The Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Final Four is becoming an even bigger international spectacle as the inaugural International All-Star Game presented by adidas will take place in Belgrade, bringing together the top U16 players around Europe and talents from as far away as China.
The International All Star Game will be played at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall on Saturday May 19 at 6 p.m. after the final group game of the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals.
The showcase will pit Team Europe – a group of 11 players born in 2002 or 2003 – against a Team Asia squad of 13 players from China and Japan.
The European team will be coached by Ilias Zouros of Greece, a veteran of six EuroLeague seasons for Olympiacos Piraeus, Zalgiris Kaunas and Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
One of the top players from the European team is 2003-born Eleftherio Mantzoukas, who played for U18 Promitheas Patras at the ANGT L'Hospitalet. Earlier this week, Mantzoukas collected 12 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist in 31 minutes against Olympiacos as the youngest starter in Greek first division history at 14 years, 10 months and 5 days.
The European roster also includes talented German guard Len Schoormann from Fraport Skyliners Frankfurt; French U16 national team guard Ibrahima Magassa, who is playing with Spanish club HM Hospitales Torrelodones; the Turkish duo of Tibet Deniz Görener and Hamza Celik; and Serbian players Mihailo Musikic, Tristan Vukcevic and Luka Tarlac.
The Asian team has 11 players from China born in 2001 or 2002, as well as one Japanese player born in 1999 and another in 2000. Point guard Li Jiaheng helped China to the silver medal at the most recent FIBA U16 Asian Championship.
Admission to the International All-Star Game presented by adidas is free of charge at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall.
