Azerbaijan Stuns Ireland in EuroBasket Pre-Qualifying Upset

Ireland’s Eurobasket 2029 qualifying campaign suffered a major blow Friday night with a narrow 76-75 defeat at the hands of Azerbaijan at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. The loss was particularly stinging given Azerbaijan is ranked 104th in the world, 22 places below Ireland in the FIBA world rankings.

A Disjointed Performance for the Home Side

The result leaves Ireland’s hopes of progressing from the group stage in serious doubt. There was no glossing over what was a disjointed Ireland display,

Ireland had previously enjoyed success against Azerbaijan, winning both prior encounters in the previous Eurobasket campaign. Yet, they struggled to replicate that form on this occasion.

First Half Struggles

The opening quarter was evenly contested, with Ireland taking a slender 19-18 lead. Despite the growing influence of CJ Fulton, Ireland was inefficient from the three-point line, converting only two of nine attempts. Azerbaijan responded strongly in the second quarter, led by Wesley van Beck and Kamran Mammadov and took a 35-41 lead into halftime. The visitors’ success was fueled by a 56% three-point shooting percentage, compared to Ireland’s 33%.

Azerbaijan Gains Momentum, Then Faces Adversity

Azerbaijan extended their lead early in the third quarter, with Van Beck hitting two quick three-pointers to put them ahead by 12. However, the game took a turn when Van Beck was sidelined due to an unsportsmanlike foul on Sam Alijiki just 73 seconds into the second half.

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Azerbaijan held a 13-point lead at that stage but then faced virtually half the game without their American- born talisman.

Despite being without a key player, Azerbaijan initially pushed their lead to 16 points.

Ireland Mounts a Comeback

Ireland began to find their rhythm, sparked by a three-pointer from Matt Zona. Two free throws from Alijiki further closed the gap, leaving Ireland trailing by five points (54-59) at the end of the third quarter. Zona continued his impact at the start of the fourth, hitting another three-pointer to reduce the deficit to one point. Captain Seán Flood then converted two free throws to give Ireland the lead (62-61) for the first time since the opening quarter.

Azerbaijan Seals the Victory

Azerbaijan regained the lead, extending it to seven points before a three-pointer from Flood brought the deficit back to two. It was Azerbaijan’s captain, Amil Hamzayev, who proved decisive, landing two crucial three-pointers in the final quarter to secure an unexpected 76-75 victory.

What’s Next for Ireland?

This defeat marks Ireland’s third consecutive loss in the group. They will appear to secure their first win under coach Michael Bree on Monday against Luxembourg, but their chances of progressing from the group are now slim.

Stay tuned to 247sports.news for continued coverage of the FIBA EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifiers.

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