Albania national basketball team

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Albania Albania
Federata Shqiptare e Basketbollit (logo).png
Joined FIBA 1947
FIBA zone FIBA Europe
National federation FSHB
Coach Antonis Constantinides
Nickname(s) Kuq e Zinjtë (The Red and Blacks)
Shqiponjat
(The Eagles)
Olympic Games
Appearances None
FIBA World Cup
Appearances None
EuroBasket
Appearances 2 (1947, 1957)
Medals None
Uniforms
Kit body redsides 2.png
Light jersey
Kit shorts.png
Team colours
Light
Kit body whitesides.png
Dark jersey
Kit shorts.png
Team colours
Dark

The Albanian national basketball team (Albanian: Kombëtarja Shqiptare e basketbollit) is the national basketball team of Albania and it has represented the nation since 1947.[1] Having not played a competitive game since 2012, the national team will return to action in 2016 for EuroBasket 2017 qualification.

History[edit]

Basketball was introduced in Albania in the early 20th century, and it became popular in the 1920s following the end of World War I as sports societies and clubs were being formed all over the country, and basketball was soon introduced to the major towns and cities in Albania. Basketball was played informally by teams representing different sports clubs, and it wasn't until September 1945 that a National Basketball Committee was formed that would be responsible for dealing with the issues basketball teams in the country faced. The committee paved the way for the creation of the Albanian Basketball Association (ABA) a year later in 1946, which became a member of FIBA in 1947, and who's main goals were to enable clubs to compete in national competitions, as well a promote the sport. The first National Championship in Albania was held in 1946, and a year later the first Women's National Championship also took place. In 1951 the ABA created the Republic's Cup, which was a competition open to all professional and amateur basketball clubs in Albania, with the women's and youth versions of the competition both starting in 1952. During the Communist regime in Albania, the National Spartakiad was held between 1959 and 1989, where basketball was one of the more popular sports in display in the country's biggest sports events. In 1999 the ABA held the first Albanian Basketball Supercups for men and women, which is played between the winners of the league and cup.

Tournament history[edit]

EuroBasket 1947[edit]

Albania first competed in a European championship at EuroBasket 1947 held in Prague, Czechoslovakia, shortly after joining FIBA as an affiliate national team. In the preliminary round of the competition Albania was placed in Group D with Italy, Belgium and Egypt, and their first game in a major tournament came against Italy in a 15–60 loss, and they went on to lose 11–114 and 19–104 to Belgium and Egypt, respectively. In the next round, they were placed in the lower bracket Group 3 to determine who finishes between the 7th and 10th places, where they faced Romania and Austria. Albania lost 19–73 to Romania and 27–44 to Austria. They then went on to face Yugoslavia in the final game to determine who finishes in penultimate place, where they lost 13–90 to Yugoslavia and finished in last place out of 14 teams, with a record of 0 wins and 6 losses. Albania averaged just 17.3 points per game, with their highest point tally coming against Austria where they scored 27 points, and lost by their smallest margin of 17 points. They conceded an average of 80.3 points per game, with their highest scoring opponents being Belgium who defeated Albania 114–11.

Preliminary round
 Italy 60 – 15  Albania
 Belgium 114 – 11  Albania
 Albania 19 – 104  Egypt
Semifinal round
 Albania 19 – 73  Romania
 Albania 27 – 44  Austria
Final round
 Yugoslavia 90 – 13  Albania

EuroBasket 1957[edit]

10 years after their debut tournament performance, Albania competed at EuroBasket 1957 in Sofia, Bulgaria, where they were placed in Group A in the preliminary round with Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Scotland. They lost 57–89 to Yugoslavia in their opening game, and then went on to lose 37–71 and 42–65 to Czechoslovakia and Scotland, respectively, to finish bottom of the group. During the classification round, Albania faced Turkey, Italy, Finland, Belgium, West Germany, Austria and Scotland. Albania lost all 7 games in the classification round which led to them finishing bottom of another EuroBasket tournament, this time out of 16 team. Albania averaged 47.6 points per game, with their highest points tally coming against Turkey in a 64–97 loss, which was also the highest scoring game for their opponents, and conceded an average of 78.4 points per game during the tournament. Despite better performances than those in 1947, they could not manage to escape finish bottom once again.

