All You Need To Know: Ireland v Luxembourg

Ireland play our fourth FIBA EuroBasket 2029 Qualifier this evening. The Group A fixture against Luxembourg takes place in the National Basketball Arena at 19:30 Irish time, with live coverage on TG4, as well as the FIBA YouTube Channel.

COMPETITION FORMAT

Ireland remain without a win in Group A of FIBA EuroBasket 2029 qualifying following Friday night's agonising one-point defeat to Azerbaijan in the National Basketball Arena. It took our record in qualifying to 0-3, with the reverse fixtures remaining. The reverse swing starts tonight against Luxembourg, whom we lost to 89-77 in Michael Bree's first game in charge in November.  Our next games come in July with road games against North Macedonia and Azerbaijan to round off the group.

Four teams - the three group winners and the best-ranked runners-up will advance to the Second Round where they will join eight teams from the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers First Round.

Speaking after Friday's defeat to Azerbaijan, Head Coach Michael Bree said: 

“The goal is to put Ireland in a position where we have players improving their technical and tactical awareness, playing at higher levels across Europe and ultimately competing for places at European Championships, World Championships and things like that and look it's a long way off at the moment but we want to stay on that path where we are competing against top nations in big competitions. That's the vision behind it. We know where we want to go, the question is how do we get there? How do we do it together as a group, as a staf. I think we have the characters, we have the identity. It's just about bringing those pieces together and working togther in a way that best fits our style, Bree said.

WATCH

The game will be broadcast live on the TG4 with tip-off at 1930.

SQUAD NEWS

Rapolas Buivydas has not recovered in time for selection for tonight's contest, with no further changes to the squad from Friday's game. 

OPPOSITION VIEW

Luxembourg's 79-70 loss to North Macedonia on Friday was their first of the group and they'll come to Dublin knowing a win will cement at least second place in Group A. Ben Kovac proved a thorn in Ireland's side during the meeting in D'Coque Arena in November. Kovac shot 12/18 from the field to notch 38 points, but he is not the only threat posed by Ken Diederich's squad. Clancy Rugg, Alex Laurent and Phillipe Gutenkauf are all familiar foes for Ireland and are capable of stepping up on any given day. 

Luxembourg uncharacteristically struggled with their perimeter shooting against North Macedonia on Friday. Expect them to look to put that right early here. 

IRELAND MEN’S TEAM ROSTER

Jordan Blount (Flexachem KCYMS), Rapolas Buivydas (Belfast Star), CJ Fulton (Iowa Wolves), Sean Flood (unattached), Sean Fitzpatrick (UCD Marian), Ryan Leonard (Limerick Sport Eagles), Sam Alajiki (Hapoel Galil Elion, Israel), Matt Zona (Cheshire Phoenix, UK), Neal Quinn (BCM Gravelines Dunkerque, France), Adrian O’Sullivan (Ballincollig), Eoin Nelson (Energywise Ireland Neptune), James Gormley (Griffth College Éanna).