Uncategorised

2001 Spring Issue

2001 Spring Issue

The information which follows is part of a Special Report for Alan Lambert and The Basketball Highway.

The player information that is contained in this article is only a "snap shot" of the player's skills.  Full player evaluations, player ratings and contact information are provided exclusively to ISS subscribers.

Spring Issue

June, 2001

For a basketball junkie, Lithuania is perhaps the best spot on the planet to satisfy your "jones". The basketball scene is fast-paced and non-stop.  Estimates are that 90% of all adult Lithuanian males regularly play the game of basketball.  Lithuanian basketball fans avidly follow their countrymen when they are playing overseas.  The Sydney Olympics and the three a.m. start time for an Olympic final against the U.S. was not a problem for the average Lithuanian sports fan.  In contrast, most Lithuanian players competing at the collegiate level in the states are considered to be in some type of self-imposed basketball exile.

In a typical club setting, formal instruction begins at the age of seven and continues for the next 10 consecutive years.  Training sessions are usually scheduled for three afternoons or evenings each week.  Throughout Lithuania, players belong to various clubs.  Some of these developmental clubs have strong ties to the first division clubs and funnel their best and brightest directly into the professional ranks.  Each year there are local, regional and national championships in each age group. 

As expected, Lithuania's largest cities have the most affluent club settings.  The Sarunas Marciulionis Basketball School in Vilnius is perhaps the most well known of the developmental clubs.  Pushing hard and fast for premier status is the Arvydas Sabonis school in Kaunas, which has recently opened a satellite training center in the capital.  Each of these clubs show the entrepreneurial spirit of the Lithuanian personality. 

The Marciulionis school is located on an unassuming site which also houses the magnificent Sarunas Hotel.  The Sarunas is known as one of the finest overnight accommodations available in Vilnius.  Inside the training facility, three full-sized NBA courts lie side by side under one roof.  Each of these courts see plenty of training action during the week with some 750 boys enrolled in the various age group training programs.  The Marciulionis Basketball School believes in a holistic approach to player development.  Every boy enrolled in the Marciulionis school takes classes in the English language and computer science.  Formal classes on character development and social etiquette are also a part of the supplemental curriculum.  International travel is also one of the basic tenets of the Marcilionis approach.  Teams from the school have traveled to 25 countries since it's formation in 1992.  The lobby of the Marciulionis school houses one of the most interesting collection of basketball shoes ever assembled. Many great NBA stars (Jordan, Barkley, Drexler, etc.) have donated pairs of the signed shoes for this one-of-a-kind exhibit.

The Arvydas Sabonis Basketball School is a part of the larger Sabonio Klubas fitness & training facility.  The Sabonio School is located in Lithuania's 2^nd city, Kaunas.  The Sabonio facility is state of the art in every respect.  It includes an NBA regulation court, a "Hard Rock" style restaurant, ultra-modern Universal weight lifting equipment, an aerobic room, sauna, whirlpools, a banquet hall and in-house day care for members.  All of the amenities at the Sabonio club are top notch and the prices reflect the clientele that is served.  Basketball facilities around the city of Kaunas are utilized for each of the daily age-group training sessions. 

Direct interaction with the players will typically produce positive reaction to the prospect of attending college in the states.  In sharp contrast, when coaches or club officials moderate interaction, the rate of positive responses drops to less than 20% of available players. 

The English language is widely understood (but not freely spoken) by the young people of Lithuania.  Anyone over the age of 30 would have been educated in the Soviet system and would typically speak Lithuanian and Russian exclusively.  Outwardly, the Lithuanian people are closed to foreigners, but warm and friendly once the initial chill has been removed. 

Economic reforms as a result of independence have produced mixed results.  The general business climate does not encourage foreign investment.  Foreign ownership of Lithuanian real property is currently not allowed by law.  Vast tracts of farm land which once supplied all of the Soviet Union with potato's and corn now lie dormant.  Subsistence farming with horse-drawn plows and wagons are common sites outside the cities.  Lithuania has a highly educated work force with limited opportunities to effectively utilize their professional skills.  Vast pine forests extend for miles in unbroken stands of virgin timber throughout the interior.  Resorts along the Curonian Spit on the Baltic Sea are a scenic and beautiful mix of towering sand dunes, wide, sandy beaches and the dizzying aroma of millions of planted pines.  Perhaps the northern coast of California is not the best comparison, but it shares more geographical similarities than any other American coastline. 

