Company OverviewOur TeamArticles Babcock Hoops will provide comprehensive scouting reports on top 2025 NBA Draft prospects Our reports offer an in-depth look at each player's development and draft outlook Izan Almansa is an exciting prospect with a strong foundation in rebounding Known for his high motor and ability to exploit mismatches in the paint Almansa’s touch around the basket and pick-and-roll effectiveness make him a reliable offensive option inside He also gained valuable experience while playing with the G League Ignite where he faced professional-level competition While Almansa’s physicality and shooting range are still developing his relentless energy and team-first mentality make him a highly impactful player on both ends of the court Continued refinement of his free-throw efficiency and lower body strength will be key to maximizing his potential at the NBA level Mobility and Activity Level: Almansa’s good mobility and relentless energy enable him to impact both ends of the floor Paint Scoring: Strong touch around the basket and an ability to seal defenders in mismatches Pick-and-Roll Proficiency: A reliable roll man who excels at finishing around the rim and exploiting mismatches he can guard multiple positions and provide rim protection while rebounding at a high level Physicality: Needs to improve his lower body strength to hold position against stronger post players Left-Hand Finishing: Relies heavily on his dominant hand which limits his scoring versatility in the paint Shooting Range: The lack of a consistent jumper raises questions about his fit in modern offensive systems prioritizing spacing Free Throw Efficiency: Inconsistency from the line limits his ability to capitalize on fouls drawn inside Does he have the potential to develop into a reliable three-level scorer or will he remain primarily an interior threat Will his lack of shooting range limit his offensive impact in a modern system that prioritizes spacing and perimeter play Can he improve his lower body strength to hold defensive positions and maintain balance against stronger bigs Izan Almansa is a promising prospect with a solid skill set centered around rebounding His year with the NBA G League Ignite provided him with invaluable professional experience which has prepared him for the next stage of his career and physical strength to thrive at the NBA level Almansa has all the tools to become a significant contributor in the league Company Overview Our Team Articles Podcast Big Board Mock Draft Scouting Reports Advertising Press & Media their play - or lack thereof - in the 2025 NBL Finals will have done nothing to change that As their respective squads shortened their rotations for their most critical games of the season Lewis and Almansa both saw significant cuts in playing time and were not able to capitalize on the limited opportunity they did receive Almansa saw himself completely removed from the Perth Wildcats rotation The Wildcats played their starters 30-plus minutes per game and Bryce Cotton and Dylan Windler were both bordering on playing the entire game After a season where he flexed versatility at both ends of the floor for the Wildcats being able to switch on the perimeter and play drop coverage and offering a lob threat and floor spacing threat on offense it’s clear the Wildcats didn’t trust those skills at a high level yet Almansa wasn’t seen as a rookie season contributor anyway but being deemed unplayable in the NBL playoffs hurts Lewis has had an unfair season with the South East Melbourne Phoenix He constantly tried to fit in around a team that regularly didn’t reciprocate Lewis didn’t put up the best numbers to warrant more support from his teammates either a lot of his efforts this season were moot This became abruptly apparent in the playoff where Lewis finished with averages of four points and 0.3 steals on 27 percent shooting from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc Lewis played only three total minutes in game two as the Phoenix found other lineup combinations they were more confident in What’s most concerning about this for Lewis is that his archetype is supposed to be the most malleable skillset in the entire sport across all professional leagues The fact that the Phoenix deemed him largely unnecessary for their three-game series might be a very serious indictment of his overall skill level and how much he actually contributes to winning where he often appeared to be doing everything he could to make it work with this squad but he never seemed to be on the same page as his teammates his minutes shrinkage in the NBL Finals is something that was likely pre-planned and less an overall indictment of his game and skill set Lewis should still be desirable as a late second-round project given the overall appeal of his general skill set Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER The home-grown WA young gun was among 106-player early entry list for the draft to be held at Brooklyn Center in New York on June 25-26 It comes after a breakout second NBL season from the 20-year-old guard who increased in every statistical category from his debut campaign Henshall started in 28 of his 32 appearances in NBL25 averaging 23:30 minutes per game last season including nearly 29 during finals The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that 106 players have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2025 presented by State Farm, which will be held Wednesday, June 25 (First Round) and Thursday June 26 (Second Round) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New… pic.twitter.com/e4mr12UrBa He more than tripled his points per game from 3.1 to 9.8 had an increased field-goal percentage of 42.2 (up from 34.8 per cent) with his rebounding (1.3 to 3.4 per game) and assists (0.8 to 2.6 per game) also improving Henshall’s eye-catching campaign saw him became a regular in 2025 NBA Draft boards around the world as he looks to realise his NBA dreams He flew to the US in early April and plans to remain there until the draft The Wildcats’ Spanish Next Star Almansa is another name to watch for the draft in late June The 19-year-old played 33 games in NBL25 and put up some good numbers impressing at both ends of the floor with 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting at 51 per cent from the field The pair will be looking to join fellow Wildcats products Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards) and Luke Travers (Cleveland Cavaliers) into the NBA Mixed results for Honda riders at Termas de Rio Hondo in second qualifying session of 2025 Moto3 action returned to Argentina this weekend after the event at Termas de Rio Hondo was unable to take place in 2024 which saw Honda riders battle mixed conditions across the two qualifying sessions David Almansa (Leopard Racing) continued his good form from yesterday which included setting the first 1min46 lap of Friday in today’s qualifying and claimed his place at the head of row two Rivacold Snipers Team’s Riccardo Rossi will start tomorrow's Moto3 race from seventh on the grid despite a Turn 7 crash ending his Q2 with just over two minutes left on the clock Although Adrian Fernandez’s first flying lap was good enough for a front row start the Leopard Racing rider was unable to stay there and ended the session in 12th place who had to come through a slightly damp Q1 session Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse) will line up 15th with Rivacold Snipers Team’s Nicola Carraro 17th and Marcos Uriarte (GRYD – Mlav Racing) 18th Tomorrow’s 18-lap Moto3 race around the 2.99mile Termas de Rio Hondo circuit will take place at 1200 local time David Almansa led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Termas de Río Hondo Almansa used his Pirelli-shod Leopard Racing Honda to lap the 2.99-mile (4.81 km) track in 1:46.981 which led the field of 26 riders and broke Sergio Garcia’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:48.429 from 2022 Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Alvaro Carpe was second-best with a time of 1:47.345 Jose Antonio Rueda claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:47.451.  Classification PR moto3 ARG Almansa slams in lap record to head Carpe and Rueda on Day 1 The Spaniard leads a session for the first time in style heading rookie sensation Carpe and Thailand winner Rueda.  David Almansa (Leopard Racing) heads the Moto3™ timesheets on Day 1 at Termas topping a session for the first time in his career and with a new lap record with 0.364 in hand over rookie Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) Carpe already raised eyebrows in Thailand with a maiden podium first time out and at a venue he’d never previously ridden Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was third fastest as the Thai GP winner proved a key player once again Fourth goes to home hero Valentino Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) who impressed to head a tightly packed group of riders where thousandths made the difference Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and his teammate Angel Piqueras were next up Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) and Buriram podium finisher Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) One notable name not heading straight through to Q1 is David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) as he ended Practice in P15 – and after topping FP1 But the #64 was involved in an incident with Foggia in the afternoon which remains under investigation for now Muñoz already has a pitlane start here for causing a crash with Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in Thailand though so qualifying won’t be his key focus Lunetta too is another surprise who heads for Q1 as does Buriram polesitter Matteo Bertelle (LEVEL UP – MTA) after a crash in the afternoon in Argentina The incident brought out the Red Flag briefly Check out the FULL RESULTS from the session and come back for more on Saturday as Moto3™ head out for another free practice in the morning before qualifying from 12:50 (UTC-3) « Previous Article | Next Article » © document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers When a post is labeled with the words “press release” it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys trigger buttons and links using the Enter key navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus) and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible we are continually improving our accessibility updating and improving its options and features and developing and adopting new technologies All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility The Almansa Park project, proposed by EMAC Arquitectura was developed through a citizen participation process that emerged from an ideas competition for the city of San Javier The project presents the intervention as a kaleidoscopic work that sensitively addresses the different needs and ways of inhabiting the contemporary city fostering social relationships that build cultures