Albania national basketball team

Albania

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	3 (1947, 1957, 2017)
Medals	None
Uniforms
Light 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

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

EuroBasket 1947

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

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

EuroBasket FIBA EuroBasket Year Position Pld W L 1935 to 1946 Did not participate 1947 14th/14 6 0 6 1949 to 1955 Did not participate 1957 16th/16 10 0 10 1959 to 2015 Did not participate 2017 To be determined Total 16 0 16 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Olympic Qualifying Tournament Year Position Pld W L 1960 to 1976 Did not participate 1992 24th/25 6 0 6 2008 to 2016 Did not participate Total 16 0 16

Promotion Cup Promotion Cup Year Position Pld W L 1988 to 2000 Did not participate 2002 6th/8 5 3 2 2004 5th/9 5 3 2 2006 Runners-up 5 4 1 2008 to 2016 Did not participate Total 15 10 5 Mediterranean Games Mediterranean Games Year Position Pld W L 1951 to 1987 Did not participate 1991 8th/8 5 0 5 1993 to 2005 Did not participate 2009 8th/8 6 1 5 2013 to 2017 Did not participate Total 11 1 10

Recent results and upcoming fixtures

EuroBasket 2017 qualification

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
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

Albania national basketball team roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Age – Date of birth Ht. Club Ctr. PG 4 Llazani, Eni 22 – 30 November 1989 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) BC Kamza Basket SG 5 Vogli, Redi 25 – 1 January 1987 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) PBC Tirana PF 6 Tošić, Nebojsa 12 – 27 July 2000 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) PBC Tirana PG 7 Gjonaj, Algert 24 – 18 October 1987 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) PBC Tirana C 8 Daliu, Bruno 27 – 2 July 1985 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) PBC Tirana PG 10 Karaj, Erkand 30 – 3 May 1982 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) BC Kamza Basket PG 11 Lasku, Genti 27 – 24 March 1985 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) PBC Tirana C 12 Ljuca, Ersid 31 – 10 May 1981 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) KB Peja C 12 Kuqo, Ermal 32 – 12 February 1980 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Turk Telekom B.K. PF 13 Ndoja, Klaudio 27 – 17 May 1985 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Guerino Vanoli Basket C 14 Hysenagolli, Endrit 24 – 5 July 1988 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) KB Peja PF 15 Shima, Gerti 25 – 9 May 1986 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Sigal Prishtina G 31 Bilali, Afrim 33 – 8 September 1979 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) BC Kamza Basket	Head coach Antonis Constantinides Legend Club – describes last club as of October 2013 Age – describes age as of September 2012