A part of the unique flavor of Lithuania is evidenced by the fact that it’s current president once worked for U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA).  President Valdas Adamkus, together with his family, immigrated to the United States in 1949.  His professional career in the states is punctuated by several highlights.  He was named as the head of the environmental research center and was later appointed as Deputy Administrator in the U.S. EPA Region 5,  (Great Lakes Region).  He was later promoted to Administrator at the same institution and held that office until June 1997.

Travel or relocation to the states seems to be on the minds of many Lithuanians and visas are issued sparingly by the U.S. embassy in Vilnius.  The largest U.S. population of Lithuanian transplants is located in Chicago and it seems that everyone has at least one friend or relative living in the windy city.

Upcoming Tournaments

*Australian U18 Championships – Canberra, ACT.  July 7 – 14.

*6^th European Championship for Young Men – Qualifying Round. 

Greece, Sweden, Ukraine, Hungary and Bulgaria.  July 7-15.

6th European Championship for Young Men Qualifying Round, Group D  Boras , SWE 

6th European Championship for Young Men Qualifying Round, Group B  Ialissos , GRE 

6th European Championship for Young Men Qualifying Round, Group E  Mykolayiv , UKR 

6th European Championship for Young Men Qualifying Round, Group A  Razgrad , BUL 

6th European Championship for Young Men Qualifying Round, Group C  Szekesfehervar , HUN 

*European U16 (Cadet) Championships – Riga, Latvia.  July 13-22.

*20^th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round

Estonia, Bulgaria, Spain and Hungary.  August 8-12.

*3^rd World Championship for Young Men – Japan.  August 3-12.

*Caricom Games (U19?) – Nassau, Bahamas.  Late July - Early August.

*20th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round

20th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round, Group D  

Seixal , Portugal.  8.1 – 8.5

20th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round, Group A  Jambol , BUL 

20th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round, Group E  Leon , ESP 

20th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round, Group B  Viljandi , EST 

20th European Championship for Junior Men Qualifying Round, Group C  Sopron , HUN 

8.8.2001-12.8.2001 

*3rd World Championship for Young Men  Saitama , Japan.  8.3 – 8.13

*16th Oceania Championship for Men Wellington, NZ.  21.9.2001 -23.9.2001.

Perimeter Players

Karolis Marcihkevicius.  6-2, 176.  17.  PG.  Lithuania.

Karolis played for the U18 National Championship with the club from Alytus.  On their way to winning the championship, they pushed aside the traditional powers of the Sabonis and Marcilionis clubs.  He strokes the stop and pop jumper like there’s no tomorrow.  He has excellent ball handling skills and quickness. 

Keith Dolby.  5-8, 150.  20.  PG.  England.

Has taken the SAT and has a score of 1080.  Began his playing career at the Ilkeston school and moved from there into the U15 developmental squad of the Derby Bucks in the 1^st division. Co-captain and starting PG for the National Basketball Academy U20 squad. He’s a heady player on the court and shows an excellent understanding of the game.

Anderson Nyantika Bonuke.  6-4, 206.  24.  PG-2G.  Kenya.

1^st selected for the Team Kenya trials in 1998 and is currently playing for the Nairobi Select squad.  Played in the 1998 African Club Championships. He has good range on the jumper and can stroke the international trey.  Uses his strength to his advantage on the boards and is a real force on the defensive end. 

Rick Shaw.  6-0, 170.  19.  PG-2G.  Canada.

Currently completing his career at Medicine Hat Community College in Canada.  Proved to be one of the most productive players on the Medicine Hat squad earning Player of the Game honors 5 separate times.  Reports indicate that he is an excellent ball handler who has great one on one skills. 

Calix Black Ndiaye.  6-3, 190.  19.  PG-2G.  Norway.

Calix is one of the youngest member of the Men’s National team.  Named to Norwegian All-Star team in 2000.  He is a fundamentally sound player who shoots the ball well from the perimeter, has solid ball handling skills and has an intuitive knowledge of the game.