and strengthen ties with the city Its program includes a series of spaces that create opportunities for encounter and paths that blur boundaries and connect with nature For Almansa Park, which is halfway between a natural park and an urban plaza, EMAC Arquitectura proposes an intervention that restores the existing facilities while retaining the materials for the new ones creating an integrated complex that blends the different buildings with the park itself and the landscape thus opening up to the city and its inhabitants complemented by a perimeter of perennial vegetation that along with the vegetative earth floors and colored asphalt paving creates a blend of respectful and environmentally sensitive materials that invite exploration The arrangement of these elements and the facilities facilitates the celebration of numerous events throughout the year Almansa Park and cultural facilities por EMAC Arquitectura Project description by EMAC Arquitectura  San Javier's Almansa Park is located in the heart of the municipality and a school are located within the park's perimeter an iconic facility that hosts the International Jazz Festival (25 editions) and the Theater and Dance Festival (53 editions) during the summer which has accompanied several generations of residents throughout its life is promoting a series of initiatives to bring Almansa Park up to the standards that society demands today the project initiated a Citizen Participation process to gather ideas and needs secure European EDUSI Funds to finance the proposal (2016) and reached an agreement with the College of Architects of the Region of Murcia to launch an Ideas Competition for the Renovation of Almansa Park (2017) ensuring a rigorous and transparent process the park featured a series of elements and additions over time that had no common thread resulting in a divided and disjointed park riddled with architectural barriers and largely invaded by vehicles did not comply with current accessibility regulations which included a new Winter Theater/Auditorium that would de-seasonalize the summer festivals extending the cultural program throughout the year as well as a series of new uses in the park such as games for different ages and adapted to different needs a smaller parking area than the current one an enclosure to allow for nighttime closure The winning proposal from this process understands that Almansa Park should be a public space that cements cultures a space that respects the environment and fosters and ensures equality and social relations a place to strengthen ties with neighbors and with one's own city flexible space without architectural barriers where all kinds of activities can be combined where both community and individuality can be accommodated; that it covers the widest possible range of populations because only by responding to diversity can we ensure the full development of society Almansa Park is on an intermediate scale between a natural park and an urban plaza which places it within the realm of an urban park we believe it is essential that it not become a barrier between two opposing realities (leisure/work but rather that the transition between the two occurs smoothly and gradually the layout of the fence is withdrawn from the perimeter and generates spaces of expansion and contraction creating plazas (opportunities for encounter) in the spaces ceded to the city we seek paths and views that no longer respond to the city but to the landscape Few materials are used: topsoil and mortar floors (which ensure natural infiltration through drainage ditches and SUDS) curbs and benches made of in-situ concrete The existing trees are maintained and complemented by existing species A perimeter of evergreen trees is created to create an "evergreen" backdrop and the interior is completed with deciduous species a new envelope is created for the renovated facilities (to improve energy efficiency) using the same materials as for the new Auditorium/Theater This creates a complex not only at a social and cultural level organized around an exterior hall as an extension of the park as well as the setbacks experienced throughout the project (pandemic the choice of a few materials sourced from local industry has proven valid and necessary EMAC (Miguel Martínez Castillejo + Pau Batalla Soriano).  Construction Managers.- EMAC (Miguel Martínez Castillejo + Pau Batalla Soriano).Execution Manager.- Jesús Rodríguez Tirado Health and Safety Coordinator.- Carlos Martínez Marcos.Structural Calculation.- Singular Structures.Acoustic Study.- UPV - Architectural and Environmental Acoustics.Collaborating Architects.- Lara Llop Font Milena Villalba Montoya. EMAC (espacio mediterráneo de arquitectura contemporánea) is an architectural studio primarily focused on public works founded by Pau Batalla Soriano and Miguel Martínez Castillejo in Castellón Pau Batalla Soriano and Miguel Martínez Castillejo graduated from the ETSAV (University of Valencia) in 2006 Pau won two competitions and Miguel received a DPA scholarship and the COACV Award for his final project they combined their own work with collaborating on studies by professors at the UPV (University of Valencia) Pau obtained a research grant from the Instituto Tecnológico de la Cerámica (Technological Institute of Ceramics) (2007-2008) and won second prize in the competition for the Plaza Mayor in Vila-Real (Castellón Miguel won two design competitions: the Extension of the Alicante College of Architects (Alicante 2008) and a housing project in the San Antón neighborhood of Alicante (Alicante they have won eleven competitions and received various awards His built work has been recognized as a finalist in the 2017 Spanish Urban Planning Awards (Parque de los Bajos) the 2019 Valencian Community Awards (Casa Tino) and the 2024 XIII Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urban Planning (Parque Almansa and Cultural Facilities) She received a mention in the 2017-18 ARCO Awards from the Almería Association of Architects (Parque de los Bajos) and was selected for exhibitions by the Regional Associations of Valencia (Casa Carla) in 2014 and 2020 (Casa Tino and Casa Gya) and Castellón (Casa Carla She was also selected for the 2024 CSCAE Architecture Awards (Parque Almansa and Cultural Facilities).Her work has been published in prestigious print and digital media and she has participated in various conferences and exhibitions Pau was a Cultural Representative of the Castellón Association of Architects (2014-2017) and Miguel has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Architectural Design at the UPV (University of Valencia) since 2023 Archive Architecture Terms & Conditions FAQ Privacy Policy but Next Star Izan Almansa has played a big role with the Perth Wildcats in NBL25 Almansa has a dream of taking the next step to the NBA.  The National Basketball League acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, live & play. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present & emerging as well as all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Community. but the Spanish big man was named TISSOT Most Valuable Player MALAGA (Spain) - Izan Almansa may have come up one step short of his ultimate dream of winning the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 title but the Spanish big man was named TISSOT Most Valuable Player after helping the host team make history by reaching the Final 2 assists and 2 steals as he and Spain gave a valiant fight against the United States before eventually losing 79-67 in the Final Almansa was a dominant force in the middle all tournament for Spain and his performance helped the hosts advance past the Semi-Finals for the first time in U17 World Cup history and win their first medal Almansa finished the tournament averaging 12.1 points 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks per game  while hitting 55.7 percent from the field and it means a lot for my teammates and the work of all the staff and all the coaches but we will think about what we did in the future," Almansa said He's trying to do his best all the time," Spanish coach Javier Zamora said "The most important thing for the team is the group Almansa was joined on the All-Star Five by the USA duo of Cooper Flagg and Koa Peat Spanish teammate Lucas Langarita and Ilane Fibleuil of France Flagg played a major role in USA winning the Final with 10 points 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game for Spain The talented Next Star came to the Perth Wildcats with one of the greatest junior basketball CVs ever seen and showed plenty of promise in the four and five spots He played 33 games for the season and put up some good numbers Almansa’s season started with a 10-point HoopsFest debut in the win over SEM Phoenix his first of seven double-digit games across NBL25 The 19-year-old earned 13 starts throughout the season with his best coming on the road against Melbourne United in early November when he posted a season-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds and two blocks after replacing Keanu Pinder in the starting five Four of his double-digit points outings came within a month from late November to late December including a 17-point eight-rebound performance against New Zealand at RAC Arena on December 1 A post shared by NBL Next Stars (@nblnextstars) He also fell one rebound shy of a double-double against Illawarra on December 6 with 15 points and nine boards The athletic big man finished as the Wildcats’ fourth-leading rebounder with 130 and equal-fourth for blocks with 10 Almansa has nominated for the NBA Draft as he looks to realise his NBA dreams and follow in the footsteps of fellow Wildcats Next Star Alex Sarr many have lumped Almansa into the conventional big man category as a prospect 41 percent of Almansa’s field goals this season have been around the rim and more than half of his play types have been as a roll man or from the dunker spot per Synergy Sports Almansa has largely served as a rim protector and guarded opposing bigs especially in the early stages of the season An injury to Keanu Pinder and others for the Perth Wildcats forced a re-arranging of roles and responsibilities Bryce Cotton’s MVP-level play has called on teammates to find ways to supplement him instead of getting what their best at specifically designed for themselves head coach John Rillie has asked Almansa to guard bigs Almansa has appeared to be most comfortable when matching up with perimeter players he looks much more comfortable on the perimeter than he does banging bodies down low Almansa is not strong for his size and is somewhat averse to direct physicality He’s been bullied by the likes of Sam Mennenga but you would like to see him more broadly offer additional resistance Almansa’s defensive rebounding rate is about the same this season compared to last season with the G League Ignite -- 18.5 percent vs 18.8 percent -- but he’s shown the ability to step up on the glass when key players are missing On offense, Almansa has learned to