Kingdom duo involved in Ireland’s victory over Kosovo

Rap Buivydas of Garveys Tralee Warriors and Jordan Blount of Flexachem KCYMS both played for Ireland in their victory over Kosovo in a pre-qualifier for the 2027 World Cup.

Buivydas scored 8 points and Blount 5 in the 91-85 win.

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland’s Jordan Blount and Lis Shoshi from Kosovo
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
The Irish Rapolas Buivydas
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland’s Jordan Blount and Malcolm Armstead from Kosovo
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland’s Jordan Blount
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland’s Jordan Blount
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland team
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland team
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland’s Conor Quinn and Rapolas Buivydas
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

FIBA Men’s World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Group A, National Basketball Arena, Dublin 24/11/2024
Ireland vs Kosovo
Ireland’s Jordan Blount
Mandatory credit ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Basketball Ireland report:

Ireland defeated Kosovo 91–85 in the pre-qualifying rounds of the 2027 FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup
24/11/24
Ireland make it two wins from two in the November period

Ireland made it two wins from two in November, with a 91-85 victory over Kosovo on Sunday in their FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers match at the National Basketball Arena. It keeps Ireland in second place in Group A with a 2-2 record and remains in the race to qualify for the next round, ahead of two away games against group leaders Switzerland and Azerbaijan in February.

Kosovo got on the scoresheet first, but Ireland then led the entire match. Back-to-back threes from John Carroll saw Ireland get off target and lead 6-2 in the third minute. Neal Quinn, who had a game-high 23 points and 13 points, had a good scoring spell early. Paul Dick’s attempted lay-up was emphatically sent out on the rebound to get the sold-out Arena crowd going. The center added a layup and hit three free throws to give Ireland a 15-2 lead after six minutes.

Layups from under the basket by Jordan Blount and Roy Downey and a Rapolas Buivydas three put Ireland ahead 22-2 with two minutes left in the first. Kosovo had some joy from the three-point line late in the quarter, through Gezim Morina and Mikaile Tmusic, who helped cut the deficit to 24-12 at the end of the first quarter.

A corner three from captain Dardan Berisha and a jump shot from Morina brought Kosovo within six points, trailing 27-21, three minutes into the second quarter. Ireland called a timeout and came back with a Sean Flood three. A hook shot from Quinn and a lay-up from Carroll followed soon after, with Ireland leading 34-23.

Kosovo continued to enjoy the long stretch, back-to-back threes from Malcolm Armstead and Rron Ukaj making it an eight-point game, 37-29, with three and a half minutes remaining. Dick’s lay-up put Ireland ahead 42-33, but four points from Lis Shoshi made it 42-37 for Ireland at halftime.

Ireland made a perfect start to the third quarter, with three points from Flood’s long range as they led 47-37. Kosovo responded with a Shoshi dunk.

Flood, who had scored 10 points in the first half, landed another from distance, his third from the three-point line in that phase. Meanwhile, Neal Quinn remained dominant under the basket, gobbling up Blount’s three attempts on the rebound, with Ireland leading 53-41 three minutes later. Kosovo kept themselves in the game thanks to threes from Armstead and Berisha, either side of Downey’s layout was 55-49 just after the middle.

Five points from Buivydas took Ireland to the 60-point mark, 60-49. A nicely crafted three from Conor Quinn made it 67-56 in front with just over a minute remaining. In the last minute of the quarter everything went in Ireland’s favor: a driving lay-up from Carroll, then Kosovo lost Armstead after picking up his fifth foul, while the match ended with a buzzer beater three from Flood, his arms stretched out in celebration as his personal score stood at 21 points and Ireland were ahead 73-58.

A seven-point run by Kosovo was cut short by a Neal Quinn dunk with Ireland leading 77-67 two minutes into the fourth quarter. Quinn remained dominant in the paint and picked up four more crucial points, putting Ireland ahead 81-68. Berisha continued to drive his side, making three long distances and three free throws – either side of Downey’s jump shot – and the deficit was cut to nine, 83-74.

Kosovo struggled to contain Neal Quinn. He landed another layup, next was Dick from the three-point line and Ireland had extended their lead to 90-76 with three minutes remaining. But Kosovo weren’t done yet, they finished with a nine-point run topped off by a Rron Ukaj dunk, but it was Ireland’s day, winning 91-85.

Ireland head coach Mark Keenan said: “Happy, we’ve won two out of two now and now it’s all about then. When have we ever won two games in a row here?! I think you have to look back at the FIBA ​​European Small Nations Championship, so it’s a great week for us, for the team, at the level we played. “I think tonight we reached the highest level we’ve played, but maybe not as long as Thursday (against Azerbaijan), and Kosovo also put it in front of us, they’re tough.”

Ireland’s next matches are against Group A leaders Switzerland on February 20, followed by a trip to Azerbaijan on February 23.

“They will be very tough (Switzerland and Azerbaijan). The boys will be ready for it. The next thing we’re thinking about is Switzerland, that’s the next focus: how we can get victory there,” Keenan added.

The group winners and the best runners-up from three groups will advance to the second round of the FIBA ​​Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifying.

Quarter scores:
Q1: 24-12, Q2: 19-25 Q3: 30-21, Q4: 18-27
Game scores:
Q1: 24-12, Q2: 43-37, Q3: 73-58, Q4: 91-85
Ireland:
Adrian O’Sullivan (DNP), Roy Downey (8), Rapolas Buivydas (8), Sean Flood (21), Conor Quinn (5), Jordan Blount (5), John Carroll (12), James Gormley (DNP), Paul Dick (9), Matt Treacy (0), Neal Quinn (23), Aidan Harris-Igiehon (0).
Kosovo:
Malcolm Armstead (10), Dardan Kapiti (0), Gezim Morina (9), Mikaile Tmusic (7), Arti Hajdari (0), Arian Callakaj (9), Dardan Berisha (15), Rron Ukaj (10), Meriton Ismaili (2), Muhamedali Janjeva (9), Lis Shoshi (14), Erjon Kastrati (DNP).

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualification Results:
Sunday November 24, 2024
Ireland 91-85 Kosovo
Thursday November 21, 2024
Ireland 91-67 Azerbaijan
Sunday February 25, 2024
Ireland 63-86 Switzerland
Thursday February 22, 2024
Kosovo 83-76 Ireland

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Pre-Qualifiers:
Thursday February 20, 2025
Switzerland vs Ireland, tip to follow, (Live on TG4)
Sunday February 23, 2025
Azerbaijan vs Ireland, tip to follow, (Live on TG4)