Dan Riches.  6-4, 190.  20.  2G-SF.  Australia.

Selected as a junior All-State representative in basketball-mad Victoria.  Of course, Victoria is known as the “Indiana of Australia” when it comes to basketball.  Trained during 2000 with the 1^st division Melbourne Tigers and Victoria Titans. He can knock down the jumper off the dribble or from behind the three-point line. He is not afraid to help out on the boards.

Liam Santamaria.  6-0, 175.  20.  PG.  Australia.

Currently averaging  17 points, 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds in the ABA.  He is a member of the NBL Melbourne Tigers 2001 development squad.  He is a natural leader on the court.  He sees the floor well and can distribute the ball to his open team mates.  A legitimate threat to score any time the ball is in his hands.

Matthew Gill.  6-5, 185.  21.  2G-SF.  England.

Currently training with both the Toxeth Tigers and the 1^st Division Sheffield Sharks.  He has two years of eligibility remaining.  He has a solid perimeter game and is very consistent from the three point line. 

Alek Arsenic.  6-6, 200.  18.  SF.  Canada.

He has just completed his first year at the University of Regina.  He will be a transfer after averaging 10 ppg in 18 minutes of playing time as a freshman.  He was the Greater Plains Athletic conference Rookie of the Year.  He has good ball handling skills and is very effective off the dribble penetration.

Attila Kun.  6-1, 170.  20.  PG.  Hungary.

Known as one of the quickest one on one players in Hungary.  He has good ball handling and passing skills.  He is an exceptional athlete and is no stranger to the All-Star game dunk contests.

Yaw Owusu.  5-10, 150.  17.  PG-2G.  England.

He was the MVP of the 2000 U18 National Championship for Coach Henry Mooney and the Toxeth Tigers.  He is an outstanding athlete.  He has a great attitude on the court and is blessed with natural ability. 

Adrian Ohiorenoya.  6-7, 196.  17.  SF.  England.

Currently training with the Toxeth Tiger program in Liverpool.  Adrian is a young man who has only just turned 17.  He appears to still be growing and will continue to mature physically.  He is a good student and could attend a year or more of high school in the states.

Aaron Rey.  6-0, 150.  18.  PG-2G.  England.

Aaron was a member of the 2000 U18 National Championship Toxeth Tiger squad.  Has an exceptionally quick first step and is a tenacious defender.  He scores consistently with the perimeter jumper.  He is very strong on the dribble penetration to the basket and can score with either hand.

Post Players

Donatas Rackauskas.  6-10, 225.  17.  C.  Lithuania.

Has just recently been invited to begin training with the National team.  Donatas played for the U18 National Championship with the club from Alytus.  On their way to winning the championship, they pushed aside the traditional powers of the Sabonis and Marcilionis clubs. He is very patient and effective as a shot blocker.  He has very soft hands, a nice touch and can nail the jumper out to about 17 feet.

Mindaugas Katelynas.  6-9, 195.  17.  SF-PF.  Lithuania.

Mindaugas played for the U18 National Championship with the club from Alytus.  On their way to winning the championship, they pushed aside the traditional powers of the Sabonis and Marcilionis clubs.  Mindaugas is an excellent athlete.  He doesn’t just jump well, he has “hang time”.  He has long arms and is very active on the boards at both ends.  He has a quick first step and decent ball handling skills for his position. 

Rytis Adomavicius.  6-7, 200.  17.  PF.  Lithuania.

Rytis is a member of the 2001 U18 National Championship team from Alytus.  He is currently a high school junior.  He’s a big strong, solid young post.  He is very athletic and showed some exciting moves in the paint. 

Erikas Kurminovic.  6-8, 210.  16.  C.  Lithuania.

Erikas plays on the Vilnius Basketball Club’s development squads for players in the 10^th and 11^th grade.  He has long arms and is already a very active as a shot blocker.  He is active on the boards at both ends of the court.  He can hit the jumper out to 17 feet with good accuracy.

Alfred Griskov.  6-7, 226.  16.  PF-C.  Lithuania.

Alfred plays on the Vilnius Basketball Club’s development squads for players who are mostly in the 10th grade.  He is a big, strong raw-boned kid.  He has extremely powerful legs to have just turned 16 in April.  Has a good fundamental knowledge of post moves and does an excellent job of maintaining position inside.