fit well around Cotton as well as Pinder and Ben Henshall He is playing off the Wildcats creators and offensive weapons on the inside and the perimeter and showing great footwork and touch as a roll man he’s 7-of-18 from three in NBL play including one end-of-quarter heave The starting point and release point are kind of low but the rotation is solid and Almansa and his team look confident when he lets it fly his three-point shot has been something he’s tapped into when teams decide to leave him open as they load up on Cotton and Pinder but being surrounded by shooters like Cotton What’s been most impressive about Almansa this season and should give NBA teams a glass half-full view of his potential has been his ability to vacillate between roles and responsibilities on both ends of the floor He is actively doing and improving at things that help his team win His NBA future is probably as an ancillary bench big that provides perimeter defense and some interior/weak-side help He can take center minutes when needed and also space the floor The three-point shot needs to stay the same for that and he has to get somewhat tougher Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news You can also meet the team behind the coverage Spanish forward Izan Almansa is off to a strong start in the National Basketball League after nearing a double-double with the Perth Wildcats in their preseason finale on Thursday one assist and one blocked shot in an 89-76 win over the Cairns Taipans He finished by shooting 5-of-7 from the field in 20 minutes of work off the bench in his third preseason game with the Wildcats The 19-year-old finished the preseason averaging 10.7 points five rebounds and 1.7 assists on 61.1% shooting from the field He has adjusted well to the different environment and has showcased himself at a high level on both sides of the ball in the early going Almansa signed with the Wildcats as part of the Next Stars program in June after playing last season with the G League Ignite He competed in the draft combine and worked out with at least two teams in the predraft process before ultimately withdrawing from consideration on June 16 The 6-foot-10 forward is highly touted for his defensive ability He will need to expand his offensive game to become a first-round pick which likely helped his decision to play with the Wildcats Almansa has also represented Spain several times at the junior level earning Most Valuable Player in three events He most recently competed in the 2024 FIBA U20 EuroBasket 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in seven games One of the most interesting prospects Izan Almansa had a really impressive debut in limited minutes Let’s dive into his positives and negatives Almansa came off the bench in his first game of the season for the Perth Wildcats This was expected because he’s a young prospect that is brand new to a squad that’s looking to win right now Nonetheless the Spanish prospect looked quite impressive in his debut What stood out the most was his defensive versatility and ability to defend out in space effectively There were multiple times where Almansa switched a ball-screen and contained the ball-handlers off the dribble He does so many things well on defense that it makes him an awesome defensive prospect despite not having an elite defensive skill The motor and effort was there which is good to see from a young big man playing in such a physical league He still needs to add strength and weight if he plans on playing center at the next level though Offensively he looked fine as made some simple passes and nice touch shots around the rim He’s not someone that has elite athleticism but he’s someone who does so many things well that he will almost always be guaranteed to make winning plays when he’s on the court on either end of the floor If he becomes a better floor spacer or overall scorer then he undoubtedly will be in first round conversations yet again one rebound and one steal in his debut in a total of 14 minutes of action We should all be excited to see what he has in store for the rest of the season Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage ISAAC CONDRAIsaac is the founder of Global Scouting and an analyst for Draft Digest. He has scouted and covered the NBA draft for the last five years, with experience analyzing players at all levels. Teams have between 8 and 12 games left and have given us a decent sample size to evaluate the play of the NBL’s Next Stars and other young prospects playing their trade in the competition a few NBL Next Stars have separated themselves from the rest of the pack with quality play Alex Toohey and the Sydney Kings are 11-7 and the two seed through 18 games and 0.9 blocks per game in 22.3 minutes per game as does his off-ball play and overall basketball IQ But as we highlighted recently his shooting is raising red flags for the second season running Shooting splits of 44/28/64 aren’t exactly eye-catching and he once again got off to a hot start from beyond the arc this season before a significant cooldown Close doesn’t count for anything in actual games but it could help nudge an NBA team to bet on making the final tweaks to his jumper and cashing in heavily on everything else he brings to the table Izan Almansa is one of the Next Stars who has truly carved out his role and found 'Terra Firma' with the Perth Wildcats He’s coming off the bench as an energy big and a huge benefactor from the MVP-level of play Bryce Cotton has been churning out The opposing defenses are loading up on the small guard and Almansa is converting the opportunities he gets out of it around the rim and from beyond the arc He’s shooting well at the rim and 38 percent from deep on 16 attempts but if he can be a real stretch big and add some physicality on the defensive end he becomes a very enticing modern center prospect Ben Henshall isn’t a Next Star but he might be the next star out of this group Henshall started the season coming off the bench for the Perth Wildcats but has now started 14 of their 18 games and is proving capable of playing alongside NBL Star Bryce Cotton or carrying creation responsibility himself when Cotton rests His assists-to-turnover ratio of 3-to-2 has been more than tolerable and his 39 percent shooting from deep on 74 attempts is starting to turn heads but also the fearlessness - the confidence and swagger - he’s playing with as well He is launching from well beyond the arc without hesitation and zipping passes like a seasoned professional Henshall wasn’t on many radars when the season started Toohey is the most likely of these three to hear his name called next June They are teammates and produce at an extremely high level for a borderline contender Strong finishes could help them sneak into the second round or they could be undrafted steals for organizations known to extract value from that market keep all these names in mind for the summer of 2025 more confident Almansa knows Spain face tough road Izan Almansa could be considered the most successful youth player in world basketball last summer with two MVP awards Even though he feels improved and more confident he knows Spain face a tough road MIES (Switzerland) - Izan Almansa could be considered the most successful youth player in world basketball last summer - winning the MVP award at both the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 and FIBA U18 European Championship 2022. Yet, the Spanish forward feels he is even better and more confident as he leads Spain into a tough road at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2023. Almansa took home the MVP trophy at the U17 World Cup even though Spain finished second to USA. But the 2005-born forward guided Spain to the title at the U18 European Championship. "It was a great run. I’m proud of what we did in both tournaments. We did a great job defensively and we stayed together the whole time. I think that having everyone on the same page about our goals was what made the difference between us and the other teams," said Almansa, who averaged 12.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks at the U17 World Cup. "When Pau Gasol gave me the MVP award, it was a great memory. I'll never forget that moment." Almansa was the only 2005-born player among Spain's U18 European team, which played their first game 20 days after Almansa finished with the U17 World Cup Final. But that didn't have an impact on him. After the U18 tournament, Almansa returned to the United States and played a second season on the Overtime Elite circuit. And he helped his team YNG Dreamerz reach the championship series, losing to the City Reapers.  "Personally comparing to the last season I feel that this year I had more confidence in my game and I ended up being 100 percent myself on and off the court. Also I feel that I have improved a lot on my game," he said. Ambition, improvement, more confidence and strong team chemistry is one thing. But it is still hard to reach the podium - as Spanish basketball fans well know. The last time the Iberians were on the podium was 1999 when the aforementioned Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro guided the country to their only title. "That makes me think how difficult is it to win a medal at the U19 World Cup and that you have to be ready to do your best in every game of the tournament if you want to get one," Almansa said. After two top-two finishes and two MVP awards, the basketball world is anxious to see what Almansa does as an encore this summer. The Spanish young gun has made the most of the absence of fellow big men Kristian Doolittle (groin) and Keanu Pinder (illness) in recent times. The 19-year-old NBA draft prospect is averaging 8.