Summer is harvest time for Spanish basketball. Of the selections of categories lower than the absolute, the medaller fattens when the men and women of different generations change the shirts of their domestic and foreign clubs and defend the national team in the last bingo has been one of those that will be remembered for a long time. The U-18 male team won the European in the category with an impossible comeback in the final against France on Sunday. The boys who train Marco Justo lost by 11 points at the beginning of the last quarter, surpassed by the French muscle (53-64), and for eight in the absence of 41 seconds (71-79) when the Cordoba escort Guillermo del Pino led with nine points of its signature a partial of 11-2 that culminated with a triple in the absence of 1.4 seconds to turn the score (82-81) and give Spain its sixth gold In the category.
It is the first male basketball medal this summer after the absolute female silver in the Eurobasket, and the U-19 world bronze. And the fifteenth of the boys in their category, the greatest fertility in the continent above the 12 Russian podiums.
The Eurobasket U-18 of 1998 was that of the gold juniors, in 2004 Sergio Rodríguez shone, 2011 was the course of Álex Abrines, in 2019 highlighted Santi Aldama and the Gold of 2022 took the name of Izan Almansa. And this 2025 will be the tournament of Guillermo del Pino, author in the final of 23 points, three assists and especially that triple immortal; and of the pivot Ian Platteeuw, 2.10m, appointed the MVP of the championship.
Del Pino and Platteeuw travel parallel paths. The 18-year-old escort was formed in the Unicaja Málaga, with which he debuted at the Basketball Champions League in the 23-24 course, played it last season on loan in Córdoba, in Second Feb, and the next campaign will enter the wide payroll of young talents that emigrate to US universities, where appropriate, in his case, in his case, in his case, in his case. With the selection was gold and MVP of the European U-16 of 2023.
In that appointment he agreed with Platteeuw, 17 years old and with 11 points and six rebounds in the Belgrade final. The pivot will also disembark in the American University League, in the Davidson Wildcats, after growing in the Joventut Badalona, fogging in the CB Prat of Second Feb and briefly appear in the ACB and the Eurocup. Two other jewels that cross the puddle attracted to a better sports and economic offer. An exodus that Spanish basketball wants to stop with the next year and that is no stranger to the functioning of the Spanish team: 10 of the 15 summoned for Spain B competed last season outside Spain.