Jonas Langvad.  6-9, 200.  17.  SF-PF-C.  Denmark.

Jonas is currently completing his sophomore year of high school.  He was named MVP of 1999 Scania Cup ( Northern European Championship) and also named MVP of the Danish National Cup Finals in 2000.  He is a very mobile post player who can score anywhere inside the three-point line.

Thorsten Goetterup.  6-9, 190.  18.  PF-C.  Denmark.

Thorsten is currently completing his sophomore year of high school.  He was named to the U18 National team in 2000.  He is a defensive demon in the paint who can also score down low or anywhere inside 16 feet.

Mark Woodhouse.  6-9, 225.  18.  PF-C.  England.

Mark averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game for Coach Jimmy Smith’s Notts Nova program in 2000-2001.  Mark in known as an inside scorer.  He has good quickness and gets off the floor well.

Emmanuel Agalamaryi.  6-5, 225.  17.  2G-SF-PF.  England.

Played on the 2000 U18 National Championship Toxeth Tiger squad.  He is gifted athlete who has enormous physical strength and is ferocious at both ends of the court.  He is still growing and young enough to attend a year of high school in the states.

Robert Friday Cameron.  6-7, 217.  20.  SF-PF.  England / Zimbabwe.

Robert is a member of the U20 National team of Zimbabwe.  Currently living and training in England with the Toxeth Tiger program.  A developing post player who is very strong physically.  His is athletic and has a good perimeter game to compliment his post skills.

2001 Fall Issue

Home

Join the ISS mailing list!

2001 Fall Issue

Latvian Cadet National Team

Host team of the 2001 European Cadet Championships

Player Summaries from 2001 Fall Issue

 Full player evaluations, ratings and contact information are exclusively available to ISS subscribers.

Andris Biedrins.  6-9.  Latvia.  Andris is a member of the U16 National Team.  He has a good understanding of low-post offensive skills.  He scores consistently with both the drop-step and the turn-around jumper out to 10 feet. 

Kaspars Berzins.  6-8.  Latvia.  Kaspars is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is a very smooth athlete.  He’s one of those guys who seem to move from A to B with little or no effort required.  He plays a slashing style on the offensive end, but also has range on the jumper at the three-point line. 

Linas Kleiza.  6-7.  Lithuania.  Linas is a member of the U16 National Team.  For his age, he has a very powerful build.  He is all about hustle and laying it on the line.  He has good quickness in the half-court. 

Laurynas Peciukaitis.  6-0.  Lithuania.  Laurynas is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is the designated long-range gunner for the Lithuanian squad. 

Sergo Atuashvili.  7-4.  Georgia.  Sergo is a member of the U16 National Team.  Although Billy Crystal was nowhere to be seen, this young giant does have a future (in basketball, not acting).  He does not appear to be finished growing and looks like a few more inches are easily possible. 

Manuchar Markoishvili.  6-5.  Georgia.  Manuchar is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He proved to be an exciting player for the undermanned Georgian squad.  He can score from anywhere on the offensive end of the court.  In seven games of the Euro Championships, he averaged 50% from behind the arc. 

George Mdivani.  6-8.  Georgia.  George is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is big and strong.  He has the body type of an NFL lineman.

Luka Bogdanovic.  6-7.  Yugoslavia.  Luka is a member of the U16 National Team.  Slightly built, but more than willing on the boards.  He is especially effective on the glass at the defensive end of the court. 

Darko Milicic.  6-9.  Yugoslavia.  Darko is also a member of the U16 National Team.  In this age group, he is a dominant player.  He’s a big lefty who can control the offensive paint and yet still has range on the jumper at the 3 point arc. 

Kosta Perovic.  6-10.  Yugoslavia.  Kosta is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He has a long, lean frame and appears to still be growing.  He is a blue-collar guy on the boards. 

Milovan Rakovic.  6-7.  Yugoslavia.  Milovan is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is surprisingly athletic.  He has good quickness and ball handling skills for his position.  He is another hard worker on the boards. 