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in NBL25. He's reached double-digit points in four of his last seven games and has shot at 50 per cent or over in each of those, while his rebounding has also been impressive. Almansa is coming off a strong performance in last Saturday's victory over Adelaide 36ers at Adelaide Entertainment Centre, scoring 11 points to go with seven rebounds. When asked what his biggest improvement had been since joining the Wildcats, Almansa responded "my shooting". “I’ve been shooting the ball. I need to improve my shooting but in general I feel like I have taken a step forward in my game in all of the aspects. I’m very happy with my improvement,” he said. “I have more confidence and I play the way I play every time I step on the court. It’s been good to get more confidence and know more about how to play with my teammates. “When I started playing more when Keanu was sick and had longer rotations and played with different guys so I got to know everyone.” Up next for Almansa and the Wildcats is a trip to Auckland to face New Zealand Breakers and their 229cm ex-NBA giant Tacko Fall on Sunday. “I’m excited. I haven’t played with a player like that so I am excited. It’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “It’s going to be a big challenge because when he gets in the paint there’s nothing you can do. You have to do all the work before, keep him out of the paint and keep him out of his spots. He’s tall and he’s strong too so he’s going to be tough but I think we’re ready for that. “I’ll be physical with my teammates (at training) because if you’re not physical with him, he will get in the paint and dunk the ball. He is super tall so you have to be physical, box him out and move on.” Almansa and Zikarsky are future starsMIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 saw five-time undefeated champions United States given a tough fight in the Final by hosts Spain MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 saw five-time undefeated champions United States given a tough fight in the Final by hosts Spain but in the end the Americans made it six for six titles - once again without a loss Spain made history by finally breaking through and reaching the podium to take second place after finishing fourth in 2012 Fellow Europeans France followed up their second place showing from 2018 with a third place finish Other highlights included Slovenia finishing seventh in their U17 World Cup debut while Cooper Flagg shined as one of the next superstars in world basketball And Rocco Zikarsky gave Australia fans hope for the future as a to-be Boomer for many years USA cruised throughout with a 76-point win over Lebanon to start and the Americans never really slowed down They beat Serbia by 26 points in the Quarter-Finals and then Lithuania by 27 points in the Semi-Finals A tight 12-point win over Spain improved Americans' all-time record in the competition to 44-0 At stake in the Final was USA's 43-0 all-time record in the event and five straight titles Spain not only had already made history by reaching their first Final but they also had the home support of nearly 7,000 spectators at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in Malaga Spain were up to the challenge and held a seven-point lead after 10 minutes They increased the advantage to eight points in the second quarter and went into intermission up 38-33 Spain still led 47-40 with 7 minutes left in the third quarter when USA's defensive pressure started forcing turnovers and resulted in a 22-4 run to lead 62-51 after three quarters The Spanish refused to go away and were only down 71-63 with 4:52 minutes to go But the Americans limited the hosts to just two points over the next 4 minutes to lead 77-65 with less than a minute to go and David Castillo added 12 points in a 79-67 victory And the USA's sixth mission of perfection was complete But Spain still had plenty to be proud of as Mara and Gonzalez both had 16 points and Almansa tallied 9 points and 15 rebounds the Most Valuable Player did not go to a player from the winning team but instead was given to Spain's Izan Almansa Almansa was second on Spain in scoring with 12.1 points led the country in rebounds - and was second in the competition - with 11.9 boards and ranked third overall with an efficiency of 20.1 including picking up 15 points and 16 rebounds in 17 minutes against Japan and 10 points and 14 rebounds in the Semi-Finals win over France He collected 9 points and 15 points in the Final against the USA But Almanza's best game was probably against Australia in the Quarter-Finals when he tallied 13 points 9 rebounds and 7 blocks - only the seventh time in U17 World Cup history that a player had seven blocks in a game Almansa was joined on the All-Tournament team by the USA duo Cooper Flagg and Koa Peat Spain teammate Lucas Langarita and Ilane Fibleuil from third-placed finishers France Spain faced a major challenge but managed to rally from 10 points down and oust Australia 70-68 to reach the Semi-Finals and stay alive for their first-ever U17 World Cup medal Conrad Martinez split two free throws with 4.4 seconds left to lock up the win and a date with France Lucas Langarita poured in a game-high 23 points while Izan Almansa collected 13 points Joshua Dent paced Australia with 16 points Neither team could really pull away in the first half and it was Australia who managed the first double-digit lead at 51-41 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter Spain evened the game 60-60 and it was tight the rest of the way Martinez made two free throws with 38 seconds remaining to make it 69-66 but missed two with 18 seconds left He would redeem himself in the end and Spain survive Perhaps the best description of Cooper Flagg is a Swiss Army knife The USA forward shined all tournament with his wide-ranging skill set and multiple ways to beat a team Flagg's versatiliy was on display in the Americans' victory over Spain in the Final as he collected 10 points 8 steals and 4 blocks for an Efficiency rating of 30 Whenever USA needed a big play - at either end of the court - Flagg seemed to be there to provide it Spain have long been one of the greatest nations in youth basketball But the country had never claimed a medal at the U17 World Cup That suffering came to an end in Malaga as Spain finished second to the United States The Spanish had three times lost in the U17 World Cup Semi-Finals - in 2012 With legends of Spanish basketball such as Pau Gasol Carlos Jimenez and Felipe Reyes in the stands at Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena the next generation of Spanish youngsters rose to the challenge and beat France 68-53 to reach the Final The French trailed by just two points with 6:05 minutes left in the game but managed just two free throws the rest of the way as Spain finished the game on a 15-2 spurt Rocco Zikarsky thrived in the moment in Spain as the Australian center dominated despite being a year younger than the field The 7ft 1in/2.17m big man averaged 13.6 points 9.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks for an Australia team that finished sixth after losing a heartbreaker to Spain in the Quarter-Finals He collected three double-doubles during the tournament and four times blocked at least four shots all the while shooting 63.3% from the field 10 rebounds and 5 blocks in the Classification 5-6 game was one constant alley-oop threat on offense while being an enforcer at the other end and even running the break here and there please make sure to check out the reviews of previous FIBA U17 Basketball World Cups: The best of FIBA U17 WC 2010: Beal, Poland and a number 1 NBA draft pick The best of FIBA U17 WC 2012: Duke 2015 NCAA champs, the Exum-Simmons dream and Super Mario The best of FIBA U17 WC 2014: Tatum, Murray, Rui, historic Khalaf and an Australian miracle The best of FIBA U17 WC 2016: Sexton stars, Turkish delight, Barrett, Musa, Air Pons The best of FIBA U17 WC 2018: Green on fire, historic France, Ballo a man-child and Sengun shines Only one Moto3 seat still officially available for the 2025 world championship David Almansa One of the two remaining places on the 2025 Moto3 grid has been officially confirmed with former champion's Leopard Racing signing David Almansa to join Adrián Fernández. Almansa finished just 22nd in this year’s world championship, suffering a fractured hand in Portimao before a best finish of eleventh for the Rivacold Snipers team. “I am very happy for the trust they have placed in me after a tough year, handicapped by an injury,” Almansa said of his new Leopard deal. “I hope I can repay that trust with my work and dedication. “Leopard Racing is the team I have always dreamed to be with, and I am already counting the hours and the minutes to get on the bike and start working with them. I am eager to learn and keep improving as a rider." Adrian Fernandez, Leopard Racing Fernández will remain with the team after finishing sixth overall, and top Honda rider, in the 2024 standings. “I am very happy to continue another year with Leopard Racing, a team that is like a family to me,” said Fernandez, who celebrated consecutive podiums at Mandalika, Motegi and Phillip Island. “I have learnt a lot during this season, and we have already been able to make great improvements such as achieving my first podium, followed by two more. “I am looking forward to starting another season with them, with a clear goal in mind for which we will fight from day one.” Team Principal Miodrag Kotur added: “We are pleased to continue one more season with Adrián Fernández, who has already made great progress in 2024, demonstrating his potential and willingness to learn. “We are also very happy to have David Almansa as a new addition to the team for 2025. We are confident that, with all the hard work of our team and our riders, we will fight for our goals next season.” Almansa’s deal means the other full time Moto3 ride still to be decided is the former Scott Ogden seat, alongside Eddie O'Shea, at MLav Racing. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues © Crash Media Group Ltd 2025.The total or partial reproduction of text photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form and the draft-eligible Ben Henshall (who is not a Next Star) and Almansa putting up the most impressive stat lines At 7-foot-3 with decent touch and scoring chops he’s an intriguing prospect but was largely ineffective in the Brisbane Bullets season opener he finished with four points and three rebounds and was a minus-seven in a 91-87 loss Zikarsky generally looked behind in terms of processing the game he was overmatched physically and struggled to establish rebounding position with consistency We highlighted concerns with Zikarsky’s lack of physicality earlier this summer and he did nothing to calm those nerves in Round 1 Karim Lopez and Malique Lewis were both incredibly quiet In 10 minutes off the New Zealand Breakers bench Lopez finished with one turnover and two rebounds Lewis was more prominent for South East Melbourne Phoenix he scored four points on 1-of-6 shooting and grabbed three rebounds Both games were nothing to write home about but Lewis also got to the free-throw line once and an adjustment period is expected for him in the early days of this season Almansa finished with 10 points, one rebound, and one steal in 14 minutes off the bench for the Perth Wildcats. You can read more about his debut here Also coming off the bench for the Wildcats was guard Ben Henshall The 20-year-old Aussie prospect has largely flown under the radar but he impressed in the opener finishing with 10 points and seven assists in 19 minutes He tied for a team-high plus-15 with star guard Bryce Cotton making sure the team didn’t miss a beat when the microwave scorer went to the bench The most impressive Next Star performance came from Australian Wing Alex Toohey picking up where he left off with his impressive showing at the 2024 NBL Blitz You can read more about his season opener here There’s never a need to overreact to one game but Toohey continues to be the most impressive Next Star and Zikarsky is not doing his draft stock any favors with his recent play Almansa and Henshall’s contributions off the bench likely give Perth optimism for their depth and ability to contend and Lopez and Lewis clearly