DBB Albert Schweitzer Tournament

The Albert Schweitzer Tournament (abbreviated AST), full name Albert Schweitzer Under-18 World Tournament, is an international basketball competition that is played between national basketball teams of the Under-18 men age category. It takes place every two years in Mannheim, Germany, and is contested between teams from 12 countries.

Albert Schweitzer Tournament (AST)
SportBasketball
Founded1958
No. of teams12
Country Germany
Continent Europe
Most recent
champion(s)
 Germany
(2nd title)
Most titles United States
(10 titles)
Official websitebasketball-bund.de/albert-schweitzer-turnier
France vs. USA, at the 2010 Albert Schweitzer Tournament.

Since FIBA does not organize an Under-18 world championship, the Albert Schweitzer Tournament is internationally recognized and considered an official non-FIBA organized world championship for the Under-18 age group. Originally, the tournament was an Under-19 age event. The organizers of the tournament are the German Basketball Federation and the city of Mannheim. The tournament is named after Albert Schweitzer.

History edit

The first Albert Schweitzer Tournament took place in December 1958. It was contested between eight teams, and won by Belgium. Hans-Joachim Babies, and the German basketball pioneer, Hermann Niebuhr, asked the theologian and physician, Albert Schweitzer, if they could use his namesake for the name of the tournament. After the second tournament in 1960, there was a break in play until 1966. From that point onwards, a two-year tournament cycle was established.

From 1958 to 1971, the USA used players that were the dependents of the USA's military forces. Starting with the 1973 tournament, the USA began to use players that were selected from throughout the entire USA school system.

The 1991 tournament was canceled, due to the Gulf War. In 1994, the tournament switched from an Under-19 competition, to an Under-18 competition, and has been held during even-numbered years.[1]

The USA has won the most titles, winning ten. The USA is followed by Italy with four titles. The record attendance was 28,763 spectators.

Due to the spread of COVID-19, the 2020 tournament was cancelled.[2] Due to COVID-19, the 2022 tournament was also cancelled.[3]

Results edit

Summaries[4]
Year Gold Medal Silver Medal Bronze Medal 4th Place
  Belgium   Austria   Germany   United States
  Belgium   Austria   United States   Netherlands
  Italy   Turkey   Austria   United States
  Poland   Austria   France   Belgium
  Italy   Czechoslovakia   Poland   Turkey
  Yugoslavia   Italy   Poland   Spain
  United States   Poland   Yugoslavia   Italy
  United States   Turkey   Spain   Poland
  United States   Spain   Turkey   Germany
  Yugoslavia   Spain   United States   Soviet Union
  United States   Soviet Union   Bulgaria   Germany
  Italy   United States   Germany   Finland
  United States   Yugoslavia   Turkey   Sweden
  United States   Spain   Turkey   Germany
  United States   Greece   France   Czechoslovakia
  United States   Lithuania   Italy   Greece
  United States   Spain   Australia   Lithuania
  United States   France   Greece   Turkey
  Spain   Australia   United States   Turkey
  FR Yugoslavia   Greece   United States   Australia
  Greece   Spain   FR Yugoslavia   United States
  Turkey   Argentina   Spain   Serbia and Montenegro
  France   Turkey   Serbia   Croatia
  Greece   Turkey   Australia   United States
  Australia[5]   Germany   Germany   United States
  Spain[6]   Serbia   Turkey   Germany
  Italy[7]   United States   Serbia   Turkey
  Germany[8]   Serbia   Italy   France
  Germany[9]   Australia   Italy   Russia
2020
Cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic[10]
2022
Cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic[11]
TBD[12] TBD TBD TBD

Performance by nation edit

Country
Winners
  United States
10
  Italy
4
  Belgium
2
  Yugoslavia
2
  Spain
2
  Greece
2
  Germany
2
  Poland
1
  Serbia and Montenegro
1
  Turkey
1
  France
1
  Australia
1

Future stars edit

The tournament is an important event for professional basketball scouts from around the world. Over the years, many players who have played at the tournament have gone on to become well-known pro players, both in the NBA, and the EuroLeague.[13][14]

Some of the NBA players who have played at the AST are:

In addition, some of the players who have played in various international senior men's professional top-tier national domestic leagues and who have also played at the AST are:

Awards edit

MVP Award edit

Year MVP
  Kevin Freeman
  David Andersen
  Charis Markopoulos[15]
  Sofoklis Schortsanitis
  Ersan İlyasova
  Nicolas Batum
  Nikos Pappas
  Mitch Creek
  Nikola Radičević
  Ethan Happ
  Kostja Mushidi
  Jonas Mattisseck

Burkhard Wildermuth Prize edit

The Burkhard Wildermuth Prize, or Burkhard Wildermuth Award, was first awarded in 2006, and is given to the player in each tournament that is deemed to be the "Most Talented Player". The award is named after Dr. Burkhard Wildermuth, the long-time co-organizer of the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.

Year Most Talented Player
  Alexis Ajinça
  Enes Kanter
  Dario Šarić
  Cedi Osman
  Nicolás Aguirre
  Zhu Rongzhen
  Tomer Levinson

All-Tournament Team edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "AST-basketball.de It all started in December 1958". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Albert Schweitzer Turnier 2020 fällt aus – AST 2020 is canceled « Deutscher Basketball Bund". Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  3. ^ FICYMIs Feb 11: Albert Schweitzer 2022 cancelled, Spain, France up in new FIBA youth rankings, youth European draw Feb 15.
  4. ^ AST-basketball.de Turnierergebnisse (in German).
  5. ^ "Schoenen-dunk.de Australien triumphiert verdient " (in German). Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  6. ^ Nikola Radicevic wird MVP des AST 2012 – Radicevic honoured as MVP. (in German).[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "US-Boy Ethan Happ ist AST-MVP 2014! " (in German). Archived from the original on 11 December 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  8. ^ "AST 2016: Deutschland erstmals Turniersieger!". basketball-bund.de. German Basketball Federation. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  9. ^ "AST 2018: Deutschland verteidigt den Titel!". basketball-bund.de. German Basketball Federation. 7 April 2018. Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  10. ^ Albert Schweitzer Turnier 2020 fällt aus – AST 2020 is canceled.
  11. ^ FICYMIs Feb 11: Albert Schweitzer 2022 cancelled, Spain, France up in new FIBA youth rankings, youth European draw Feb 15.
  12. ^ Nächstes Albert Schweitzer Turnier im Jahr 2024 (in German).
  13. ^ "AST-basketball.de Magic Johnson was a part of AST in 1975". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  14. ^ 2000 Albert Schweitzer Tournament.
  15. ^ HARIS MARKOPOULOS From Matt Blair for HH:
  16. ^ Μισάν Νικαγκμπάτσε, ο Άιβερσον του Ολυμπιακού! (in Greek).
  17. ^ "Kostja Mushidi ist MVP des AST 2016". basketball-bund.de (in German). German Basketball Federation. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  18. ^ "AST 2018: Jonas Mattisseck ist MVP". basketball-bund.de (in German). German Basketball Federation. 7 April 2018. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2018.

External links edit