Marc Gasol.  6-10.  Spain.  Marc is a member of the U16 National Team.  He is also the younger brother of Pau Gasol, 2001 NBA 1^st round draft pick.  He was effective scoring in the paint and showed some good range on the jump shot. 

Josep Mestres.  6-8.  Spain.  Josep is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He’s a thin, rangy, kid who plays with a hard-scrabble toughness that is unusual in European kids.

Sofoklis Schortsanitis.  6-9.  Greece. Sofoklis is a member of the U16 National Team.  To my knowledge, he is the first black kid to play for one of the Greek National teams.  He is the most physically mature player I have ever evaluated in this age group.  He is built like an NFL lineman. 

Anton Kazarnovsky.  6-8.  Israel.  Anton is a member of the U16 National Team.  He is very thin, but still very effective scoring in the paint.  His scoring range extends out to the 3 point line, but it’s not the best part of his game. 

Damir Omerhodzic.  6-10.  Croatia.  Damir is a member of the U16 National Team.  Size and arm length make Damir a prolific shot blocker.  He showed some real skill in the paint using the “Worthy” move to free himself for the chip shot or by scoring with the jump hook.

Alen Trepalovac.  7-0.  Croatia.  Alen is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is like a massive, lumbering aircraft carrier patrolling the middle of the court.  His frame is huge, so it’s understandable if his quickness and agility have not yet caught up with his size.

Marko Palada.  6-7.  Croatia.  Marko is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is a consistent scoring threat inside the three-point line.  He has good quickness and ball handling skills for his size. 

Igor Kornishine.  6-1.  Russia.  Igor is a member of the U16 National Team.  He is a rugged, reliable perimeter player for the Russian squad.  He led all team members in minutes played for the U16 event.  He has tremendous confidence from behind the three-point line.  He led all tournament participants in attempts from behind the arc. 

Dmitiri Sokolov.  6-10.  Russia.  Dmitiri is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is a dependable, blue-collar guy on the boards.  He is particularly effective scrapping around the offensive boards and scoring garbage baskets. 

Sergei Borodine.  6-9.  Russia.  Sergei is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is a wide-body who cruises the paint for the Russian squad.  He does a good job as a shot blocker and as a deterrent to penetration into the lane. 

Johan Petro.  6-11.  France.  Johan is a member of the U16 National Team.  He has very long arms, huge hands and is very athletic.  He was very active on the boards and led the French squad in rebounding.  He’s one year younger than most in this age group and is already making a big impact.

Hugues Jannel.  6-9.  France.  Hugues is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is a big, wide-body who does the dirty work in the lane for the French.  He is very strong physically and plays a power-oriented game. 

Philippe Amagou.  6-0.  France.  Philippe is also a member of the U16 National Team.  He is at the vortex of the French offensive strategy.  He led the squad in total attempts from the field. 

PLEASE READ PRIOR TO MAKING ANY COPIES OF THIS DOCUMENT OR OPENING ANY ATTACHMENTS THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY ATTACHED FILE (S) ARE REGISTERED WITH THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE.  THE CONTENTS ARE PROTECTED UNDER ALL APPLICABLE U.S. LAWS AND INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT TREATIES.   CONTENTS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF ISS SUBSCRIBERS AND ARE NOT TO BE SHARED WITH ANY OTHER PARTIES.  SUBSCRIBERS MAY OPEN ANY ATTACHED FILE AND STORE OR PRINT THE CONTENTS OF THE EMAIL OR THE ATTACHMENT FOR THEIR EXCLUSIVE USE.  DO NOT PROVIDE OR SHARE PLAYER INFORMATION AND/OR COACH OR PLAYER TELEPHONE CONTACTS TO/WITH ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS, MEDIA OUTLETS OR COACHES; SPECIFICALLY DO NOT PROVIDE EVALUATIONS OR CONTACT INFORMATION TO AAU COACHES/STREET AGENTS, NBA CERTIFIED AGENTS, REPORTERS, HIGH SCHOOL COACHES, JUCO COACHES, NAIA COACHES, OR COACHES FROM ANY NCAA MEMBER SCHOOLS.  DO NOT PRINT AND MANUALLY COPY, ELECTRONICALLY TRANSFER BY ANY MEANS, COPY/PASTE OR DISTRIBUTE THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT/EMAIL OR ANY ATTACHED FILE TO ANY OTHER PARTIES.  RICHARD DALE MOCK, INTERNATIONAL SCOUTING SERVICE, COPYRIGHT 1993-2001.