need more time The Wildcats looked well on their way for a sixth win in NBL25 before a Chris Goulding-inspired United turned the game on its head in the second half to prevail 106-97 Almansa started for the first time since joining the Wildcats and made the most of it on the way to career-high numbers in points (19) and rebounds (sevens) to go with two blocks Kristian Doolittle continued his strong form with a team-high 21 points to go with five assists and four rebounds Big man Keanu Pinder (14 points and 10 rebounds) came off the bench for a double-double while young gun Ben Henshall (15 points and two steals) finished the game strongly and shot three of three from outside the arc But the night will always be remember for Goulding’s heroics with the United veteran amassing a staggering 46 points including 25 during a third-quarter blitz Almansa had his first dunk within three minutes before an assist to Doolittle a couple of mid-range floaters and a triple by midway through the opening term to be the first player into double digits and looked full of confidence The Wildcats’ defensive intensity was up early forcing several United ball-handling mistakes while their offensive was also looking strong led by tall trio Almansa United stormed back late in the term to turn a nine-point margin to 31-29 lead by quarter-time Perth’s outside shooting went up a notch in the second with Almansa Todd Withers and Pinder all hitting important three as the momentum swung back in the visitors’ favour It was Doolittle’s turn to dominate in the paint as he imposed himself on the content amassing an 11-point term to be up to 17 for the half Doolittle even flexed and blew kisses to the vocal United crowd after an and-one as the Wildcats went to half-time with a strong 65-51 lead Melbourne turned the game on its head in the third thanks to their star shooter Chris Goulding’s hot hand Goulding had a remarkable 25 points for the quarter to give the hosts an 83-77 buffer at three-quarter time Dylan Windler’s aggression on the glass was evident as he looked to will his team back into the contest Withers then hit his second triple of the night to cut United’s lead in half Henshall and Doolittle also had their moments in the last but it was United who held on for victory It's a Spanish lock out of the top three Practice places with Alvaro Carpe and Jose Antonio Rueda joining the Leopard rider Round 6 of 2025 brings us to an all-time classic venue as we get ready to race in front of a jubilant capacity crowd The Spanish star joined some of the Jerez faithful at the famous Nieto-Peluqui section in the early hours of Sunday morning Recap a brilliant visit to Jerez as Alex Marquez finally experienced that winning feeling Courage is the name of the game and Rocio shows us how the #93 inspired her at the Spanish GP Don’t miss Alex Marquez’s celebration in Jerez going from excitement to euphoria after his historic win The podium trio and a crash for Marc Marquez dominated the headlines in Spain - but what about unfolded behind them It was a long time coming but 'El Diablo' wait for a rostrum return ends with a classy Jerez P2 and some special celebrations Davide Tardozzi sheds some light on how his riders work together despite doubts that two of the biggest names could gel in the same garage engine updates and aero on trial but vibrations and engine concerns leave HRC still searching for a breakthrough Experience some of the best moments from an unforgettable Spanish Grand Prix in super slow-mo SEASON 2024/25 of the National Basketball League (NBL) saw Perth Wildcats Next Star Izan Almansa make his mark as a solid frontcourt contributor that has the tools to make it at NBA level in the future if selected While he is not the flashiest player around Almansa is productive in the more traditional sense playing his role at the power forward and racking up figures in the scoring and rebounding columns Although stuck behind star teammates for playing time he still managed to keep his spot in the rotation and even started a few games Almansa will appeal to NBA teams looking to add a rock-solid frontcourt contributor who brings size at six-foot-10 and had the blueprint to develop his game further Although not a guaranteed selection on draft night Almansa has made a name for himself as a consistent contributor inside the paint playing to his strengths throughout his time with the Wildcats as an inside scorer and rebounder He is gifted with an impressive leap for his size and often used that to his advantage to tower above his opponents and generating plenty of valuable plays for Perth He has a great feel for his positioning and the timing of his cuts often finding himself in the right spot under the hoop and on the end of some dish off passes With his impressive height and some clever footwork Almansa can score from a standing start and is often unfazed by any defensive pressure from the opposition catching nearly every pass that comes his way which will also be a huge positive for NBA sides looking for a reliable performer in the frontcourt Shooting is the name of the game in modern basketball and Almansa is not the most reliable shooter from deep If he can work on his jumpshot and add a three-point shot to his already impressive inside game it will make him a more balanced player and a much trickier defensive assignment The Spanish prospect also left plenty of points at the free throw line shooting just 53 per cent from the charity stripe throughout the 2024/25 season If he continues to be streaky with his free throws Although his Wildcats fell to a Melbourne United comeback Almansa was impressive against the eventual grand finalists The forward made the most of his opportunity as a starter posting 19 points for the match and 17 in the first half alone It was the perfect demonstration of what happens if the defence overcommits with its help defence and Almansa was able to make United pay in the first half Although his output faded in the final two quarters his red-hot start to the match was certainly encouraging Almansa is certainly worth the punt for NBA sides that are looking to add to their frontcourt with his excellent production and efficiency scoring the basketball inside the paint undoubtedly of value to a team at the top level THEY had been regarded as the best backcourt duo in the competition but despite the plaudits Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell III received it was William Hickey that made it a party as the Illawarra Hawks saluted against Melbourne United in game five of the NBL Grand Final series DESPITE losing a star before the game and then another in the second quarter Illawarra Hawks dug deep to produce an incredible road win over Melbourne United to send the 2024/25 NBL Grand Final series to a decisive fifth game Playing at home has become a poison chalice in the series VETERAN guard Matthew Dellavedova showed he still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve as he came up clutch when it mattered for Melbourne United in game three of the NBL Grand Final series against Illawarra Hawks tonight The Boomers’ playmaker scored nine points in the last five minutes of the match to steer his […] THE NATIONAL Basketball League (NBL) Next Stars program has proved fruitful as a pathway to the NBA Draft with plenty of players reaching the top level after honing their craft in a professional competition for a season or two There have even been a handful of players that have been selected in the Top 10 IT WAS another successful season for the National Basketball League (NBL) Next Stars program with the five players from the year’s class all honing their craft in Australia’s top competition and capturing the attention of NBA scouts across the globe The NBA Draft is set to take place in June CEMENTING his spot in the starting lineup throughout the 2024/25 National Basketball League (NBL) Next Star Malique Lewis certainly did his NBA Draft chances no harm with a strong campaign as a member of the SEM Phoenix Lewis was well-utilised by mid-season coaching appointee Josh King and saw plenty of court time throughout both the […] A TREMENDOUS performance in the second half saw Melbourne United overrun the Illawarra Hawks to take game one of the Championship Series in the National Basketball League (NBL) over the weekend Both sides advanced to the decisive series in three games while the Hawks got the better of the […] SEASON 2024/25 of the National Basketball League (NBL) saw Perth Wildcats Next Star Izan Almansa make his mark as a solid frontcourt contributor that has the tools to make it at NBA level in the future if selected THE CHAMPIONSHIP Series is set for season 2024/25 of the National Basketball League (NBL) after the Illawarra Hawks delivered a masterclass performance to eliminate the SEM Phoenix and advance to the decider The series went to a decisive game three after both sides claimed wins at home throughout the semi-finals Although the Hawks finished the […] If you like the content that Rookie Me Central provides and don’t want to miss any of it then sign up to receive our newsletter today then sign up to our subscriber list where you can be emailed out the latest basketball-specific magazines as well as the option to sign up to a monthly newsletter NBL25's class of Next Stars is looming as one of the top groups of emerging hoops talent anywhere in the world Stay informed as to how each of the competition's brightest stars played on the weekend with NBL Media's Next Stars Wrap Izan Almansa started in both Round 11 games for the Perth Wildcats, and his chemistry with star Bryce Cotton was impressive The Spanish Next Star scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds across the two games and was instrumental in the team’s success against Adelaide on Sunday.  Rocco Zikarsky and the Brisbane Bullets went 2-0 in Round 11 with massive wins in New Zealand and Melbourne With Tyrell Harrison back in the lineup and performing at a very high level Zikarsky saw his playing time diminished after coming off a 13-point 8-rebound outing in Perth last week.  The Sydney Kings went to New Zealand and pulled off a very important win, avenging the loss they suffered at the hands of the Breakers at home earlier in the season. Alex Toohey started and played for over 23 minutes, combining 7 points and 8 rebounds, including an eye-catching put-back dunk.  Karim Lopez and the Breakers suffered two losses at home, and have now collected four losses in a row since re-shaping the roster around the FIBA window. Lopez still gave some flashes of his talent and athleticism, in particular when he met Cam Oliver at the rim against the Kings.  Consistency is the word for Malique Lewis: the Next Star for SEM Phoenix had yet another all-around game at home against Cairns helping his team collect another home win as they make their push for the Finals cementing his status in Josh King’s rotations.  