Newton Forward has International Summer
While most of New England’s top young prospects spent their summer playing at AAU tournaments, showcases, and exposure camps, Tevin Falzon had a much different experience.
The Newton North junior spurned the July live period for an opportunity to play with the 18-and-under national team from the country of Malta at the FIBA European Championships. The small European country, which is located immediately off of Italy’s southern border, was home to Falzon’s grandfather and so he was eligible to play on the national team.
The experience was nothing less than a tremendous success for the skilled big man.
“It was a great experience in a lot of different ways,” Falzon told the New England Recruiting Report.
Falzon spent five weeks in Malta. The first three were for “training” or what most people in the United States call practice. Most days featured two ninety minute sessions, the first geared towards skill development and the second on the team’s offensive and defensive sets and strategies.
Training methods weren’t the only difference Falzon saw in the international game.
“It was a different style of play, a faster pace. They push it a lot more,” he said. “I also got to play a lot of different positions, all the way from shooting guard to center.”
Falzon also got to play side by side with a legitimite NBA prospect. Seven-foot-five center Sam Deguara, who plays for one of the top teams in the Euroleague, Benetton Treviso, was dominant throughout the tournament averaging 23 points and 27 rebounds per game for Malta.
Falzon was second on the team with averages of 13 points and 10 rebounds (complete statistics are available on www.fibaeurope.com).
Malta went on to win all five of their games and claim the gold medal in Division C of the FIBA European Championships.
For Falzon and his family the experience was such a tremendous one that his 13 year old younger brother is already planning on heading to Malta next summer to play for the sixteen-and-under national team. As for Tevin…
“I’m going to go back in two years,” he said. “Right before I go to college I’m planning on playing for the national team again.”
Tevin Falzon