Congratulations from BallinEurope go out to KK Zagreb Croatia Osiguranje, who are the 2011 Nike International Junior Tournament champions after defeating Žalgiris Kaunas, 76-65, in the championship match this morning. A few observations on the match, if you will…
• First and foremost, there’s Dario Saric. You don’t need BiE to tell you to believe the hype on this dude billed as the next Toni Kukoc after he notched a triple-double of 15/12/10 in this game, but whoa was Saric head and shoulders above the field today.
Saric displayed an incredible all-around game featuring rebounding, leading the fast break, beating his man off the dribble and gorgeous no-look passes – and all this came on the first two Zagreb possessions. Even when his shooting touch was off early (he went for just 3-of-12 shooting in the first half), Saric still established himself as a serious presence in the middle that forced the ball into Žalgiris’ undersized guards’ hands. And the Lithuanian side managed just a woeful 2-of-18 outside the paint in the first half as a result.
• Also an Achilles’ heel for Žalgiris: The team’s strange discomfort on both sides of the fast break in this game. Perhaps they were a tad tuckered out after the 27-point destruction of FC Barcelona yesterday.
• While the spotlight was firmly fixed on Saric, the real discovery in this NIJT tournament may prove to be the stud’s teammate Mario Hezonja. Hezonja showed amazing synergy with Saric in the tourney — “Mario and Dario” is definitely a natural publicity-making name — and chased up his 26-point barrage against Fenerbahce Ulker yesterday with 19 points, six rebounds and four steals today. Watch out for this dude. (He’s the one with the Iversonian armwear.)
• Here in Barcelona, much of the press corps has been muttering about the (overbearing) presence of Saric’s father at the KK Zagreb games. Predrag was at his best/worst again today, constantly chiding his son in the manner of the worst examples from American Little League baseball parents.
BiE realizes that no one wants superduperstardom and a long career from Dario than Saric-the-elder, but sheesh, isn’t it enough that the coaching staff looks upon the lad as a Jordanesque leader of this team already? And how might this game have been different if the referees followed through on their threat near the end of the second quarter to T up the Zagreb bench for loudly decrying every Croatian foul? Sportsmanship, gentlemen, sportsmanship … isn’t that what youth ball on some level is supposed to be about?
Tags: 2011 Nike International Junior Tournament, Dario Saric, FC Barcelona, Fenerbahce Ülker, KK Zagreb Croatia Osiguranje, Mario Hezonja, Nike International Junior Tournament, Predrag Saric, Toni Kukoc, Zalgiris Kaunas
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Saric is leader, great kid when you met him and hard worker who lives basketball. Hezonja is great prospect, but one of most cocky kids I ever saw at such age. Somebody should tell him story about Josip Sesar, once big KK Zagreb talent, best prospect in Nowitzki generation when he dominated U-18 junior tournament.
This video shows true greatnes of Dario, pulling amazeing assist in clutch and cockey ass of Hezonja beging and trying to order Mavra to give him ball for last shoot. Luckley Mavra ignored him, not leting emberence them
Yeah, I thought Sesar was going to be Europe’s next great shooting guard back in the time. He had it all, the physical attributes, the shooting, the poise, everything… But just vanished. I was told by people from Croatia he was a headcase, to a lesser extent than his fellow compatriot, the also-Mostar-born-underaccomplished Planinic (who has a good career, but could have done much more).
I hope Hezonja doesn’t turn to be another Sesar, he needs a good coach and mentor to tame him and teach him respect. Otherwise he will not make it on the highest level…
…er, what I meant to say is that Sesar was a greater headcase than Planinic, since the later has reached at least 70% of his potential (like Ukic). But Planinic could have been better, and Sesar could have been the best, better than Giricek that’s for sure. Ultimately, Croatia could have had an incredible backcourt combo of Sesar and Planinic, but it didn’t happen… The same with Serbia’s Rakocevic, who is Sesar’s generation. He turned out fine, but also at 70% of his potential…
[...] Zagreb 79, Fenerbahçe Ülker 76 As though The Next Big Thing Out Of Croatia, a.k.a. 2011 NIJT MVP Dario Saric, weren’t enough, NIJT competitors will also apparently now have to take notice of Dominik Mavra [...]
[...] Zagreb 79, Fenerbahçe Ülker 76 As though The Next Big Thing Out Of Croatia, a.k.a. 2011 NIJT MVP Dario Saric, weren’t enough, NIJT competitors will also apparently now have to take notice of Dominik Mavra [...]
[...] Zagreb 79, Fenerbahçe Ülker 76 As though The Next Big Thing Out Of Croatia, a.k.a. 2011 NIJT MVP Dario Saric, weren’t enough, NIJT competitors will also apparently now have to take notice of Dominik Mavra [...]
[...] Zagreb 79, Fenerbahçe Ülker 76 As though The Next Big Thing Out Of Croatia, a.k.a. 2011 NIJT MVP Dario Saric, weren’t enough, NIJT competitors will also apparently now have to take notice of Dominik Mavra [...]