Preliminary round
 Albania 57 – 89  Yugoslavia
 Czechoslovakia 71 – 37  Albania
 Scotland 65 – 42  Albania
Classification round
 Scotland 69 – 56  Albania
 West Germany 72 – 43  Albania
 Finland 91 – 42  Albania
 Albania 42 – 82  Italy
 Albania 64 – 97  Turkey
 Albania 45 – 58  Austria
 Belgium 90 – 48  Albania

Competitive record[edit]

Recent results and upcoming fixtures[edit]

EuroBasket 2017 qualification[edit]

Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification Georgia (country) Montenegro Slovakia Albania
1  Georgia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification to EuroBasket 2017 7 Sep 14 Sep 31 Aug
2  Montenegro 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Possible qualification to EuroBasket 2017 17 Sep 31 Aug 14 Sep
3  Slovakia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Sep 10 Sep 7 Sep
4  Albania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 Sep 3 Sep 17 Sep
First match(es) will be played on 31 August 2016. Source:
31 August 2016
Georgia  vs.  Albania
3 September 2016
Albania  vs.  Montenegro
7 September 2016
Slovakia  vs.  Albania
10 September 2016
Albania  vs.  Georgia
14 September 2016
Montenegro  vs.  Albania
17 September 2016
Albania  vs.  Slovakia

Roster[edit]

The following players are in the final squad for Euro Basket 2017.

Albania National Basketball Team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Age – Date of birth Ht. Club Ctr.
PG 17 Shestani, Robert 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Kamza Basket Albania
SG 5 Vogli, Redi 25 – (1987-01-01)1 January 1987 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) PBC Tirana Albania
PF 6 Biberaj, Besnik 23 – (1993-02-01)1 February 1993 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in) Old Dominion University United States
PG 7 Gjonaj, Algert 24 – (1987-10-18)18 October 1987 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) PBC Tirana Albania
C 8 Daliu, Bruno 27 – (1985-07-02)2 July 1985 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) PBC Tirana Albania
PG 10 Karaj, Erkand 30 – (1982-05-03)3 May 1982 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) BC Kamza Basket Albania
PG 11 Lasku, Genti 27 – (1985-03-24)24 March 1985 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) PBC Tirana Albania
C 12 Kuqo, Ermal 32 – (1980-02-12)12 February 1980 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Turk Telekom B.K. Turkey
PF 13 Ndoja, Klaudio 27 – (1985-05-17)17 May 1985 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Dinamica Mantova Italy
C 14 Hysenagolli, Endrit 24 – (1988-07-05)5 July 1988 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) KB Peja Kosovo
PF 15 Shima, Gerti 25 – (1986-05-09)9 May 1986 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PF 17 Dusha, Elvisi 21 – (1994-07-15)15 July 1994 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
C 20 Kirk, Alex 24 – (1991-11-14)14 November 1991 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Pistoia Basket 2000 Italy
Head coach
Assistant coach

Legend
  • Club – describes last
    club as of 1 July 2016
  • Age – describes age
    as of 1 July 2016

Head coaches[edit]

Coach Years active
Albania Rexhep Rama 1946
Albania Naim Pilku 1947–1959
Albania Feti Borova 1960
Albania Naim Pilku 1963
Albania Feti Borova 1963–1965
Albania Astrit Greva 1969
Albania Feti Borova 1971–1974
Albania Bujar Shehu 1975
Albania Feti Borova 1976–1977
Albania Bujar Shehu 1978
Albania Feti Borova 1984–1985
Albania Astrit Greva 1985–1991
Albania Bujar Shehu 1992–1997
Albania Arben Fagu[2] 1998–2001
Albania Bujar Shehu 2002
Albania Roland Avrami 2002–2004
Albania Korab Llazani[3] 2005–2006
Albania Arben Fagu 2006
Albania Roland Avrami 2006–2009
New Zealand Mark Dickel[4] 2010–2011
Albania Fatmir Cuka[5] 2011–2012
Albania Roland Avrami[6] 2012–2013
Cyprus Antonis Constantinides[7] 2016–

Record by opponents[edit]

Official games[edit]

