"VAN" (Sports Desk - 06.08.2026) :: After the U20 national team, Slovenia's U18 team also climbed to the top of European basketball, defeating Italy 88-71 in the EuroBasket U18 final in Trento to claim the continental title. By adding the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2026 crown to the U20 title won just two weeks earlier, Slovenia completed a remarkable youth double in 2026. Without a doubt, this has been the most successful year in the history of Slovenian youth basketball.
At FIBA EuroBasket U18 in Italy, the Slovenian team, coached by 32-year-old Domen Zevnik, who will take charge of Krka in the upcoming season, also experienced one defeat. Germany handed Slovenia a loss during the group stage, but it proved to be a timely wake-up call. From that point on, Slovenia proved unstoppable. In the knockout rounds, they eliminated Latvia and Israel before producing dominant performances against Spain in the semi-finals and Italy in the final. Both opponents were held to just 71 points, highlighting not only the exceptional offensive talent of the Slovenian youngsters but also their disciplined and physical defence, qualities remarkably similar to those displayed by Slovenia's U20 team just two weeks earlier.
Slovenia not only boasted the tournament's highest-scoring offence but also featured the Most Valuable Player of EuroBasket U18, Stefan Joksimović. The Baskonia guard led the championship in scoring with an outstanding 23.1 points per game. However, behind his brilliance stood a well-organised and disciplined Slovenian squad that executed coach Zevnik's game plan to perfection. Joining Joksimović on the All-Tournament Team were Cheickh Niang (Italy), Hugo Jimga (France), Diego Niebla (Spain), and Leonard Kroger (Germany).
EuroBasket U18 (Trento 2026) | Final Standings:
1. Slovenia
2. Italy
3. France
4. Spain
5. Germany
6. Greece
7. Israel
8. Turkey
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