2000 Fall Issue

Home

Join the ISS mailing list!

2000 Fall Issue
Player Capsules

The 2000 Australian U18 Championships was played in Penrith, at the foot of the Blue Mountains, just outside of Sydney. The city of Penrith later served as the Olympic Kayaking venue. 

A total of 14 teams competed for the 2000 National Championship trophy. Teams from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales Country, New South Wales Metro, New Zealand, the Northern Territory, Queensland North, Queensland South, South Australia Country, South Australia Metro, Tasmania, Victoria Country, Victoria Metro, Western Australia Country and Western Australia Metro competed for the 2000 age-group National Championship. The assembled players make up a very interesting mix of talent. The Australian system has a blended view of the American and European philosophies of development. This blend of developmental philosophies produces a fairly athletic, highly skilled player. The "typical" high level Australian player is fundamentally sound, but with less emphasis placed on athleticism in comparison to the American game. The Australian system does emphasize athleticism more than the European system, just not as much as the American system.

ISS has provided coverage of this event for several years using coaching contacts in the Australian basketball network. I was very impressed with the assembled talented in my first personal experience at the event. The event is always held in early July and is tightly controlled by the organizational structure of Basketball Australia.

Upcoming Events

2000 Scandinavian Championships Copenhagen, Denmark 12.27-12.30.00
2001 Bahamian Championships Nassau, Bahamas Late February
European Cadet Challenge Round Slovakia, Turkey, Croatia 4.4-4.8.01


General Info

The FIBA calendar indicates that the AST will be played in April 2001, however it was played in April 2000. It has been played on alternating years since it's inception.

Player previews and general information from the 2000 Scandinavian Championships will be available in January. The age group places the athletes 1-2 years away from HS graduation.

The European Cadet Challenge Round is an U16 event and well worth attending if your recruiting is planned that far in advance. The scheduling of the event dates and locations make it extremely difficult to cover more than one group of players during the Challenge round.


Fall 2000 Players

Jacob Holmes. 6-5, 195. 2G. Australia.
He has proven himself to be a deadly perimeter shooter from inside and outside the international arc. At the 2000 Australian U18 event he proved once again that he is the most prolific scorer in the age group. He averaged nearly 29 ppg during the 8 day event. In addition, Jacob also led all players in blocked shots averaging nearly 3 blocks per game. Jacob also ranked second in overall rebounding average with just over 13 rpg. 

Ben Tatuilli. 6-1, 170. PG-2G. Australia.
Ben played with the Australian squad at the 2000 Albert Schweitzer Tournament, but struggled from the floor offensively. He was almost unstoppable averaging nearly 28 ppg. from the point/scoring guard spot. He also averaged nearly 45% from outside the international arc while attempting nearly 6 three point shots per game. 

Alex Loughton. 6-8, 215. PF. Australia.
Alex played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Western Australia Metro squad. He is the ultimate example of a quiet, unassuming performer who kills you with his game, not his mouth. Alex pulled down a 2000 U18 tournament high of 28 boards in the Championship game. For the eight game event, he averaged over 15 rpg.

Daniel Kickert. 6-10, 225. C. Australia.
Daniel played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Vic Metro squad. He is a true post player who will thrive in the American collegiate system. 

Graeme Dann. 6-7, 190. SF. Australia.
Graeme played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the New South Metro squad. Has size, athleticism, BH skills and range on the jumper from the international line.

Cameron Tragardh. 6-7, 200. PF. Australia.
Cameron played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Queensland South squad. He was the most consistent scorer on the South Queensland team, averaging just under 25 ppg. 

Luke Hedges. 6-8, 210. PF-C. Australia.
Luke also played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Queensland South squad. His presence in the paint at the defensive end causes lots of shots to be altered. 

Rowan Gray. 6-9, 215. C. Australia.
Rowan played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Queensland North squad. He seems to be a relative newcomer to the game of basketball. He's a hard worker on the boards, averaging nearly 11 rpg. for the U18 event. 

