UNC signee Sayon Keita swats seven shots in EuroLeague breakout game

North Carolina incoming freshman center Sayon Keita delivered a dominant EuroLeague Next Generation Tournament Finals debut in Athens, nearly recording a triple-double while leading FC Barcelona to a 97-83 win over Crvena Zvezda Belgrade . Keita finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks in just 18 minutes, shooting 6-for-9 from the field, going 2-for-3 at the free-throw line and adding two assists. The interior presence of the 7-foot, 215-pound Malian has UNC fans excited after he verbally committed to the Tar Heels on April 28 .

Keita also shared the court with Duke commit Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje , a former UNC target who ultimately chose the Blue Devils. Boumtje Boumtje tallied 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals, further highlighting his all-around potential. Their eventual matchup is poised to be a marquee storyline, with both projected as future lottery picks and inviting comparisons to last season’s Caleb Wilson–Cameron Boozer showdown .

North Carolina commit Sayon Keita had a dominant game in Round One of the Next Gen EuroLeague. 14 PTS 10 REB 7 BLK pic. twitter.

com/O0pMfB4vtu — Tar Heels HQ (@TarHeelsHQ) May 21, 2026 The EuroLeague Next Generation Tournament Finals is Europe’s top under-18 club competition, featuring two four-team groups that play a round-robin schedule. Group winners advance to Sunday’s championship game. Barcelona continues group play against Mundo Deportivo at 9:45 a.