U18 Barcelona dominates U18 Baskonia to secure NextGen EuroLeague Finals spot

U18 FC Barcelona delivered a commanding performance on Sunday, routing U18 Fundacion Baskonia-Alaves 88-53 to claim first place at the adidas NextGen EuroLeague qualifying tournament in Bologna. The Catalan club’s undefeated run throughout the event has secured their place at the NextGen EuroLeague Finals in Athens.

For Baskonia, competing in their inaugural NextGen EuroLeague campaign, the defeat marked their only loss of the tournament after an otherwise impressive run to the first-place game.

Kusturica leads balanced Barcelona attack

Nikola Kusturica spearheaded Barcelona’s offensive effort with an outstanding all-around performance, recording 22 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. The balanced scoring attack featured significant contributions from Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 boards, while Jakob Siftar added 12 points to the tally.

Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is the Bologna Qualifier MVP 💯

What a weekend for the 🇺🇸 forward!

#NextGenEuroLeague @FCBbasket pic.twitter.com/GwzXuI3S1d

— EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) March 15, 2026

Mohamed Dabone showcased his versatility with an impressive stat line of 10 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks, demonstrating the depth of Barcelona’s talented roster.

Baskonia’s resistance was led by Mate Khatiashvili, who finished with 15 points and 3 steals. Juom Maker Bol contributed 14 points and 7 rebounds, while Stefan Joksimovic added 10 points and 6 rebounds in the losing effort.

Barcelona pulls away after competitive start

The game began competitively, with Baskonia taking an early 1-4 lead after two minutes. Kusturica helped Barcelona find their rhythm, extending the advantage to 13-8, but the Basque team remained within striking distance. Khatiashvili’s free throws kept Baskonia close at 18-16 after the first quarter.

The second quarter proved decisive as Boumtje Boumtje sparked a 9-0 run to open the period, giving Barcelona their first double-digit lead. A Nil Poza 3-pointer extended the advantage to 39-20, and despite efforts from Maker Bol and Joksimovic, Barcelona maintained control heading into halftime with a 43-25 lead.

Barcelona continued their dominance in the second half, weathering a brief Baskonia rally that cut the deficit to 47-33 on a Khatiashvili 3-pointer. However, Kusturica and Boumtje Boumtje responded with an 11-3 run that effectively sealed the victory. The lead ballooned to 67-46 entering the final quarter, and Barcelona opened the fourth with three consecutive baskets to put the game beyond reach, ultimately winning by 35 points as celebrations began well before the final buzzer.