Germany coach Kay Blumel has named 20 players to gather in Heidelberg on June 8 as they being their preparations for the U18 European Championship in Greece and there was a mild surprise with Erik Land of TSV Breitengüßbach only being listed on stand-by.

Simon Schmitz, a back-up point guard at last year's U18 event, and most of the players who took part in this year's Albert Schweitzer Tournament, where Germany finished ninth, have been included.

Italy have appointed Alessandro Ramagli as coach of Under-18 men's team.

Ramagli, 44,will guide the youngsters at the U18 European Championship in Greece from July 25 to August 3. The Azzurri will take on Lithuania, Estonia and Serbia.

What will happen to German basketball when the likes of Dirk Nowitzki, Ademola Okulaja and Patrick Femerling retire from the senior national team?

Some observers are full of doom and gloom. They predict Germany will fight against relegation.

Turkey is one of the leading countries when it comes to developing young basketball players and that was obvious at the recent Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Germany, where the country finished second only to Greece.

The Turks, who could have an emerging talent in 15-year-old forward Enes Kanter, will be one of the most intriguing teams at the U18 European Championship in Greece this summer.