Sometimes it doesn’t take long to realize what’s in front of you. Those who have seen this generation of Spanish players, even if it was just one game, will know that the future of basketball in our country is in the best possible hands. This U-19 World Cup is already for history of our sport of the basket, whatever happens tomorrow against France (8:00 p.m.) in a final that can make us once again, 24 years later, the best academy team on the planet. The Golden Juniors did it in Lisbon in 1999. In 2023, in Debrecen, Hungary, these twelve players who have the brand of the greatest tattooed on fire want to imitate them.
Türkiye arrived like the hardest bone which the Spanish had faced. the ottoman team it was the only undefeated in the tournament along with Spain. The championship match, perhaps an early final. All the good that Turkey had done up to today, which was a lot, disappeared at the stroke of a pen. Because this Spain is great for many things and one of them is that he is never satisfied with what he has. She always wants more. If you are winning by 10, try to reach a 20 advantage. When he succeeds, he sets his sights on the 30 difference. And so the minutes go by like hammer blows on a rival who little by little is losing his systems, ideas, desire and faith. This is how this notable Turkish team ended up losing by 32 (83-51).
Unlike the quarterfinal match with Argentina, in which it was difficult to start, this time Spain went for all. When they do that, the rivals start to tremble. An impressive defensive display, outside and inside, made each Turkish attack an ordeal. They closed the first quarter with 17 points in favor… and thank you. At halftime, only 31. Meanwhile, the National Team had already broken the game. A meeting that for a few minutes turned into an impromptu mate contest, each one better. First Izan Almansa, wild with one hand. Then Rafa Villar arriving from behind, with both hands and without fear of crash. And finally Baba Miller, in a counterattack and after a spectacular pass without looking from Lucas Langarita.
All the starters, except for Miller who was more down to earth today, played at an outstanding level. Almansa showed why he is the best player in the tournament, with an impressive physical superiority under the boards. 17 points, 8 rebounds and a PIR of 20 for him. The three exteriors looked like never together. Especially Jordi RodrÃguez, from Joventut. A forward with a base soul who gave a basketball recital (20+5). Villar, this is a professional base, but hard as a rockhe scored 9 points without fail and distributed 5 assists. And Sediq Garuba, the master of defensestole 3 balls, grabbed 5 rebounds and even contributed 10 goals with excellent percentages.
The global numbers are truly scandalous. 49-24 in rebounds, 20-7 in assists, 5-1 in blocks. 112-35 in rating! The best player so far in the tournament for the Turkish team, forward Berke Buyuktuncel, who reached the semifinals as the best rebounder, the fifth best assister and the third in valuation in the championship, had 2 goals, 2 rebounds, no basket pass and -1 valuation credit. This Spain is like that. Even the best seem small in his presence. So little did the Turks expect a result like this that they muddied the game in the second half, taking the Spaniards out of the game a bit and putting the light at -24 (69-45 at 5 and a half minutes). Those were the best moments for Turkey and it wasn’t even useful for them to make up a score that even grew wider with the substitutes already on the track.