Ivan Crnjac (201-F-2007) is a 17 year old 201cm forward currently averaging 17,2ppg, 6,3rpg and 1,2apg in the NBBL (U-19) and has played 10 Pro B games averaging 4,2ppg and 1,9rpg. He helped the Fraport Skyliners win the B League title at the U-18 International Cup in Tokyo, Japan. He spoke to germanhoops.com about his 1 week experience at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament

You recently played at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament. What kind of an experience was that for you?

It was a cool experience being able to be with the youth national team again and play against some of the best players in the world. It isn´t often that there is a youth international tournament in Germany. It was an honor for me to play there.

The German U-17 team went 0-5. Was the team better than it´s record?

I feel that yes we were better than our record. We had very young players and our chemistry wasn´t good simply because we had little time to prepare. For many guys this was the first national team experience.

Germany lost to Serbia by 65 points. What did you learn from the loss?

It was incredible to see that despite being only a year older than us, just how dominant the Serbian players were. After every loss we had, our mindset went down. We hit nothing that day. Serbia was at another level with their physicality, conditioning and mentality.

The game against China was very exciting. Germany lost by 1 point. How tough was it to digest this loss?

We could of beat them. It was a pity that I got hurt in the fourth quarter and missed the last 7 minutes. We made tough baskets in the fourth quarter and then lost concentration. It was just a dumb loss.

How special of a player is Jervis Scheffs? How big is his ambition?

He is very ambitious. He does a super job being able to create for himself. He is probably more a 2 than a 1. He competes very hard.

He said you could become one of the top players of the generation. How far could he go with his potential?

He also belongs to the top of the generation. I think we have like 6-7 guys that could be one of the top players of the generation. Each guy has a different role. Not every guy can be that guy.

There were so many talented players on the German U-17 team this time. Which player impressed you the most?

I think that Martin Petric impressed me the most. He has a lot of confidence and is already an adult player for his age. He has all the tools to become a great player. He showed how good he was during AST.

How content were you with your game? You had difficulty with your shooting percentage.

The first 2 games were my best scoring games during AST. However I didn´t have a good shooting week. Since the Rhondorf game, I had had an off shooting week. My shot didn´t fall that week. I drove well and represented myself well on defense. I had blocks. I would think that I left a lasting impression on defense. It would have been nice if my shot had fallen.

On what areas do you have to improve your game so you will be better the next time against older players?

I need to work on my conditioning and explosiveness. I don´t feel like I´m quick enough. I also need a more consistent shot.

How important was head coach Dirk Bauermann for your development during the week?

He is a very good coach. He gave us good tips on offense and defense. He told me that he likes my fighting mentality. He pushed me very hard to be more of a hustler on the court.

Who was the toughest player that you faced during the AST?

The toughest player I faced was a few days before AST in a test game against Australia. His name is Roman Siulepa. He was very quick and physical. He finished well and was an energizer. He was tough to defend and a real complete player.

Thanks Ivan for the chat.