As of 1995
Opponent Games Wins Draws Losses Points for Points against Point difference Notes
Algeria Algeria 4 4 0 0 324 207 +117 [a]
Austria Austria 2 0 0 2 72 102 -30
Belarus Belarus 1 0 0 1 73 108 -35
Belgium Belgium 4 0 0 4 206 353 -157
Bulgaria Bulgaria 9 0 0 9 395 813 -418 [b]
Cambodia Cambodia 1 1 0 0 82 81 +1
China China 8 5 2 1 613 582 +31
Cuba Cuba 1 1 0 0 50 48 +2
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 3 0 0 3 117 273 -156
North Korea DPR Korea 3 0 0 3 220 260 -40
East Germany East Germany 4 0 0 4 266 346 -80
Egypt Egypt 3 0 0 3 189 325 -136
England England 2 1 0 1 169 159 +10
Finland Finland 2 0 0 2 123 180 -57
France France 2 0 0 2 126 179 -53
Free Territory of Trieste Free Territory of Trieste 2 0 0 2 45 78 -33
Germany Germany 3 0 0 3 187 235 -48
Greece Greece 9 2 0 7 614 797 -92
Guinea Guinea 1 1 0 0 70 52 +18
Hungary Hungary 5 0 0 5 213 486 -273
Indonesia Indonesia 1 0 0 1 89 104 -15
Israel Israel 2 0 0 2 64 118 -54 [c]
Iceland Iceland 1 1 0 0 112 77 +35
Republic of Ireland Ireland 1 0 0 1 70 87 -17
Italy Italy 8 1 0 7 432 613 -181
Latvia Latvia 1 0 0 1 78 94 -16
Lebanon Lebanon 1 1 0 0 87 58 +29
Luxembourg Luxembourg 4 4 0 0 362 278 +84
Republic of Macedonia Macedonia 1 0 0 1 74 100 -26
Mali Mali 1 1 0 0 75 60 +15
Mongolia Mongolia 1 1 0 0 106 59 +47
Netherlands Netherlands 2 0 0 2 158 186 -28
North Vietnam North Vietnam 1 0 0 1 69 70 -1
Norway Norway 1 1 0 0 81 77 +4
Poland Poland 5 0 0 5 307 452 -145
Philippines Philippines 2 1 0 1 166 168 -2
Romania Romania 12 1 0 11 552 1016 -464
Senegal Senegal 3 3 0 0 197 139 +58
Scotland Scotland 3 1 0 2 199 216 -17
Spain Spain 1 0 0 1 73 106 -33
Soviet Union Soviet Union 1 0 0 1 50 99 -49
Sudan Sudan 1 1 0 0 116 74 +42
Sweden Sweden 1 1 0 0 82 71 +11
Switzerland Switzerland 1 1 0 0 85 84 +1
Turkey Turkey 10 0 0 10 711 857 -146
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia 11 0 0 11 491 955 -464
60 Countries 307 75 66 163 281 483 -202

Unofficial games[edit]

As of 1986
Opponent Games Wins Draws Losses Points for Points against Point difference Notes
Albania Albania Youth 1 1 0 0 76 48 +28 [d]
China Beijing 1 1 0 0 73 65 +8 [e]
Bulgaria Bulgaria Youth 1 0 0 1 49 64 -15 [f]
China China Youth 1 1 0 0 77 64 +13 [g]
North Korea DPR Korea Security Forces 1 1 0 0 102 92 +10 [h]
China Jiangsu 2 1 0 1 65 73 -8 [i][j]
China Jilin/Liaoning/Heilongjiang Army 1 0 0 1 49 78 -29 [k]
China Jilin Youth 1 1 0 0 121 69 +52 [l]
China Jinan 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 [m]
China Liaoning 1 1 0 0 76 69 +7 [n]
China Nei Mongol 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 [o]
North Korea Pyongyang 1 0 0 1 89 90 -1 [p]
Romania Romania Youth 1 0 0 1 31 71 -40 [q]
Romania Romania Universities 1 0 0 1 53 77 -24 [r]
China Shanghai 2 1 0 1 144 134 +10 [s][t]
China Shanxi 1 1 0 0 84 64 +20 [u]
China Shenyang 1 1 0 0 107 75 +32 [v]
China Shenyang Youth 1 1 0 0 133 83 +50 [w]
China Tianjin 1 1 0 0 67 59 +8 [x]
China 1st August 2 1 0 1 148 153 -5 [y][z]
North Korea 8th February 1 1 0 0 95 86 +9 [aa]
60 Countries 307 75 66 163 281 483 -202

