch to the table. The Darwin native was named the Northern Territory Young Sportsperson of the Year last month in her homeland and is another Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence product. She showed last year in New Zealand a satisfying glimpse of her potential and hopes will be high she can have an impact again and pull the strings to good effect.

Ana Ramos (Portugal)
It was a fairytale tournament for Ramos at the 2015 U16 European Women's Championship when she famously rode her way to the MVP accolade. It arrived off the back of the leadership and maturity she showed in helping Portugal rack up an array of historical firsts. She sets the tone on various levels, wears her heart on her sleeve and at times it even feels like her own mood is the one that permeates through this Portugal team. She is integral to their prospects of making more history and recording a first ever youth win on the global stage. The biggest question is whether she can pick up where she left off last summer in terms of her play and all-round influence.

Paloma Gonzalez-Vazquez (Spain)
Amidst the disappointment of an under-par showing from Spain last year in Matosinhos when they missed the podium and sustained an ego bruising thrashing from their buoyant neighbours in the Semi-Finals, it maybe got lost that Gonzalez-Vazquez did come out with some credit. Putting her eye-watering 0 of 9 shooting display against Portugal aside, she averaged a nice 3.7 assists per game and with some confidence rebuilt and home support behind her, she will be hugely important for the host nation next month. Especially if she can contribute more from behind the three-point line when open.

Izumi Abe (Japan)
An all-action guard who is equally at home dishing it up for her team-mates or landing a three-ball, Abe is likely to spearhead Japan's mission in Zaragoza as they bid to continue their eye-catching and consistent record at this event. She led Japan in assists with 3.4 per game last year at the FIBA Asia U16 Women’s Championship, but importantly, showed she is tough to lock down after sinking a dazzling 14 of 28 triple attempts. That 50 percent haul underlines why her nation made the Final and to a game which saw Abe erupt and amass a stellar 31-point haul.

Izabela Leite (Brazil)
A standout performer at last year's FIBA Americas U16 Women's Championship, Leite averaged more than 21 points per game, including a memorable 24 points in Brazil's historic Semi-Final success which left the USA stunned. That contributed to her being propelled into senior action at the 2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship on her 16th birthday. A scoring machine, Leite also knows what the FIBA U17 Women's World Championship is all about having played two years ago in Klatovy and Pilsen. And, that means she has something of an extra edge - a frightening prospect for her opponents considering what she already has in her locker!

Paul Nilsen

FIBA

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