Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – This year’s FIBA U20 EuroBasket tournament will take place from July 12-20 in Heraklion, Greece, featuring 16 national teams. It begins with a round-robin group play (four groups of four), followed by a rest day before entering the knockout phase of the tournament, from the round of 16 to the final game, showcasing Europe’s most promising under-20 talent.
As the tournament hosts, Greece benefits from home-court advantage and is favored heading into the tournament. Neoklis Avdalas, who recently signed with Virginia Tech, is one of the tournament’s top prospects. Standing at 6-foot-9 with guard-like ball-handling, exceptional court vision, reliable perimeter shooting and athleticism, Avdalas has firmly positioned himself among the top-tier talents to watch in this year’s tournament.
Avdalas is coming off back-to-back honors as Greece’s “Best Young Player to Watch” and “Most Improved Player.” His consistently high-level performances on the international stage make him a central figure for Greece, leading to high expectations for Avdalas as the heart of the young Greek squad. He is expected to lead the way in scoring, facilitate offense and provide key leadership for Greece, utilizing much of his early experience at some of the highest levels in basketball.
Widely regarded as one of the premier international tournaments for emerging basketball talent, the FIBA U20 EuroBasket is a proving ground for future stars on the professional and international stages. Many of today’s top European pros, including several NBA standouts, first made their mark at this competition. For prospects like Avdalas, excelling on this stage often signals the beginning of a highly successful basketball career.
Greece will compete in Group B, alongside Lithuania, Czechia and Romania. Each team plays three group games from July 12-14, with a rest day on July 15 before advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament based on group standings.
All of Greece's tip times are at 11 a.m. ET in Heraklion’s Nea Alikarnassos (Heraklion Indoor Sports Arena) and Dyo Aorakia (Two Aorakia) Arenas:
- Saturday, July 12 – Greece vs. Lithuania
- Sunday, July 13 – Greece vs. Czechia
- Monday, July 14 – Greece vs. Romania
Following the group rest day (July 15), Greece will play its Round of 16 match on July 16 or 17, depending on seeding.
Tune in to live streams on the official FIBA website and FIBA’s YouTube channel for every Greece performance. For updates and behind-the-scenes content, follow the official FIBA https://x.com/EuroBasket and NextGen Hoops https://x.com/NextGenHoops X accounts.