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Kosovo men's national basketball team

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Kosovo
FIBA ranking83
Joined FIBA2015
FIBA zoneFIBA Europe
National federationFBK
CoachArben Krasniqi
Nickname(s)Dardanët (Dardanians), Djelmoshat e Artë (Golden Boys)
Olympic Games
AppearancesNone
FIBA World Cup
AppearancesNone
EuroBasket
AppearancesNone
First international
 Slovenia 113–68 Kosovo Kosovo
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 31 August 2016)
Biggest defeat
 Slovenia 113–68 Kosovo Kosovo
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 31 August 2016)

The Kosovo national basketball team (Albanian: Kombëtarja Kosovare e basketbollit, Serbian: Кошаркашка репрезентација Косова / Košarkaška reprezentacija Kosova) represents Kosovo internationally in basketball. The Kosovan national basketball team is run by the Basketball Federation of Kosovo , the governing body of basketball in Kosovo, which was created in 1991, and joined FIBA in 2015. Prior to 1991, Kosovo was under the Basketball Federation of Yugoslavia.

History

The Kosovo Basketball Federation 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 Yugoslavian system, organising its own league, based on different teams from seven major cities of Kosovo. Some basketball players from Kosovo, especially Kosovo Serbs, participated as part of the Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia national basketball teams.

Kosovo was not allowed to play international matches, not even friendlies by FIBA, until 2015, when the Kosovo Basketball Federation became an official member of FIBA and FIBA Europe. Kosovo will be part of FIBA EuroBasket qualifications for the first time, as they will compete in the FIBA EuroBasket 2017's qualification tournament.[1] FIBA is about to allow a lot of Kosovan players, that have already played for other national teams to play for their own country. Some of those players include: Dardan Berisha (Poland), Kenan Sipahi (Turkey), Ulug Kacaniku (Turkey), Edon Maxhuni (Finland), Gezim Morina (Slovenia), and Erjon Kastrati (Slovenia).[citation needed]

Youth teams

Kosovo began to participate in youth competitions in 2015. It competed in the 2015 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Division B, where it finished in the 14th position out of 18 teams,[2] and the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship Division C, finishing as runner-up, after being defeated by San Marino, by a score of 59–76 in the final.[3]

Kosovo youth basketball current tiers:

Current Roster

Roster for EuroBasket 2017 qualification.

Kosovo National Basketball Team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
G 4 Edmond Azemi 35 – (1980-09-10)September 10, 1980 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PF 5 Justin Doellman 31 – (1985-03-02)March 2, 1985 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) FC Barcelona Lassa Spain
G 6 Mirza Ahmetbašić 28 – (1987-11-23)November 23, 1987 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) KB Peja Kosovo
F 7 Yll Kaçaniku 31 – (1985-05-31)May 31, 1985 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Istanbulspor Turkey
F 8 Alban Veseli 26 – (1990-01-10)January 10, 1990 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) KB Peja Kosovo
SG 9 Granit Rugova 30 – (1985-09-13)September 13, 1985 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
SG 11 Dardan Berisha 27 – (1988-11-15)November 15, 1988 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
SF 12 Drilon Hajrizi 25 – (1991-01-17)January 17, 1991 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PF 15 Gazmend Sinani 25 – (1991-06-22)June 22, 1991 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) KB Bashkimi Kosovo
PG 23 Jaren Sina 22 – (1994-03-12)March 12, 1994 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) George Washington United States
C 35 Fisnik Rugova 26 – (1989-10-26)October 26, 1989 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Sigal Prishtina Kosovo
PG 55 Leonard Mekaj 21 – (1995-02-27)February 27, 1995 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) KB Peja Kosovo
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 31 August 2016

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench
C Fisnik Rugova
PF Justin Doellman
SF Yll Kaçaniku
SG Dardan Berisha
PG Jaren Sina

Competitive record

At EuroBasket

FIBA EuroBasket Qualification
Year Pos. Pld W L Pld W L
Finland Israel Romania Turkey 2017 Did not qualify 6 0 6

References

  1. ^ "Kosova në kualifikime për EuroBasket 2017" (in Albanian). Gazeta Blic. 29 October 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Final Standings at 2015 FIBA Under-20 Championships Division B". FIBA Europe.
  3. ^ "San Marino claim historic gold medal". FIBA Europe. 11 July 2015.
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