Placements[edit]

Men competitions[edit]

European Promotion Cup[edit]

  • 2002: European Promotion Cup – 6th place
  • 2004: European Promotion Cup – 5th place
  • 2006: European Promotion Cup – 2nd place

European Championship[edit]

  • 1947: European Championship – 14th place
  • 1957: European Championship – 16th place
  • 1995: European Championship – Qualifying Round
  • 1997: European Championship – Qualifying Round
  • 1999: European Championship – Preliminary Round
  • 2005: Eurobasket – Division B
  • 2007: Eurobasket – Division B
  • 2009: Eurobasket – Division B

European Olympic Qualifying Tournament[edit]

  • 1972: European Olympic Qualifying Tournament – Preliminary Round
  • 1992: European Olympic Qualifying Tournament – Preliminary Round

Women competitions[edit]

European Promotion Cup[edit]

  • 1996: European Promotion Cup – 2nd place
  • 2002: European Promotion Cup – 1st place

European Championship[edit]

  • 1997: European Championship – Qualifying Round

Youth competitions[edit]

  • 1999: European Promotion Cup for Junior Men – 7th place
  • 2001: European Promotion Cup for Junior Men – 4th place
  • 2003: European Promotion Cup for Junior Men – 1st place
  • 2005: U18 European Promotion Cup Women – 3rd place

Footnotes[edit]

  1. ^ Albania defeated Algeria at the GANEFO games in 1963, but the score is unknown so recorded as a 2–0 victory for Albania.
  2. ^ Albania forfeited a game against Bulgaria at the 1960 Balkan Championship in Sofia, so recorded as 2–0 victory for Bulgaria.
  3. ^ Albania withdrew from playing Israel for political reasons at the XVIII Universiade, the World University Games in Turin, so recorded as a 2–0 victory for Israel.
  4. ^ Albania's senior national team defeated the youth national team 76–48 at the VII Balkan Championship in Tiranë in 1965.
  5. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Beijing 73–65 during a tour of China in 1972.
  6. ^ Albania lost 64–49 to Bulgaria's youth national team at the 1960 Balkan Championship in Sofia.
  7. ^ Albania defeated China's youth national team 77–64 during a tour of China in 1977.
  8. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing the North Korean Interior Ministry called Security Forces 102–92 during a tour of North Korea in 1977.
  9. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Jiangsu during a tour of China in 1972, but the score is unknown so recorded as a 2–0 victory for Albania.
  10. ^ Albania lost to a squad representing Jiangsu 73–63 during a tour of China in 1974.
  11. ^ Albania lost to a squad representing the Chinese Army of Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang 78–49 during a tour of China in 1977.
  12. ^ Albania defeated a youth squad representing Jilin 121–69 during a tour of China in 1977.
  13. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Jinan during a tour of China in 1972, but the score is unknown so recorded as a 2–0 victory for Albania.
  14. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Liaoning 76–69 during a tour of China in 1974.
  15. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Nei Mongol during a tour of China in 1972, but the score is unknown so recorded as a 2–0 victory for Albania.
  16. ^ Albania lost to a squad representing the Pyongyang 90–89 during a tour of North Korea in 1977.
  17. ^ Albania lost 71–31 to Romania's youth national team at the 1959 Balkan Championship in Bucharest.
  18. ^ Albania lost 77–53 to a squad representing Romania's universities at the Cup of Friendship youth tournament held in Bucharest in 1960.
  19. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Shanghai 75–65 during a tour of China in 1972.
  20. ^ Albania lost to a squad representing Shanghai 71–69 during a tour of China in 1974.
  21. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Shanxi 84–64 during a tour of China in 1972.
  22. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Shenyang 107–75 during a tour of China in 1977.
  23. ^ Albania defeated a youth squad representing Shenyang 133–83 during a tour of China in 1977.
  24. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing Tianjin 67–59 during a tour of China in 1972.
  25. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing the Chinese Army called 1st August 71–69 during a tour of China in 1974.
  26. ^ Albania lost to a squad representing the Chinese Army called 1st August 84–77 during a tour of China in 1977.
  27. ^ Albania defeated a squad representing the North Korean Army called 8th February 95–86 during a tour of North Korea in 1977.

References[edit]