The Spanish under-19 team was proclaimed this Sunday world champion of the category for the second time in history. The team with youngsters born in 2004 and 2005 emulated, 24 years later, the gold juniors who achieved glory in 1999, with the best generation that Spanish basketball has ever produced. In Lisbon, Pau Gasol, Navarro, Felipe Reyes, Carlos Cabezas, Berni Rodríguez, Raúl López and company rose to the top in the U-19 World Cup. Almost a quarter of a century later, in Debrecen, Izan Almansa, Jordi Rodríguez, Baba Miller, Isaac Nogués and Rafa Villar, among other great talents from the academy, repeated the feat, against a very physical French team that surprised the United States in the semifinals and had to surrender in an emotional final. With extra time included, Spain wasted character, heart and faith to sign another golden feat in a training tournament.
The team led by Dani Miret was led in attack in the final by Jordi Rodríguez, Villar, Almansa and Miller, but also in defense by Nogués, author of seven rebounds and six steals for a PIR of 18. The same ones that Izan Almansa added, deserved MVP of the Under-19 World Cup after winning the best player trophies of the Universal Under-17 Championship (also gold) and the European Under-18 (silver) last summer. The reaction after the rest of Almansa, a new player in the G League, the NBA development league, was essential for Spain to dress in gold in Hungary, where despite not playing their best basketball in the decisive game, they did throw caste and sacrifice (up to 18 ball steals), despite his inferiority in rebounding (29 captures compared to 54 from a very tough opponent) and worse shooting percentages than the rival.
Spain
Villar (17), Garuba (5), Rodríguez (18), Miller (11) and Almansa (14) -starting five-. De Larrea (2), García (-), Gómez (0), Langarita (0), Moreno (0), Nogués (6) and Oneutu (0).
73
–
69
France
Bouzidi (9), Ajinca (21), Risacher (0), Perrin (14) and Sarr (8) -starting five-. Correa (-), Dzellat-Diakeno (0), Fischer (7), Hoeltzel (-), Le Meut (0), Parmentelot (4) and Penda (6).
-
Partial:
19-18, 9-11, 13-14, 22-20 and 10-6. -
Referees:
García (Venezuela), Reneau (USA) and Gedvilas (Lithuania). Eliminated: Miller and Perrin. -
Incidents:
Final of the U-19 World Cup, played at the Fönix Arena in Debrecen (Hungary).
Spain was not comfortable at any time until extra time came, forced with 18 seconds to go in 40 minutes due to a basket by Jordi Rodríguez, one of the main architects of this new milestone for the U-19 team. They had lost the Spanish title, but it was the team and the tireless defensive effort that they have shown at a high level throughout the championship, which led them to extra time and to the top of the podium after much suffering. Relaunched by that basket by Jordi Rodríguez that at first seemed to be a three-pointer but stayed at two points to equalize such an intense duel (63-63), Spain frustrated France’s last attack and from then on they felt powerful to take the gold.
Perrin, 20 rebounds
Zacharie Perrin, who had 14 points and no less than 20 rebounds, was no longer in that overtime, because the great French star was eliminated for personal reasons and his absence also opened the way to the title. Spain, who missed so many free throws (17 of 32 from the staff line) and was outclassed by France in all aspects except steals and losses, nevertheless kept a cool head at the moment of truth. In that overtime, he did resemble the best and most solid Spain, after the opponent, who was aspiring to his first U-19 world title, blocked his attack with enormous athleticism. With so many difficulties to be successful on offense and also to run, without taking defensive rebounds, gold was forged based on defense, choral play and pressure to defuse and make France nervous.
Despite all the fatigue, after sweeping this World Cup, even with a historic 102-20 defeat of Lebanon in the round of 16, Spain had to put on work overalls to defeat France again in Hungary a week after doing so in the second day of the first phase. So, by 88-69. This Sunday it cost Spain much more, above all, because it was annulled by a team that despite leaving better feelings in the first half, only left with one point ahead at halftime (28-29). Not even when Spain trailed by seven (46-53) with six minutes remaining, Spain broke down, because this ambitious team not only has class and dedication, but is also very strong-minded.
#Gold #juniors #Spain #years