REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - With China and Korea reaching the final of the FIBA U16 Asia Championship in Vietnam on Thursday, the field for the 2012 U17 FIBA World Championship is now complete.

Advancing to the event in Kaunas from June 29- July 8, 2012 are FIBA Europe nations Croatia, the Czech Republic, Spain, France and hosts Lithuania; the defending champions United States, Argentina and Canada from the FIBA Americas; FIBA Africa champions Egypt; FIBA Oceania winners Australia and China and Korea from FIBA Asia.

While the representatives from the Americas, Oceania, Asia and Africa are identical with the seven teams who played at the inaugural U17 World Championship in Hamburg, Germany, Spain and Lithuania are the only European teams to make it back.

Failing to qualify for the U17s two years later were silver medalists Poland, Serbia and hosts Germany. That just goes to show how balanced the game in Europe is - especially at the U16 age group - that a team with a couple of strong prospects can overcome the more established basketball nations.

While a proud nation full of basketball pride, Croatia have not exactly been racking up the hardware in the youth ranks. But then again, they don't always get a talent like Mario Hezonja coming around too often. The Dubrovnik native was awarded the MVP of the U16 FIBA Europe tournament by guiding Croatia to their second straight U16 gold, following in the footsteps of fellow KK Zagreb teammates Dario Saric and Dominik Mavra. Helping Hezonja win gold and his two biggest sidekicks in Kaunas will be center Karlo Zganec and shooting guard Domagoj Bosnjak.

The Czechs actually picked up their second U16 silver medal in the last four years Martin Peterka and Radovan Kouril leading the way. But center Prokop Slanina will have to have an even better showing if the Czech Republic want to medal in Lithuania next summer.

The U16 European bronze medalists Spain are dominated by the 2.10m center Ilimane Diop, who averaged nearly a double-double to go with his tremendous defense. Alberto Martin is a do-it-all guard while Augusti Sans can also light it up.

The French team which took fourth in 2011 could be entirely different than the one next summer depending on the development of the players in the INSEP program. But two of the leaders will definitely be forwards Damien Inglis and Paul Rigot.

The home Lithuania fans will love to watch small forward Edvinas Seskus, who on two occasions this summer was close to a triple-double. The other top player from the class is point guard Aidas Kavaliauskas, who was actually close to a quadruple-double in the U16 game against Poland (15 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists, 7 steals).

But the overwhelming favorites will be the United States. The clear leader of the Americans team at the U16 FIBA Americas was Aaron Gordon, who averaged a double-double along with 4.6 assists and 3.2 blocks. Then there is the Chicago duo of Jabari Parker, who was named the tournament MVP, and Jahil Okafor, who nearly averaged a double-double. And the combo of Larry Austin and Tyus Jones shared the playmaking duties. The depth of the U.S. team should likely lead them to their second straight gold.

Argentina grabbed silver in the Americas and return to the U17 worlds with Gabriel Deck leading the way and Lucio Reinaudi waiting on the wings and Alvaro Merlo directing traffic.

Canada took bronze this summer and also was third at the inaugural U17 World Championship. And the North Americans should challenge for a medal in 2012 as well. Marial Shayok and Kevin Zabo are two of the team's leaders and then know that Malcom Duvivier can enter the game at any time and bury three-pointers from anywhere.

Australia's chances will likely depend on combo-guard Dante Exum, who participated with the senior Boomers as a 15-year-old. The Australian Institute of Sports scholarship holder is the son of Cecil Exum, who played with Michael Jordan for three years at North Carolina and won the 1982 NCAA title. Jack Purchase meanwhile is the son of former Melbourne Tigers player Nigel Purchase.

Perhaps the biggest player at the U17 FIBA World Championship will be 1996-born Qi Zhou of China, who stands 2.15m tall and has shot 71 percent from the field in averaging 15 points a game going into the final.

Korea also make it back to the tournament and will also have an exciting 1996-born player in forward Gookchan Kim, who carried the Koreans to the final with 14.5 points a game while guard Hoon Heo scored 14.1 points a contest.

Egypt also return to the World Championship and will be led by Ehab Mohamed Amin Saleh and Omar Abdeen Mahmoud Maatouk.

The draw for the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship for Men will take place in early January 2012.

David Hein

FIBA