Kosovo men's national basketball team
![]() | |||
FIBA ranking | 74 ![]() | ||
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Joined FIBA | 2015 | ||
FIBA zone | FIBA Europe | ||
National federation | Federata e Basketbollit të Kosovës (FBK) | ||
Coach | Christos Marmarinos | ||
Nickname(s) | Dardanët (Dardanians) | ||
FIBA World Cup | |||
Appearances | None | ||
EuroBasket | |||
Appearances | None | ||
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First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Ljubljana, Slovenia; 31 August 2016) | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Pristina, Kosovo; 14 August 2019) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Klaipėda, Lithuania; 26 February 2018) |
The Kosovo men's national basketball team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e basketbollit të meshkujve të Kosovës, Serbian: Кошаркашкa репрезентација Косова, romanized: Košarkaška reprezentacija Kosova) represents Kosovo in international basketball. They are controlled by the Basketball Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for basketball in Kosovo. Kosovo has been a member of FIBA since 13 March 2015.[2]
History
Pre-independence
The Basketball Federation of Kosovo was founded in 1991. During the Yugoslavian era, Kosovo had its own Superleague and lower divisions, in both genders. In the 1990s, Kosovo declared political and sports independence from the Yugoslav system, organising its own league, based on different teams from seven major cities of Kosovo. Some basketball players from Kosovo, especially Kosovo Serbs, Gorani and other non-Albanians, participated as part of the Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia national teams.
After independence
Kosovo were not allowed to play international matches, not even friendlies by FIBA, until 2015, when the Basketball Federation of Kosovo became an official member of FIBA and FIBA Europe. Kosovo took part in EuroBasket qualification for the first time in 2017.[3] On 31 August 2016, Kosovo played their first official international match against Slovenia during the EuroBasket 2017 qualifiers.[4]
A year later, the national team achieved their first ever win on 2 August 2017 by defeating Macedonia 72–68 in their first match during the 2019 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers.[5] After the win, Kosovo would pick up one more victory during the Pre-Qualifiers, against Estonia 75–69 to finish with a (2–2) record to advance to the first round of World Cup qualifying.[6] In the next round, Kosovo would eventually see their World Cup hopes vanish, as the team went winless before being eliminated.[7]
After missing out on reaching the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Kosovo went through Pre-Qualifiers in order to reach EuroBasket 2022. However, the team would only compile a (2–8) record during the pre-qualifying process to be unable to advance.[8]
Competitive record
FIBA World Cup
Olympic Games
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EuroBasket
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Results and fixtures
Win Loss
2021
18 February 2021 | Kosovo ![]() |
89–99 | ![]() |
Pristina, Kosovo* [note 1] |
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19:00 | Scoring by quarter: 23–32, 23–23, 24–20, 19–24 | |||
Pts: Myles 21 Rebs: Hajrizi, Myles 7 Asts: Berisha 6 |
Boxscore | Pts: Rugg 22 Rebs: Rugg 17 Asts: Melcher 9 |
Arena: Palace of Youth and Sports Referees: Petros Papapetrou (GRE), Nikolaos Somos (GRE), Sergio Rodríguez (ESP) |
20 February 2021 | Kosovo ![]() |
73–77 | ![]() |
Pristina, Kosovo* [note 1] |
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19:00 | Scoring by quarter: 23–15, 14–20, 17–20, 19–22 | |||
Pts: Berisha 24 Rebs: Hajrizi 9 Asts: Myles 6 |
Boxscore | Pts: Brodziansky 28 Rebs: Brodziansky 18 Asts: Krajčovič 5 |
Arena: Palace of Youth and Sports Referees: Petros Papapetrou (GRE), Semen Ovinov (RUS), Ali Şakacı (TUR) |
25 November 2021 | Norway ![]() |
86–77 | ![]() |
Bergen, Norway |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:00 (UTC+1) | Scoring by quarter: 17–22, 25–11, 27–19, 17–25 | |||
Pts: Ndow 21 Rebs: Ndow 8 Asts: Jawara 7 |
Boxscore | Pts: Berisha 18 Rebs: Berisha 7 Asts: Berisha 4 |