The National Basketball League acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work present & emerging as well as all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Community The Spanish Next Star impressed in his first game as a Wildcat finishing with 11 points and some nice moments at both ends of the floor in the 117-53 win over Nagoya Diamond Dolphins on Friday It came after the highly-rated youngster missed the Wildcats' first two pre-season wins against NBL1 West Select last weekend with a minor hip issue I had so much fun," Almansa said post-match in Nagoya "I think we had a great game and I'm so happy to play for the Wildcats "Last weekend I couldn't play so seeing those games from the bench I don't like that so I'm so happy to play today finally "I was frustrated (to not play last weekend) but I know that was the best for me." Wildcats head coach John Rillie praised Almansa on his attitude and work ethic since arriving in Perth last month “It’s those things and his willingness to join our group with the right attitude and mentality,” Rillie said “His work ethic has been very good so far He understands he needs to improve in certain areas if he wants to get to the level that he is capable of It was very good for him to start in that way.” Almansa is excited about the direction the Wildcats are heading ahead of the NBL25 season after a third win from as many starts in the pre-season "I think we did a great job offensively and defensively and I think we're working in the right direction," he said The Wildcats' next assignment is against Chiba Jets coached by legendary Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson All three games of the Wildcats' tour of Japan will be streamed live and free on our App and YouTube channels Game one v Nagoya Diamond Dolphins: Friday 30 August Game three v Yokohama B-Corsairs: Wednesday 4 September Welcome to the beta version of the new Women & Golf website Our web monkeys are still hard at work and welcome your feedback.   Home | MotoGP | Moto3 Argentina Practice Results: David Almansa leads the way at the end of Day One The opening day of the Argentine Grand Prix is all wrapped up for the Moto3 riders and David Almansa is in control after the two Practice sessions David Almansa ended Friday Practice on top of the timesheets at Termas de Rio Hondo The Leopard Racing rider has been competitive in Argentina in the past and is now the favourite for the race Red Bull KTM Ajo ended the day in second and third place in Friday afternoon Practice Alvaro Carpe was in second and Jose Antonio Rueda was in third ended his first day of his home Grand Prix in fourth place The Moto3 rookie on the Red Bull KTM Tech3 machine was 0.7 seconds behind Almansa The Australian did not put in too many laps on Friday morning but showed his true pace in the afternoon The FRINSA - MT Helmets - MSi squad were in sixth and seventh places at the end of Friday's Practice continues his good form in Argentina as he ended the day in eighth Dennis Foggia ended the session in ninth on the CFMoto Aspar machine the Italian is slowly getting back to grips with the lightweight class Adrian Fernandez ended the session in tenth place on his Leopard Racing Honda who has finished his season with the New Zealand Breakers after breaking records — including becoming the youngest player ever to record a double-double — will suit up for two home games with Mexico in the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers.  Mexico faces Nicaragua on Saturday February 22 and Canada on Tuesday February 25 who is still competing for the NBL Championship with the Perth Wildcats which will face Melbourne United in the Playoff Series between the 2nd and 3rd seed has also been summoned to compete in the last EuroBasket qualifying window for Spain later this month Spain faces Latvia on Friday February 21 and Belgium on Monday February 24 David Almansa was the fastest on Friday at the Argentina GP Moto3 The lap record for the Termas de Río Hondo circuit was clearly broken The track conditions were much improved compared to Free Practice 1 which resulted in a significant improvement in lap times the session was led by Joel Kelso (LevelUp-MTA/KTM) David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) Matteo Bertelle (LevelUp-MTA/KTM) also crashed there were no major injuries to the riders Ryusei Yamanaka (Frinsa-MT Helmets-MSi/KTM) moved to the top before being overtaken by Almansa (Leopard Racing/Honda) in the final 15 minutes which caused a shake-up in the leaderboard Almansa set the fastest lap with a time of 1m46.981s This time also set a new overall circuit record: the top 16 riders broke the previous lap record Álvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) finished second followed by his teammate José Antonio Rueda The top 14 riders from this session directly advanced to the second phase of qualifying The final spot in this group was claimed by Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team/Honda) who was 0.086s faster than the 15th-place finisher prepares to face the Le Mans circuit at the French Grand Prix with his team and himself confirming it this morning The French GP will welcome the highly motivated Portuguese rider shows enthusiasm for the French Grand Prix Maverick Viñales is preparing for the French Grand Prix with high confidence after recent good results Raúl Fernández from the Trackhouse MotoGP Team shows confidence for the French Grand Prix © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports David Almansa led the fastest Moto3 riders in Doha in Q1 of the category where Leopard Racing was the standout with Adrián Fernández also securing a place in Q2 After the first fast laps in the beginners class Adrián Fernández was the fastest (2:03.813s) Cormac Buchanan and Ruche Moodley already provisionally qualified for Q2 The session quickly reached its halfway point with the riders not having much time to finalise the final details to attempt an attack on Q2 at the Losail International Circuit with the clock showing five minutes to go until the end of the session the drivers were returning to the track for the all-or-nothing moment something that happened with less than two minutes to go with the Leopard Racing duo opting for a similar strategy as they held the first and second fastest times of the session Fernández and Almansa were in a “world” apart and with the sectors in red it was practically a given that they would improve their records and confirm their passage to Q2 Buchanan and Stefano Nepa were third and fourth Showing supremacy since Friday’s practice sessions José Antonio Rueda sealed victory this Sunday at the Moto3 Spanish GP in Jerez – with an unusual distance and dominance for.. José Antonio Rueda was once again the fastest rider in Moto3 qualifying and will start from pole position for the Spanish GP this Sunday Adrián Fernández was the fastest in the second free practice of the Moto3 Spanish GP at Jerez Friday of the Spanish Moto3 GP was dominated by José Antonio Rueda he led the session in Jerez by a considerable margin José Antonio Rueda came out strong in the Moto3 Spanish GP – clearly dominating the first free practice in Jerez this morning © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports. Israel and Slovenia remain the last three undefeated teams after two days of games at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket 2024 Hosts Poland surprised Greece for their first win thanks to Jakub Andrzejewski scoring 23 points Serbia lost an 11-point lead but bounced back from an opening-day loss to Greece to beat France as Ilija Milijasevic scored 20 points Slovenia upset Lithuania despite falling behind in first half The top performance of Day 2 goes to Izan Almansa of Spain, who tallied 14 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for an efficency of 26 in an 81-45 win over Belgium Noam Yaacov also helped his team to a second straight win with the guard producing 20 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists for an efficiency of 24 in a 90-72 victory over Italy Jakub Szumert of Poland had an efficiency of 23 as he collected 16 points, 6 rebounds an 5 assists in the 75-68 victory against Greece Noah Penda came up with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists for an efficiency of 22 for France - albeit in a 76-72 loss to Serbia The fifth top performance came from Serbia's Ilija Milijasevic 3 rebounds and 2 assists for an efficiency of 21 in the big win over France The 19-year-old has made his first Spanish senior squad for a pair of FIBA EuroBasket qualifier games against Slovakia later this month Almansa has enjoyed a bright to his time at the Wildcats including a career-high 19 points and seven rebounds in his first starting appearance against Melbourne United at John Cain Arena last week The talented Next Star signing is averaging 7.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game Described as the most successful youth player in history Almansa has an incredible international basketball resume The 208cm power forward/centre was named MVP of both the Under-19 and Under-17 FIBA World Cups in 2023 and 2022 respectively as well as the best player in last year’s Under-18 FIBA European Championships Almansa was a member of Real Madrid’s Youth Academy for two years before developing his game in the USA at Overtime Elite and then playing for the G-League Ignite last season including a pair of games against the Wildcats in Las Vegas He then became the first ever Spanish player to sign as a Next Star in the NBL this season Spain take on Slovakia in Bratislava on Saturday 23 November before facing the same opposition on home soil in Ourense on Tuesday 26 November The Wildcats have two more games before the FIBA break - Friday night’s Pink Game clash against South-East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena before a road battle with Brisbane Bullets on Sunday Almansa joins Ben Henshall (Australian Boomers) Hyrum Harris and assistant coach Aaron Young (New Zealand Tall Blacks) as Wildcats players picked for their country during the FIBA break the 31,949-square-meter Almansa Park is the result of an idea competition organized with the Murcia Institute of Architects (COAMU) The project carried out by Emac Arquitectura – Miguel Martínez Castillejo and Pau Batalla Soriano – for this urban space benefited from citizen participation and European aid The scheme fragmented the existing civic center expanding the facility’s year-round cultural offer and a track for a regional bowling-like sport called bolos cartageneros The boundaries between the park and the urban environment are diluted in smooth transitions resulting in spaces that dilate and contract and fences are combined and superimposed to blur edges The trees are left to stand and complemented with native species creating a perimeter of perennial vegetation and an inner space with deciduous trees the energy efficiency of the refurbished buildings has been enhanced through sustainable materials This project results in a place where the collective and the individual coexist contributing to social cohesion and