One of the premier international events took place this past weekend in Athens, Greece when some of the best AAU teams in the world competed in the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague U18 finals.
Tar Heel fans kept close tabs on this event, given that UNC commit Sayon Keita was competing for FC Barcelona. Another UNC basketball recruiting target, Nasir Anderson, also competed, as the five-star guard showcased why so many top-tier programs are heavily vying for a commitment from him.
It was a successful weekend for Keita and FC Barcelona, as they closed the event with a championship title.
Keita and FC Barcelona take the Adidas NextGen EuroLeague U18 title
Keita was an absolute monster during pool play, averaging 10.5 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocked shots per game. His best outing during pool play came in his team's tournament opener, nearly recording a triple-double effort in just 18 minutes of action.
Oh, and did we mention, he blocked seven, yes, seven, shots in that game?!
Keita and Anderson did meet up in the qualifier round on Saturday, a game in which FC Barcelona completely took over control in the second half. A 34-11 run put the game out of reach for good, and Anderson would leave the game due to injury (another tough blow for the Adidas 3SSB squad).
In just shy of 16 minutes of action, Keita scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. He needed just five shots to score in double-figures, and also blocked two shots.
FC Barcelona advanced to Sunday's final against Real Madrid, a classic battle between two programs who are described as bitter rivals. Keita and FC Barcelona pulled away with a 85-77 victory, securing the tournament title.
Keita struggled a bit offensively in the finals, connecting on just one of his four shot attempts from the floor. He scored five points and recorded seven rebounds, making an impact on both ends of the floor even when his shot attempts weren't falling.
Michael Malone and UNC have another transfer big man on their recruiting radar
For the tournament as a whole, Keita put together an impressive stat line. The future Tar Heel finished the weekend averaging 9 points, 8.5 reboundas and 2.5 blocked shots per contest. He was efficient from the floor, knocking down 50% of his shot attempts while draining 10 of his 13 free-throw attempts.
Tar Heel fans should be excited to get this talented big man on campus. While still very much a raw prospect, the potential and upside for this guy is off the charts, as he has the ability and skillset to be a dominant force on both ends of the floor.
North Carolina went into the offseason looking for an athletic big man who can protect the rim and capitalize on his shot attempts. Keita fits that bill perfectly, as it will be exciting to see what Sean May and company can do to take his game to the next level as he embarks on his college basketball career.
Add us as a preferred source on Google