From Roanne to Team France, Isaac Guedegbe presents the U18 European Championship runners-up
French U18 National Team - After a competition full of twists and emotions, the French U18 team claimed second place at the U18 EuroBasket after falling short by one point against Spain at the buzzer (81-82). After his years at Roanne's youth academy, Isaac Guedegbe captained the French U18 team to a silver medal at the 2025 European Championship. The new JL Bourg point guard introduces us to his teammates from the 2025 Serbian campaign.
Photo Credit : FIBA
After an intense journey filled with joy, scares and twists, the French U18 team left EuroBasket 2025 with silver medals around their necks. Narrowly defeated by Spain (81-82) in the final, the French team, led by their captain Isaac Guedegbe (5’10 », 17 years old), left their mark on the competition. Having come through Roanne’s youth academy and now playing point guard for JL Bourg, Guedegbe looks back on this Serbian campaign and profiles each of his teammates who helped secure this European silver medal.
Who are the runners-up of EuroBasket U18 2025?
Maxence Lemoine (6’2″, 18 years old): « He’s a real leader both on and off the court. An offensive leader who can score but also play for others and make smart decisions. He’s also a great defender – he was a huge asset during this Euro. »
Yaël Masdieu-Reynaert (6’3″, 17 years old): « He’s a very cheerful person in life. He brought lots of positive energy, always laughing or joking around. On the court, he’s a playmaker who knows how to organize, put the ball where it needs to be, when it needs to be there. He can also hit big shots that sometimes catch people by surprise. »
Adam Atamna (6’5″, 17 years old): « He was our main offensive leader. Unfortunately, he got injured in the second game. He had to change roles but stayed with us and was able to contribute off the court. Lots of positive energy and he pushed us to never give up. Even though he couldn’t continue playing, he was still a very important asset. »
Tom Audry (6’6″, 17 years old): « He’s quite reserved in daily life and on the court. But when he comes in, he makes a huge impact. He often does the dirty work: grabbing offensive rebounds, making cuts – you might not always notice it. But when you watch the game back, you realize ‘wow, he was really important.' »
Bastien Grasshoff (6’6″, 18 years old): « He managed to step up, especially after Adam Atamna’s injury. He took on that scoring role. As we saw during the Euro, he’s someone who can catch fire, particularly in the game against Turkey where he got us out of a tough spot. He’s a very smiley and positive person. »
Meissa Faye (6’7″, 17 years old): « He controls his emotions well, very cool-headed. He knows when to bring the right energy. Very versatile on the court. He can play without the ball, hit catch-and-shoot threes, step-back threes, or powerful dunks. He can play multiple positions, even filling in at the 4 during the competition. He had a great tournament and was very important. »
Hugo Yimga-Moukouri (6’8″, 17 years old): « Hugo is physically very impressive. You’d think he was born in 2007 or earlier, though he’s actually 2008. He also controls his emotions well, staying cool regardless of what happens during the game. Very versatile, a complete defender who can guard all positions. »
Cameron Houindo (6’9″, 17 years old): « Monster… I don’t really know how else to describe him. You can see it on the court, he has incredible jumping ability. It’s easy to play with him when he’s on the court, he takes up so much space and for a point guard like me, it’s perfect. No matter how you throw the ball up to him, you know he’ll catch it and put it in the basket. »
🇫🇷 Cameron Houindo (6’9″, 2008) is a walking highlight reel — and continues to make his case as one of the top 2008-born bigs in Europe. The U16 EuroBasket MVP lived up to the hype throughout the U18 competition, showcasing elite athleticism, rim protection, and flashes of skill… pic.twitter.com/01t7Kj6YZd
— Scouting lab (@scouting_lab) August 5, 2025
Jonas Boulefaa (6’8″, 18 years old): « He’s very mature, both in daily life and in his game. We know he’ll start his first professional year at Blois next season. I think he’s more than ready for it. He’s very smart on the court, knows where to position himself. He also has a very reliable 3-point shot. »
Jahel Trefle (6’10 », 17 years old): « Jahel suffered a concussion during preparation. He missed most of the prep, only returning after almost three weeks off at the Euro. So it was naturally a difficult comeback after such a long break. But he adapted and took on a different role than what he might have had initially. He still made an impact when we needed him, grabbing important rebounds and making crucial baskets. »
Elie Ntowoa (6’7″, 17 years old): « He didn’t get a lot of playing time but was still very important. His entries were always impactful. He’s not necessarily someone in the spotlight but he’s a great facilitator. With good screens or interceptions that free up our attackers, for example. »
Élise Prudhomme: « She was incredible throughout this campaign. The team was hit by injuries and many other internal issues during the competition. She always knew how to reassure us and stayed true to herself, offering us very fluid basketball. Of course, surrounded by a staff that contributed greatly to this. Élise obviously played an important role, but her staff around her helped her a lot. I have very good memories of her and she was a coach I really appreciated. »
Ézéchiel Ménétrier est alternant chez BeBasket, où il s’occupe des réseaux sociaux, réalise des interviews et crée des reels autour de l’actualité du basket. Joueur en Prénationale, il vit le jeu de l’intérieur et le partage avec énergie et authenticité.
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