sustainability there arent any match using your search terms What’s unique about this year’s NBL class is that there are no guards it's mostly rounded out with bigs and wings The top prospect in the NBL this year is Rocco Zikarsky who currently plays for the Brisbane Bullets He’s the biggest prospect in this year’s upcoming draft as he stands at 7-foot-3 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan while weighing 225 pounds Zikarsky dominates the paint on both ends of the floor Defensively he’s able to anchor a defense as he alters everything around the rim with his great awareness and size He’s actually quite nimble and agile for his size but he plays a simple yet effective role at a high level He will even thrive as someone who sits in the dunker spot He will have a much bigger role on the Bullets this upcoming season and as of today he’s a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft The Perth Wildcats had the number two pick in the 2024 NBA Draft play for their team this past season in Alex Sarr who happened to be Izan Almansa’s teammate when they played in the Overtime Elite League together Almansa ended up leaving OTE to join the G League Ignite program this past season but the NBA ended up announcing that they are shutting down that program so it left Almansa looking for his next home where he will now be playing for Perth The 6-foot-10 big man is a high IQ player who has a great feel for the game on both ends of the floor He’s a versatile defender who makes winning plays defensively The versatile big man also is a great finisher at the rim with excellent touch inside the painted area He consistently makes winning plays which is why he was once considered a potential lottery pick This year in the NBL he has a chance to raise his stock if he puts up more productive numbers The Sydney Kings are bringing back the 6-foot-7 wing Alex Toohey for yet another season He had a productive season for them last year but is looking to take another step forward with a much bigger role He’s a Swiss Army knife type of player and is an ideal connector piece for a starting lineup he’s quite versatile as he’s able to defend multiple positions effectively while also giving maximum effort and energy He’s a tough player that won’t back down from a challenge This preseason it looks like he has made strides as a shooter and with his strength as he looks much stronger He could serve as a 3-and-D wing in the NBA which is a role that every organization desires to have on their roster Don't be surprised if Toohey ends up being a second round pick in this year’s draft Malique Lewis is coming from the G League to the NBL except Lewis wasn’t on the Ignite roster Last season he played for the Mexico City Capitanes Lewis didn’t get a ton of public eyes on him so making the transition to the NBL might be what’s best for his career to get onto more scouts' radars the 6-foot-8 forward is best as a finisher on the offensive end He’s a very good slasher who can finish in traffic and through contact When playing off the ball he’s a very smart cutter with his timing and knowing where to be Lewis has made some improvements as an outside shooter so if he continues on the same trajectory then he could end up being a legit threat from behind the arc The defensive tools are super enticing as he’s very long with good athleticism He has some defensive playmaking and versatility in his arsenal There are some consistency issues with Lewis but he’s in the right situation to show off his ceiling and how he’s able to produce while winning The Illawarra Hawks elected to bring back the 6-foot-10 big man Lachlan Olbrich who showed promise in the minutes he was given for the Hawk last season The skilled big showed his ability to serve as a stretch big as he has very good touch and overall shooting ability His ability to play without the ball is quite impressive Olbrich is more than just a shooter though as he’s a good rebounder as well You can always count on him to hustle and play with a ton of energy When getting a defensive rebound he has grab-and-go ability so you can rely on him to lead a break when it’s needed Olbrich’s overall feel for the game is impressive as he has a solid basketball IQ and it shows on the floor but he’s someone NBA teams could consider with their second-round draft picks The youngest player in the NBL this upcoming season is Karim Lopez who will be playing for the New Zealand Breakers You should expect a bumpy season out of Lopez as he’s still trying to fill out his frame while also learning how to play the right way He’s a very skilled wing who shows great talent as a scorer He’s also physically and athletically advanced for someone at 17 years old and it shows when he plays against his age group He probably won’t get a ton of minutes right away but expect him to be learning a lot about how to play winning and team basketball which will help him as a player in the long run Lopez is actually not even eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft due to age as he was born in 2007 but expect the young wing to be a lottery pick candidate for the 2026 NBA Draft Reading"Samuel Almansa lends his..." 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POV Forward Thinking Review of the Year Jenny Brewer Olivia Hingley Ellis Tree Elizabeth Goodspeed Liz Gorny Extra Search The work of Samuel Almansa has always had a quieting and surreal effect Using airbrush as the tool to manifest his deeply observational oeuvre the artist’s work stands as both an imaginative exploration and reflection on his surroundings In the three years and a half since becoming a professional artist he’s twisted and experimented with painting to translate a myriad of themes Samuel’s work has recently given way to dream-like animal portraits The viewer can get lost in the flat and blended airbrush style but pulled back in by his thick application of white paint that acts as highlights on top The artist explains these details as trying to “make this ceramic and blurry style” stemming from a plethora of influences; all the things that are close to him that he doesn’t have to go too far to reach and the figurines she has in her house; my father a truck driver; and my brothers,” he shares “My friends and all my relationships are my pictorial references right now Samuel Almansa: Lacito (Copyright © Samuel Almansa Samuel Almansa: Chocolate Friend (Copyright © Samuel Almansa Samuel Almansa: Cuéntame (Copyright © Samuel Almansa Samuel Almansa: Shh (Copyright © Samuel Almansa Samuel Almansa: Osito (Copyright © Samuel Almansa Samuel Almansa: Untitled (Copyright © Samuel Almansa Further Infowww.instagram.com/samuelalmansa Yaya Azariah Clarke Yaya (they/them) was previously a staff writer at It’s Nice That With a particular interest in Black visual culture they have previously written for publications such as WePresent alongside work as a researcher and facilitator for Barbican and Dulwich Picture Gallery Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Pinterest About Careers at It’s Nice That Privacy Policy Insights Residence Creative Lives in Progress If You Could Jobs © It’s Nice That 2024 · Nice Face Logo © It’s Nice That With hundreds of jumpers under her metaphorical belt (including 45 different cat designs) Annie embraces knitwear as her illustrative medium of choice the furry competitors in the world’s largest dog show appear all the more adorable and comical The Seattle-based creative studio reveals the research script scouring and skill that goes into making an opening sequence that gets everyone talking Using the print method to make “art created from the heart” the illustrator and motion designer is celebrating all its imperfections The artist’s magical world is filled with frogs snails and tons of other silly little guys The illustrator challenges herself by stepping out of her comfort zone and always experimenting “so my work still feels like it’s changing whilst still having an essence of me” The Brighton-based visual artist’s new creative avenue has seen him animating everything from wool to receipt print reels the Buenos Aires-based artist is creating “simple The Tokyo-based artist’s strange and curious creatures are a way to “make something wonderful out of the monotony of life” a motion sensor camera and an encounter with a family of foxes resulted in this strangely beautiful series that mediates on how seamlessly humans and animals share spaces Drawing from the expansive worlds of folklore play and appreciate the world through a child’s eyes From soft and squidgy clay animations to technicolour tufted rugs this multidisciplinary artist has found drawing to be the gateway to childlike joy The artist Hannah Lim took to the Nicer Tuesdays stage last month to share the many facets of her vibrant practice she demonstrated how she’s been unpacking the 18th Century aesthetic trend of Chinoiserie through the lens of her mixed Chinese Porous is a beautifully tender and tactile meditation on healing from sexual trauma The LA-based artist finds his greatest inspiration across his state’s local cityscapes busted-up signage and never pretty or pristine plaques The painter’s surreal portraits merge past and present figures – the familiar and fantasy – to connect stories of “exile The London-based painter’s earthy palettes swirl through surreal scenes that merge family archives and fiction to create new and imagined realities the illustrator shares a view of the city up close in amongst all the entanglements of a nostalgic but imperfect trip candles and cups all fall into place in Anjali Kamat’s playful analogue scenes Born in Thailand and raised between New Zealand and Portland Laney’s lively artwork is laced with humour and an adventurous approach Next month’s Nicer Tuesdays is sure to give you creative bunch a spring in your step with awe inspiring talks from: a design agency that’s building evolving brands a sculptor reclaiming colonial design trends from the 18th century a 3D design studio whose animation style capitalises on all things camp and a photographer exploring their Peruvian roots through the lens With an everyday ritual of painting the newspaper the artist’s project is a testament to what happens when we treat creativity as something as intrinsic as eating breakfast or brushing our teeth The renowned charity record sleeve auction is back with an extraordinary lineup of world-renowned artists including artworks for vinyl by: Antony Gormley takes the Nicer Tuesdays crowd through the development of his meticulously layered painting style from early creative influences to the different materials and methods he uses to create cinematic scenes with theatrical dynamics www.instagram.com/samuelalmansa The Palma-based artist has found a middle ground between surreal depictions and sharp representations of his surroundings About Contact Advertising Opportunities Newsletters Insights + Opinion Creatives + Projects Advice + Resources Culture + Lifestyle Nicer Tuesdays The View From... POV Forward Thinking Review of