Gibraltar Show Improvement Despite Defeat to Armenia

It was a tighter performance from Gibraltar against Armenia, despite falling behind 25-7 in the first quarter.

Having been comprehensively beaten by Cyprus the previous day, Gibraltar faced an Armenian side that had also scored heavily in their opening group match against Malta. Yet, Gibraltar appeared more composed and ready to face the steep challenge ahead.

There was little doubt as to who the favourites were. Armenia, confident even before tip-off, entered the match expecting victory. With pressure on the Armenians to deliver, Gibraltar approached the game with a freer mindset—focused on gaining experience and giving their best, rather than chasing a win that seemed a tall order.

Although trailing 44-11 midway through the second quarter, Gibraltar displayed greater calm in possession. They looked to build plays and work toward the basket rather than rush through, as they had at times the previous day.

Gibraltar did well to disrupt Armenia’s rhythm at key points in the second quarter, raising their own score to 17 points with four minutes left to play. At the same time, they managed to delay Armenia’s approach to the 50-point mark—often a psychological milestone in such matches.

A well-taken three-pointer saw Gibraltar hit the 20-point mark just before Armenia reached 51, already an improvement on their scoring under the basket compared to the previous day.

As the team stepped onto the court on what would have been the final day of their academic year—with schools across Gibraltar closing for the summer—it was their determination and grit that stood out. Especially notable was the commitment of these young players, who could have chosen to stay back and celebrate the start of their holidays.

Reaching 24 points while Armenia stood at 55 within the first half was a feat in itself, considering Gibraltar had struggled to get past 17 points the previous day before a late burst brought them to 25 by full-time. While it remained to be seen whether Armenia were as strong as Cyprus—neither side had faced each other yet—the on-court momentum suggested Armenia were equally formidable.

Gibraltar began to measure their progress through their improved response.

The second quarter ended with Armenia leading 60-26. Although Gibraltar still conceded at a high rate, they had increased their scoring output significantly.

The match was streamed live to over 200 viewers on FIBA’s platform—surpassing the number of people present in the arena.

By the halfway point of the third quarter, Gibraltar had reached the 30-point mark, but areas of improvement remained. One such issue was creating space from throw-ins. Gibraltar’s players, more accustomed to defending, often looked to mark opponents even when in possession—resulting in turnovers from sideline restarts.

With four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Armenia extended their lead to 80-32—already runaway winners. Competing against teams like Armenia and Cyprus, who often bounce between Youth Basketball’s B and C Divisions, Gibraltar’s goal was performance improvement.

By the end of the third quarter, Gibraltar had reached 38 points—already a notable progression from the previous day—as Armenia led 86-38.

Armenia reached the 90-point mark with seven minutes still to play. The challenge for Gibraltar became whether they could both contain their opponents below 100 and reach the 50-point mark themselves—both significant milestones.

However, back-to-back three-pointers from Armenia pushed the score to 96-44 with four minutes left. Gibraltar, stalled at 44, began to see their own 50-point goal slipping away.

Armenia hit the century mark via a free throw with 90 seconds remaining, taking the score to 100-44. The final result, 102-46, showed Armenia’s dominance, but for Gibraltar, it was a match filled with signs of growth and positives to build on for the future.