Yesterday was the final day of this year’s edition of the Albert Schweitzer Tournament. The tournament which has been played for the first time 50 years ago as “European H.S. Tournament” has become the big rendez-vous for all U18 National teams even if the level of this year’s edition was not the highest one because of the absence of the top talent from Europe (Ricky Rubio, Serbia, Lithuania) and a second-tier US team (because of the McDonalds High School Game) that however went for a 4th place.
I won’t talk about the different placement games that have been played in the morning, I come directly to the clash between Australia and the USA for the third place. After having been out of the race for the win, the US team did not show any motivation to go strong for this last game and it were the Australians that got an easy and deserved win. Irving Walker, who was the motor of the team from Lionel Hollins, got locked down by the Australian guards and he could net set up his crazy jumpshots or drive after his insane cross-over moves.
The Final team was set up to be a fight, but it all ended up in a game that was pretty clear. The Greek team seemed a lot more focused and ready to do everything for the win while the Turkish team seemed somehow too self-confident to win it all. Even a great rush to come back in the first minutes of the second half, the Greeks were led by an excellent Kosta Sloukas who played probably his best game of the tournament at the right moment. He was supported by the unusual Baggelis Mantzaris and the once again excellent Konstantinos Papanikolaou who came up with a game high 27pts.
The official All-Tournament team elected by the organization is the following.
PG Irving Walker (USA)
SG Nikos Pappas (Greece) MVP
SF Tomislav Zubcic (Croatia)
PF Deniz Kiliçli (Turkey)
C Enes Kanter (Turkey) Burkhard-Wildermuth Award of the most talented player
However my own All-Tournament team would be the following.
PG Matthew Dellavedova (Autralia)
SG Nikos Pappas (Greece) MVP
SF Mangisto Arop (Canda)
PF Konstantinos Papanikolaou (Greece)
C Enes Kanter (Turkey)