Head coaches

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

Record by opponents

As of 1986

Opponent	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Points for	Points against	Point difference	Notes
Albania Youth	1	1	0	0	76	48	+28	[lower-alpha 1]
Algeria	3	3	0	0	215	128	+87	[lower-alpha 2]
Austria	2	0	0	2	72	102	-30
Beijing	1	1	0	0	73	65	+8	[lower-alpha 3]
Belgium	4	0	0	4	206	353	-157
Bulgaria	7	0	0	7	251	630	-379	[lower-alpha 4]
Bulgaria Youth	1	0	0	1	49	64	-15	[lower-alpha 5]
Cambodia	1	1	0	0	82	81	+1
China	8	5	2	1	613	582	+31
China Youth	1	1	0	0	77	64	+13	[lower-alpha 6]
Cuba	1	1	0	0	50	48	+2
Czechoslovakia	3	0	0	3	117	273	-156
DPR Korea	3	0	0	3	220	260	-40
DPR Korea Security Forces	1	1	0	0	102	92	+10	[lower-alpha 7]
East Germany	3	0	0	3	193	243	-50
Egypt	1	0	0	1	19	104	-85
England	1	1	0	0	92	63	+29
Finland	1	0	0	1	42	91	-49
France	1	0	0	1	59	71	-12
Free Territory of Trieste	2	0	0	2	45	78	-33
Germany	3	0	0	3	187	235	-48
Greece	8	1	0	7	614	712	-98
Guinea	1	0	0	1	70	52	+18
Hungary	4	0	0	4	160	376	-216
Indonesia	1	0	0	1	89	104	-15
Israel	1	0	0	1	0	2	-2	[lower-alpha 8]
Iceland	1	1	0	0	112	77	+35
Italy	6	1	0	5	289	422	-133
Jiangsu	2	1	0	1	65	73	-8	[lower-alpha 9][lower-alpha 10]
Jilin/Liaoning/Heilongjiang Army	1	0	0	1	49	78	-29	[lower-alpha 11]
Jilin Youth	1	1	0	0	121	69	+52	[lower-alpha 12]
Jinan	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	[lower-alpha 13]
Lebanon	1	1	0	0	87	58	+29
Liaoning	1	1	0	0	76	69	+7	[lower-alpha 14]
Luxembourg	3	3	0	0	269	198	+71
Mali	1	1	0	0	75	60	+15
Mongolia	1	1	0	0	106	59	+47
Nei Mongol	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2	[lower-alpha 15]
Netherlands	1	0	0	1	81	84	-3
North Vietnam	1	0	0	1	69	70	-1
Poland	3	0	0	3	161	256	-95
Philippines	2	1	0	1	166	168	-2
Pyongyang	1	0	0	1	89	90	-1	[lower-alpha 16]
Romania	10	1	0	9	371	808	-437
Romania Youth	1	0	0	1	31	71	-40	[lower-alpha 17]
Romania Universities	1	0	0	1	53	77	-24	[lower-alpha 18]
Senegal	3	3	0	0	197	139	+58
Scotland	2	0	0	2	98	134	-36
Shanghai	2	1	0	1	144	134	+10	[lower-alpha 19][lower-alpha 20]
Shanxi	1	1	0	0	84	64	+20	[lower-alpha 21]
Shenyang	1	1	0	0	107	75	+32	[lower-alpha 22]
Shenyang Youth	1	1	0	0	133	83	+50	[lower-alpha 23]
Soviet Union	1	0	0	1	50	99	-49
Sudan	1	1	0	0	116	74	+42
Sweden	1	1	0	0	82	71	+11
Tianjin	1	1	0	0	67	59	+8	[lower-alpha 24]
Turkey	7	0	0	7	487	565	-78
Yugoslavia	10	0	0	10	400	847	-447
1st August	2	1	0	1	148	153	-5	[lower-alpha 25][lower-alpha 26]
8th February	1	1	0	0	95	86	+9	[lower-alpha 27]
60 Countries	307	75	66	163	281	483	-202

Placements

Men competitions

European Promotion Cup

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

European Championship

• 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

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

Women competitions

European Promotion Cup

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

European Championship

• 1997: European Championship – Qualifying Round

Youth competitions

• 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

1. Albania's senior national team defeated the youth national team 76–48 at the VII Balkan Championship in Tiranë in 1965.
2. Albania defeated Algeria at the GANEFO games in 1963, but the score is unknown so recorded as a 2–0 victory for Albania.
3. Albania defeated a squad representing Beijing 73–65 during a tour of China in 1972.
4. Albania forfeited a game against Bulgaria at the 1960 Balkan Championship in Sofia, so recorded as 2–0 victory for Bulgaria.
5. Albania lost 64–49 to Bulgaria's youth national team at the 1960 Balkan Championship in Sofia.
6. Albania defeated China's youth national team 77–64 during a tour of China in 1977.
7. Albania defeated a squad representing the North Korean Interior Ministry called Security Forces 102–92 during a tour of North Korea in 1977.
8. 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.
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

1. Albanian Federation of Basketball
2. Arben Fagu: Basketbolli ynë për t’u vajtuar, s’ka e s’mund të kemi më një Agim Fagu
3. Korab Llazani: Basketbolli ynë me probleme të trashëguara, Kosova nivel tjetër
4. Dickel hopes for return to Rams' glory days
5. Basketboll, rikthehet Fatmir Cuka
6. Roland Avrami: Shqiperia eshte rritur jo vetem ne centimentra
7. Qiprioti Constantinides, trajneri i ri i kombëtares