the Year Jenny Brewer Olivia Hingley Ellis Tree Elizabeth Goodspeed Liz Gorny Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Pinterest Careers at It’s Nice That Privacy Policy Insights Residence Creative Lives in Progress If You Could Jobs The Spanish sensation produced a massive NBL Blitz campaign on the Gold Coast this week, including a dominant performance in Thursday's come-from-behind victory over Cairns. His 15-point, eight-rebound display, as Perth came back from nine points down midway through the third quarter to prevail 89-76, was all the more impressive given there were plenty of NBA scouts watching on. “I have been through having NBA people at games all of this last year so I am used to it. The first time that I played, there were nerves but now I just focus on the game. You just have to go out there and play the game," Almansa told The West Australian. The Wildcats, coming off an undefeated pre-season where they won eight of eight including three at the NBL Blitz, three against B-League outfits in Japan and two against NBL1 West Select in Japan, turn their attention to next Friday night's season opener against South-East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena. Almansa, 19, wasn't feeling any extra nerves about playing in front of potentially double the amount of people he's played in front of previously. “I”m excited for that. There’s only been one time where I’ve played in front of 5000. I’ve never had a real game in front of so many people. I’m really excited for that. I’m super excited to go back to Perth because I’ve loved it so far,” Almansa said. TopThere were several players donning their national team jerseys for the first time at senior levelWhich player impressed you most in representing the senior national team for the first time MUNICH (Germany) - One of the highlights of every FIBA window is watching all the players who make their debuts with the national team that was no different with the third gameday of the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers Dozens of players across the continent lined up for their senior team for the first time - many of them youngsters while some were journeymen who finally got the call and still others were players who were naturalized and got their first taste of FIBA basketball Vote below who you think was the best new face on the FIBA national team landscape Almansa got the call for the first time for the senior squad of Spain after possibly the greatest youth career in FIBA history The teenager's inside presence was needed against Slovakia as he scored 10 points in a tight double-overtime thriller Almansa ended up playing 10 minutes but he showed what he can do Baldwin showed why the Georgian national team naturalized him as he carried the team on offense with 23 points - though he needed 20 shots to get there in a hard-fought win at Finland The 27-year-old seems to be Georgia's next naturalized guard following in the footsteps of Jacob Pullen Basile wasted no time in starring for the Italians in a comfortable victory over Iceland played two games last season in the Basketball Champions League with Bertam Derthona Tortona but he has been one of the most dominant players in the Serie A2 second division for the past two years Carrington made a big debut for Israel in picking up 16 points in an 86-73 against Ukraine The 29-year-old Hapoel Jerusalem guard only received his Israeli passport this summer Carrington was actually born in Trinidad and Tobago to a former football player and current coach Mitrou-Long had a solid debut for the Greeks though his efforts were not enough as Hellas were upset by Great Britain holds Canadian and Greek passports and made his FIBA debut and played his first game in a FIBA competition at the age of 31 The seven-footer flashed his game against the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 runners-up and 2024 Olympic bronze medallists Serbia with 13 points including 2 three-pointers who plays in the youth team for Unicaja Malaga dominated at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 this past summer and showed he is ready to take the next step for Denmark's senior team ranks Osetkowski has owned a German passport for a few years now but only made his debut for Deutschland in this window - and what a strong first game it was with 17 points who helped the Spanish club win the Basketball Champions League last season gives new German head coach Alex Mumbru some options in the paint The naturalized big man showed his all-around game for Hungary in a clear loss to Türkiye was a third option on offense alongside Zoltan Perl and Gyorgy Goloman the American power forward did not commit a turnover in 21 minutes on the court Samanic was a regular for Croatia's youth ranks playing at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket 2016 and two summers at the U18 level - guiding the Balkan side to the title at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2017 But the 24-year-old power foward finally made his senior national team debut in an important win over Bosnia and Herzegovina Samanic is still connected with Fenerbahce but took leave from the Turkish club in early September to return home for personal reasons and has not played a game this season Traore is considered France's next star point guard and the 18-year-old is showing it in the Basketball Champions League with Saint-Quentin Traore helped France this summer finish fifth at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 to qualify for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 New France head coach Frederic Fauthoux had no problem with inserting Traore into the starting lineup against Cyprus in his first game he played a solid game with 10 points and 3 assists in a game that was tougher than France had thought ahead of time described as the most successful youth player in history Izan (pronounced Ee-thahn) will now become the first Spanish player to become an NBL Next Star.  the Wildcats’ inaugural Next Star who went pick No.2 to Washington Wizards in Thursday’s NBA Draft on the back of a stunning debut season in the NBL "We are thrilled to welcome Izan and his family to the Perth Wildcats and to be able to attract a player of his calibre on the back of the success we had with Alex this past season is a true testament to our presence as a club on a global scale,” Wildcats GM of Basketball Operations a highly-skilled big man and strong rebounder who can handle the ball has elite footwork and great touch around the basket participated in this year’s NBA Draft Combine but decided to withdraw from this year’s draft and build his stock for 2025.  “Seeing how well Alex did and how well things went for him it just clears my mind and any doubts,” Almansa explained “Since the moment I withdrew from the draft “I would love to follow in his footsteps in becoming a lottery pick and also win a championship with the Wildcats.” “It’s exciting news that Izan has put his faith in us moving forward,” Wildcats head coach John Rillie added “The success we had with Alex last year he will address some things that we wanted to fix up in the off-season “We were fortunate enough to play against him during our G-League Ignite series and watched his junior stuff his motor are what stood out and he’s going to have great rim presence for us at both ends of the floor.” NBL General Manager of Next Stars Recruitment felt the signing was a “massive coup” for the Next Stars program “Securing Izan’s signature is a massive coup for the Next Stars and further solidification of the confidence prospects have in the NBL and the program,” Santamaria said.  “The strength of our development program is clear and has been highlighted after four Next Stars were selected at this year’s draft making it nine Next Stars who have been drafted directly from the NBL to the NBA.” who joined his new teammates for pre-season this week pinpointed his shooting and strength as areas of improvement Almansa also spoke about playing in front of massive crowds in a bid to prepare for his NBA dreams next year “I want to improve my shooting and I also want to get stronger and getting used to competing against strong people and great players,” Almansa said “I also want to get used to playing in an environment like this The 19-year-old was excited to have his mum and younger brother join him in Australia with the pair touching down in Perth on Thursday afternoon “I’m excited to have them here because if I have a rough day or a rough game and I go home I have them here,” Almansa explained Almansa is the first ever Next Star out of Spain and the Wildcats' second Next Star after Frenchman Alex Sarr last season The entire Wildcats squad will kick off training camp late next week before a total of 10 pre-season matches starting with a pair of hit-outs against NBL1 West Select on Friday 23 August (Morley Rec Centre) and Sunday 25 August (Lakeside) David Almansa will continue in the Moto3 World Championship in 2025 The team thus finalizes its rider lineup after previously confirming the continuity of Adrián Fernández Almansa debuted in the category this past season with the Kopron Rivacold Snipers Team the same bike he will use next year with Leopard Racing It was not an easy season for the Spaniard who had to miss the first three rounds due to injury with his best results being two 11th-place finishes He will aim to significantly improve on that in 2025 With Almansa’s announcement at Leopard Racing only one spot remains to be filled in Moto3 – the last in the paddock This saddle is with FleetSafe Honda-MLav Racing which has yet to announce Eddie O’Shea’s teammate The exciting Spanish teenager joined fellow newcomer Elijah Pepper Michael Harris and others on court for the two-hour session The Wildcats' first and second-year players kicked off their pre-season last week Captain Jesse Wagstaff and New Zealander Hyrum Harris have since returned earlier than required while several Academy talents and train-ons have also joined in A post shared by Perth Wildcats (@perthwildcats) Almansa arrived in the country last week after a successful U20 Eurobasket tournament with Spain where he led his country's point-scoring and rebounding The 19-year-old NBA draft prospect follows in the footsteps of his former Real Madrid and Overtime Elite teammate Alex Sarr who played for the Wildcats last season before getting snapped up by Washington with the second selection in this year's draft A post shared by Perth Wildcats (@perthwildcats) The team will then embark on an historic trip to Japan to take on B-League outfits Nagoya (Saturday 31 August) Chiba Jets (Monday 2 September) and Yokohama (Wednesday 4 September) the Wildcats head to the Gold Coast for the annual NBL Blitz pre-season tournament where they clash against New Zealand  (Sunday 8 September) Illawarra (Tuesday 10 September) and Cairns (Thursday 12 September) Perth’s season opener is against South East Melbourne Phoenix at RAC Arena on Friday 20 September as part of the inaugural Hoops Fest in WA.