Mark Worthington. 6-7, 195. SF. Australia.
Mark played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Western Australia Country squad. Mark is a very versatile player as is evidenced by the fact that he plays any of the 1-4 spots. Although he's not a natural at the point guard spot, he doesn't suffer much when he's at the top running the show. 

David Barlow. 6-4, 180. 2G. Australia.
David played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Victoria Metro squad. Dave is a deadly shooter from the perimeter and lead all competitors at the 2000 U18 event with an amazing 62% from behind the international arc. Averaged over 60% from the field for the entire U18 event.

Phillip Hickey. 6-7, 185. SF. Australia. 
Phillip played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Victoria Country squad. Phillips is not really an undersized post, but he was stuck in the paint for the VIC Country boys. Unfortunately, is job assignment at the U18's prevented him from showing off his range of skills.

Thomas Greer. 6-5, 175. SF. Australia.
Thomas played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Victoria Metro squad. He was very productive at the offensive end of the court in the U18's. He scores consistently from the international arc and with mid-range and short-range jumpers. 

Rhys Carter. 6-2,165. PG. Australia.
Rhys played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Victoria Country squad. Rhys also trained in the AIS as well as competing in the 2000 Albert Schweitzer. He was the top assist man in the 2000 U18 event averaging just over 5 apg. 

Larry Davidson. 6-9. C. Australia.
Larry played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the New South Wales Country squad. He gave good effort on the boards averaging nearly 9 rpg at the U18 event. 

Mitch Selwood. 6-2. 2G. Australia.
Mitch played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the New South Wales Country squad. He shoots the ball well from mid-range and is very consistent. He averaged just over 66% for the 8 game event from the field. 

Tim Labka. 6-6. 2G-SF. Australia.
Tim played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the New South Wales Metro squad. He showed the ability to score from inside or outside the three point arc. 

Blagoj Janev. 6-7, 220. PF-C. Australia.
Blagoj played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the New South Wales Metro squad. He's best described as a banger inside. 

Aaron Bruce. 6-1, 160. 15. PG-2G. Australia.
Aaron played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the Vic Country squad. Lead the Vic Country team in scoring averaging just under 16 ppg at the 8 game event.

Darren NG. 6-0, 145. 2G. Australia.
Darren played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the South Australia Metro squad. He ranked 4th overall in scoring for the eight game event with just over 21 ppg. Darren shot the ball well at the 2000 Championships averaging 61% overall and 54% from behind the international arc. 

David Florance. 6-5. PF. Australia.
David played in the 2000 U18 National tournament as a representative of the South Australia Metro squad. He showed good effort on the boards in every game we covered. Scored most of his points around the rim off put-backs and basic post moves. 

Michael Fitchett. 6-0, 190. 18. point guard, shooting guard.
Michael was selected for the U18 National Team in 1999 and for the U20 Teams in 2000 and 2001. 

Mika Vukona. 6-5, 200. 18. Small Forward.
Mika was selected as a member of the New Zealand U18 National team in 1999 and has already been chosen for the 2001 U20 National Team. He was selected as a member of the 2000 National High School All-Tournament team. 

Matthew Gill. 6-5, 185. 2G-SF. 20. England.
Matthew has played with several National league clubs including the Sheffield Sharks and the Toxeth Tigers. 

Johnathan Russ. 6-2, 190. 17. Shooting guard. New Zealand.
Johnathan was selected for the New Zealand U18 National team in 1998 and 1999. He has been training with the Nelson Giants in the Men's 1st Division since 1999. 

Luke Ruscoe. 6-6, 210. 19. shooting guard, small forward.
Luke was selected for the U18 National Team in 1997, the U20 National Team in 1998 and 1999, as well as the U21 National Team in 2001. 

Other players to watch:
*Nicolas Campbell. 6-5. Tasmania.
*Sam Harris 7-0, C. Tasmania.
Both of these young men were suffering from temporary injuries and did not compete in the 2000 U18 Championships. Insider reports that both of them are very interesting prospects. Sam Harris will most likely be in the AIS program.

• Includes four (4) quarterly issues.  

• Player evaluations

• Photos (when available)

• Online Game and Highlight Video (when available)

• Player contact information

• Player rating

• Upcoming international events

• Special Issues / Player Updates between issues