Kosovo 83

Ireland 76

IRELAND WERE EDGED 83-76 by Kosovo in their Fiba Basketball World Cup 2027 pre-qualifier game on Thursday in what was their debut at this level.

Mark Keenan’s side led the fixture in the Kosovan capital of Pristina with just over six minutes remaining but the hosts rallied late to pick up a valuable victory in Group A.

Jordan Blount finished top scorer for Ireland on 27 points, also securing 13 rebounds, while Taiwo Badmus was good for 15 points and five rebounds on a promising night for the men’s national team. James Beckom and Rapolas Buivydas also impressed on their senior international debuts.

Ireland skipper Seán Flood said: “We have a young team now coming in, we had Beckom come off the bench and did a great job in the first half and then we kept it close.

“They went on a run, we’d respond with a bit of a run, and unfortunately they made a run late. Number 11 (Dardan Berisha) and number 12 (Drilon Hajrizi) for them, two experienced players hit some tough shots and that was the difference in the end.”

Flood added: “We got over here early on Monday, got a few sessions and got comfortable with the environment and put a bit of a decent performance together — probably for 35 minutes; maybe got a little bit tired. Their crowd played a part down the stretch. They were great.”

Named as vice captain a day earlier, Cork man Blount sunk Ireland’s opening score with a three-point jump shot to bring Ireland level affairs at three apiece. Kosovo then went on a nine-point run before Badmus converted a couple of free throws.

With two and a half minutes to go in the opening quarter, Blount dropped his second from the three-point line to reduce Ireland’s arrears at 16-13. A Matt Treacy layup kept it at 20-17 with a minute to go in the first, but Kosovo extended their lead back out to five by the buzzer.

The Badmus-inspired Ireland took their first lead, however, four minutes into the second quarter. The Icelandic-based small forward began an Irish surge with a one-handed dunk and sustained it with a step-back three from the top of the arc. Ireland led 28-27.

Kosovo replied in kind before another Badmus dunk brought Ireland back to within two points with three minutes to go in the quarter.

Kosovo took their lead out to seven before Irish captain Flood intervened with his first points — a three with two minutes to go until the half — and Ireland were 37-33 behind.

In the final minute before the break, Matt Treacy landed a three from the corner to make it 44-38. A late free throw from Dardan Berisha gave Kosovo a 45-38 half-time lead.

Badmus kicked off the third quarter with another layup but Kosovo soon moved out to a nine-point lead — 57-48 — after a Berisha three.

Ireland, though, rattled off six unanswered points — a Badmus layup sandwiched by a couple more by Blount — to trail 57-54 with three and a half minutes to go in the third.

Three free throws and a jump shot from veteran shooting guard Berisha took Kosovo out to a 63-54 advantage but Blount took his personal tally to 21 with a pair of free throws and a layup to finish the quarter. Ireland trailed 65-57 entering the fourth.

Then came a Treacy three from the corner, followed by a neat spin move and layup from Blount, and then a Flood three. This brilliant, eight-point flurry saw Ireland level the contest at 65 each and prompted a timeout from the hosts.

A superb block by Neil Randolph and the ensuring counter, finished off by Flood, nudged Ireland ahead with six minutes and 21 seconds to go — but Kosovo composed themselves and retook the lead through a Drilon Hajrizi three-point jump shot.

Ireland’s deficit was just three points — 74-71 — with a little over two minutes to go, this thanks to a Blount layup.

Muhamedali Janjeva, however, brought the home crowd to their feet with a minute and change to go, his big three all but ending the contest at 80-71 — and Kosovo managed the game out from there to clinch it by seven.

Ireland’s next pre-qualifier will take place against Switzerland on Sunday at the National Basketball Arena, Dublin.

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 22-17, Q2: 23-21 Q3: 20-19, Q4: 18-19

Game Scores:

Q1: 22-17, Q2: 45-38, Q3: 65-57, Q4: 83-76

Kosovo: Dardan Kapiti (4), Musab Mala (7), Gezim Morina (3), Mikaile Tmusic (11), Arian Callakaj (5), Dardan Berisha (19), Drilon Hajrizi (20), Norik Binque (DNP), Meriton Ismaili (2), Muhamedali Janjeva (9), Jon Ismajli (DNP), Ardit Pepaj (3)

Ireland: Adrian O’Sullivan (2), Lorcan Murphy (4), James Beckom (0), Neil Randolph (0), Sean Flood (12), Conor Quinn (DNP), Jordan Blount (27), Rapolas Buivydas (3), James Gormley (2), David Lehane (DNP), Taiwo Badmus (15), Matt Treacy (11)