Gibraltar U16 beat San Marino in final classification match

Gibraltar's U16 boys' basketball team avoided finishing bottom of the table at the FIBA U16 EuroBasket Division C tournament in Yerevan, Armenia, with a well-deserved victory over San Marino.
Having suffered defeats in their previous matches against Armenia, Andorra, Malta and Monaco, Gibraltar were pitted against San Marino in the 8th/9th place play-off on Sunday.
A great start from Gibraltar saw them take the first quarter 27-15, a momentum they maintained until the final quarter.
A 28-11 second quarter, followed by a 19-18 third quarter, saw Gibraltar hold a commanding lead as they entered the final period.
San Marino cut the deficit with a 23-11 final quarter. However, it was not enough to catch Gibraltar.
For the first time in the tournament, Gibraltar were able to ease off in the final quarter without risking defeat.
The 85-67 victory gave Gibraltar their first win of the competition and saw them finish eighth overall.
Whilst the results did not go in their favour throughout the tournament, and the differences in quality between the teams were at times clear to see, the Gibraltar U16s showed determination and grit even when the odds were against them. Their efficiency under the basket, however, was lacking, with too many straightforward scoring opportunities missed under the pressure of international basketball.
In the women's competition, Gibraltar's U16 girls suffered a 98-31 defeat to Kosovo in the 5th-7th place classification group on Saturday.
Reduced to single figures in every quarter except the third, Gibraltar were overwhelmed by Kosovo. The latter went on to defeat Moldova in their final match on Sunday to top the classification group.