MIES (Switzerland) - The senior club, 18-time Czech champions ERA Nymburk,  joined the Basketball Champions League in its inaugural  season, in 2016-17,  and took part in seven editions.

They reached the Round of 16 in the first two seasons and the Final 8 in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Basketball Academy Nymburk also joined the Youth BCL in the inaugural season. They will be looking to build on that appearance and push to reach the latter rounds after not making it past the group stages the first time out.

"The Youth BCL is an event that can also be used to recruit new players in the future, as it brings a certain respect to the club to be  in such company." - ERA Nymburk sport director Ladislav Sokolovsky

For everyone at the club, the Youth BCL represents a valuable opportunity to challenge themselves against some of the best Europe has to offer.

"[The Youth BCL] is a very good motivation for the players that they can show up for such an event where there are a lot of interesting teams," said  ERA Nymburk sport director Ladislav Sokolovsky. 

"I also appreciate that only players who are registered in this club can play here and that teams cannot take players from elsewhere and thus create more national teams as is the case, for example, in the youth EuroLeague.

"It's a good comparison for me with how they do it with youth at other clubs at a similar level."

"It's an event that can also be used to recruit new players in the future, as it brings a certain respect to the club to be  in such company.

"It is visibility also at the level of the city, the region, and the entire basketball community in Czechia," he added.

Sokolovsky is also very satisfied with the development that players on Nymburk's roster have experienced compared to the 2023 event. in Bursa.

"Last year we had probably the youngest team at the Youth BCL, this year there are a lot of players who were there last year and they have more experience and know what awaits them," he explained.

"Once again, however, we decided to include significantly younger players with great talent, to see how they would perform at this level. 

"We will probably miss one of the main point guards, Bastian Kremen, who is supposed to go with the national team to the Albert Schweitzer tournament in Germany, but we will still try to play fast basketball, which is the vision of our academy.

"As well as developing a one-on-one game without complex systems. We want to support them mainly in the development of individual skills."

This is precisely the style of play that Basketball Academy Nymburk head coach Jan Kosar is working to implement. 

"We will definitely try for fast-running basketball, aggressive 1-on-1 defense, and as much physical play under both baskets as possible," Kosar said.

"I believe that the players will show what's in them right from the first game and they won't be too nervous, because we know that for half of the players, it will be a new experience again."

Players to Watch in the Youth BCL

Arsen Gevorkyan | Date of Birth: May 28, 2006 | F

Gevorkyan averaged 24 minutes, 10.6 rebounds, and 6.6 points in last year's Youth BCL, impressive numbers for a player who was younger than most of his peers in the tournament. 

Point guard Jakub Zajic, sharpshooter Vojtech Synacek, and 15-year-old Krystof Davidek could also be some names to look out for. 

Program Alumni

Matej Svoboda | Lubos Kovar | Ondrej Hanzlik | Frantisek Rylich | Filip Novotny | Eduard Kotasek | Dominik Heinzl | David Novak| Martin Kriz.

"Our academy is still young, so most of our best alumni are still young. The best is probably Frantisek Rylich, who is now a member of the starting five on ERA Nymburk. He was the Most Improved Player last season in the Czech National Basketball League and he is one of the best defenders," Sokolovsky said.

"David Novak is also in our team now. He is a member of Slovakia's national team and is still a big prospect.  In the last five years, ERA Nymburk signed a contract with seven players from the academy."