EuroBasket 2021 First Round Qualifiers: June 28th - July 1st
At the end of the long weekend, four teams would take a big step forward on the long road to EuroBasket 2021. The winners of the three groups and the runner-up with the best record would advance to the next qualifying round, so big wins here would make the path a lot more straightforward.
Group B
A lot was riding on the match-up between Denmark and Armenia - the winner would also secure top spot in group B. The scoreline was level for most a very close first half, where no more than six point separated the teams. AJ Hess had 16 points for Armenia on his way to 20, which helped to put his team up by two at half time.
When the game resumed in the third quarter, though, Denmark started to run away with it behind a huge effort on the offensive end. Despite the best efforts of Armenia’s Andrew Chrabascz, Denmark had complete control of proceedings. Their starters had 46 points, with Kevin Larsen leading the team with 19 points and 13 rebounds as they got the vital win, and comfortably, 90 to 64.
This win guaranteed Denmark’s place at top of Group B, and with Albania already out of contention, the final game between the two became a formality. Rei Pullazi had 15 points and 9 rebounds off the bench for Albania, but Darko Jukic led all scorers with 23 points for Denmark, who shot 63.3% from inside the arc. Albania went up by one late in the fourth, but Denmark finished off with nine unanswered points to get the win, 86-78, and finish off the first round of qualifying unbeaten.
Group A
Switzerland’s low-post play saw them lead Macedonia by as many as nine early on, but led by the game’s top scorer Vojdan Stojanovski (24 points), Macedonia worked hard to tighten the scoreline as the game went on. Switzerland’s lead was cut to two ahead of the fourth quarter, the same margin that separated the teams down the stretch. Stojanovski put Macedonia up by one, but a three from Jonathan Malu Kazadi-Muyombu and a final dunk from Arnaud Cotture sealed the close win for Switzerland.
Arnaud Cotture's game-winning dunk against Macedonia. Image: FIBA.com
Despite the loss, Macedonia's earlier fifteen-point win over Switzerland meant they would clinch top spot in the group. Switzerland now needed a big final result to advance as the best second-placed team. Slovakia, though, had other plans.
Playing tough under the rim, Slovakia ed by as many as eleven in the first half and by eight at half time, leaving a shocked Switzerland on the back foot. Behind ten three-pointers and 30 points and 9 rebounds from Patrick Baldassarre, Switzerland closed the gap and went one point in front with just under three minutes left in the game. Slovakia hit back straight away and bowed out of the first round of qualifiers with a win to their name, 88-83 over Switzerland.
Group C
Luxembourg got the first points on the board, but not long after it was all Portugal in the penultimate Group C game. They slowed down a bit in the third quarter, but for the rest of the game they were unrelenting on both ends of the floor, played well as a team and were on fire from three-point territory, knocking down sixteen total threes.
Four Luxembourg players scored in double figures, while ten of twelve Portugese players who took to the floor made the score sheet. Claudio Fonseca had a great show on defence, Tomas Barroso led all scorers with 17 points, while Joao Gomes had a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Winning 80 to 58, Portugal secured top spot in the group, and now it was all down to who could gain the most advantageous second place finish.
Cyprus vs Luxembourg. Image: FIBA.com
Cyrpus poised themselves to make the second round of qualifiers with a final big win, but Luxembourg were about to stun the crowds in Nicosia. They started the game with eight unanswered, and despite outscoring Luxembourg in the field and 51 points from the bench, there was nothing Cyrpus could do to get themselves back in it. Alex Laurent had 29 points for Luxembourg and his team made half of their 22 three-point attempts as they sign off the first round with a conclusive win, 89-76, over Cyrpus.
These results mean that Denmark, Macedonia and Portugal all advance to the next round of EuroBasket 2021 qualifiers as group winners. They will be joined by Armenia, who, thanks to Switzerland and Cyrpus's losses, also advance to round two as the best-placed runner-up. The remaining teams will now have to play in the third round of qualifiers which begin in 2019.
For more on the early-stage qualifiers for EuroBasket 2021, including full information on all the games, visit FIBA's official website.