Arena: Haukelandshallen Attendance: 2,143 Referees: Vilius Mačiulaitis (LTU), Mart Uuehendrik (EST), James Dominique (GIB) |
28 November 2021 | Kosovo ![]() |
78–73 | ![]() |
Pristina, Kosovo |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:00 (UTC+1) | Scoring by quarter: 18–17, 20–16, 22–13, 18–27 | |||
Pts: Berisha 16 Rebs: three players 5 Asts: Berisha 5 |
Boxscore | Pts: Mortensen 24 Rebs: Midtgaard 10 Asts: three players 4 |
Arena: Palace of Youth and Sports Attendance: 550 Referees: Petros Papapetrou (GRE), Ali Şakacı (TUR), Pavel Fúska (SVK) |
2022
27 February 2022 | Kosovo ![]() |
92–95 (OT) | ![]() |
Mitrovica, Kosovo |
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19:00 (UTC+1) | Scoring by quarter: 27–15, 19–16, 18–25, 17–25, Overtime: 11–14 | |||
Pts: Berisha 27 Rebs: Bamforth 8 Asts: Bamforth 5 |
Boxscore | Pts: Frey 38 Rebs: Ndow 10 Asts: Jawara 4 |
Arena: Minatori Sports Hall Attendance: 1,500 Referees: Stoica Ciprian (ROU), Zoran Mitrovski (MKD), Stylianos Simeonidis (GRE) |
Team
Current roster
The following is the Kosovo roster called up for the EuroBasket 2025 Pre-Qualifiers match against Norway, on 27 February 2022.[10]
Kosovo men's national basketball team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth chart
Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 |
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C | Urim Zenelaj | Valon Bunjaku | Dion Sheqiri |
PF | Fisnik Rugova | Alban Veseli | |
SF | Drilon Hajrizi | Samir Zekiqi | Meriton Ismaili |
SG | Dardan Berisha | Erjon Kastrati | Denis Zenelaj |
PG | Divine Myles | Mikaile Tmušić |
Head coach history
Arben Krasniqi – (2016–2017)
Brad Greenberg – (2017–2018)
Damir Mulaomerović – (2018–2019)
Christos Marmarinos – (2020–present)
Retired numbers
No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Date of retirement | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | Gazmend Sinani | Center | 2016–2018 | 25 June 2018 | [11] |
See also
- Sport in Kosovo
- Kosovo men's national under-20 basketball team
- Kosovo men's national under-18 basketball team
- Kosovo men's national under-16 basketball team
Notes
- ^ a b Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all matches in the November 2020 and February 2021 windows were played behind closed doors in select host cities.[9]
References
- ^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ "Kosovo becomes 215th National Member Federation of FIBA". FIBA. 13 March 2015.
- ^ "Kosova në kualifikimet për Eurobasket 2017" [Kosovo in qualifications for Eurobasket 2017] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 22 October 2015.
- ^ "Kosovo during the EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers". Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- ^ "Fitore e madhe e Kosovës ndaj Maqedonisë" [Biggest win of Kosovo against Macedonia] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 3 August 2017.
Kosova të mërkurën mbrëma në Pallatin e Rinisë dhe Sporteve në Prishtinë para rreth 2000 shikuesve e ka mposhtur Maqedoninë me rezultat 72:68 (23:11, 17:9, 15:23, 17:25)
- ^ "Kosovo during the 2019 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers". Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "Kosovo during the 2019 FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers". Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Kosovo during the EuroBasket 2022 Pre-Qualifiers". Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Statement regarding the November 2020 and February 2021 Qualifiers". Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ "Marmarinos shpall listën për ndeshjen me Norvegjinë" [Marmarinos announces the list for the match with Norway] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 19 February 2022.
- ^ "Fanella me numër 15 e Përfaqësueses së Kosovës pensionohet me emrin e Gazmend Sinanit" [Kit with number 15 of Kosovo national team retired with name of Gazmend Sinani] (in Albanian). Basketball Federation of Kosovo. 25 June 2018.
Fanella me numër 15 e Përfaqësueses së Kosovës në basketboll do të pensionohet me emrin e basketbollistit Gazmend Sinani, i cili e humbi jetën në një aksident rrugor në orët e hershme të mëngjesit të së shtunës në Gjakovë
External links
- Official website (in Albanian, English, and Serbian)
- Kosovo at FIBA site
- Kosovo National Team – Men at Eurobasket.com