Cyprus men's national basketball team

Cyprus
FIBA ranking	87 1 (1 March 2024)
Joined FIBA	1974
FIBA zone	FIBA Europe
National federation	Κυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Καλαθοσφαίρισης (CBF)
Coach	Christophoros Livadiotis
FIBA World Cup
Appearances	None
EuroBasket
Appearances	1 (Upcoming)
Championship for Small Countries
Appearances	4
Medals	Silver: (1990, 1994); Bronze: (1988, 1992)
Games of the Small States of Europe
Appearances	16
Medals	Gold: (1985, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017); Silver: (1989, 1993); Bronze: (1991, 2023)
Home	Away
First international
	Bulgaria 90–45 Cyprus ; (Damascus, Syria; 17 April 1982)
Biggest win
	Monaco 40–108 Cyprus ; (Serravalle, San Marino; 1 June 2001)
Biggest defeat
	Czech Republic 135–60 Cyprus ; (Prievidza, Slovakia; 22 June 1993)

The Cyprus men's national basketball team (Greek: Εθνική ομάδα μπάσκετ της Κύπρου) represents Cyprus in international basketball, and is controlled by the Cyprus Basketball Federation. The national team is coached by Christophoros Livadiotis.

Cyprus joined FIBA in 1974, where the team has mostly competed in smaller competitions such as the Games of the Small States of Europe, winning it nine times. However, Cyprus will make their debut at the top continental competition, EuroBasket, as co-hosts in 2025.

History

Cyprus made its first appearance on the international scene in qualification for EuroBasket 1983. Although the national team would come up short in their attempt, with an (0–4) record.^[2] Furthermore, Cyprus has taken part at lower level tournaments, where they have been impressive. Cyprus has won two bronze medals, and two silver medals at the European Championship for Small Countries, while also taking home one bronze, two silver, and nine gold medals at the Games of the Small States of Europe.

During the first few decades on the international level for Cyprus, the national team went through multiple futile qualifying cycles which saw the team unable to successfully qualify for the EuroBasket. For qualification to EuroBasket 2017, Cyprus was placed into Group A during the qualifiers; although the team would once again be rebuffed at reaching the continental stage. Cyprus would ultimately finish up with a (2–4) record, with their only two victories coming against Switzerland.^[3]

Cyrus took part in qualifying for EuroBasket 2022, and was drawn into Group C for the first round of pre-qualifiers. The first test for the national team was against Portugal, at home in Nicosia. Cyprus would eventually prevail, in a tough match 69–67. Looking to stay perfect, the team played their next match on the road at Luxembourg. Immediately, Cyprus would run out to a big first quarter lead, and never looked back, winning 53–67. Cyprus dropped their final two matches of group play, to finish with a (2–2) record to advance.

During the second round of pre-qualifiers, Cyprus was placed into Group D, with Austria, and Great Britain. However, the national team failed to win a match, and finished with an (0–4) record. Cyprus blew an opportunity to advance to the final stage of qualifiers, but would have one more chance to make amends in the third round.

Heading into the final window of pre-qualifiers, Cyprus needed to finish top of Group F, if they were to achieve their goal. Unfortunately, the team would duplicate the results attained in the second round, with an (0–4) record once again. Cyprus ended the pre-qualifying process at a record of (2–10) overall, eliminating their opportunity to advance.^[4] After failing to qualify for EuroBasket 2022, Cyprus went through European Pre-Qualifiers for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. However, they finished (1–5) during the first round to be eliminated.^[5]

In March 2022, Cyprus qualified for the EuroBasket for the first time in their history, by being awarded as one of the co-hosts for the group stage at EuroBasket 2025. Matches will be played at the Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center in Limassol.^[6]^[7]^[8]

Competitive record

Games of the Small States of Europe

Games of the Small States of Europe
Year	Position	Pld	W	L
1985		3	3	0
1987	5th	3	1	2
1989		4	2	2
1991		4	2	2
1993		5	4	1
1995		4	4	0
1997		4	3	1
2001		4	4	0
2003		4	4	0
2005		4	4	0
2007	Disqualified	5	3	2
2009		5	5	0
2013		4	4	0
2017		5	5	0
2019	5th	4	0	4
2023		5	2	3
Total		67	50	17

EuroBasket

EuroBasket					Qualification
Year	Position	Pld	W	L	Pld	W	L
1975	Did not enter				Did not enter
1977
1979
1981
1983	Did not qualify				4	0	4
1985					5	2	3
1987					4	0	4
1989	Did not enter				Did not enter
1991	Did not enter				Did not enter
1993	Did not qualify				6	2	4
1995					5	0	5
1997					6	2	4
1999					8	3	5
2001					11	5	6
2003					15	4	11
2005	Division B				6	3	3
2007	Division B				6	1	5
2009	Division B				8	3	5
2011	Division B				6	0	6
2013	Did not qualify				8	0	8
2015	Did not enter				Did not enter
2017	Did not qualify				6	2	4
2022	Did not qualify				12	2	10
2025	Qualified as co-host				To be determined
Total	1/24				116	29	87

Championship for Small Countries

FIBA European Championship for Small Countries
Year	Position	Pld	W	L
1988		5	4	1
1990		5	3	2
1992		5	4	1
1994		5	4	1
Total		20	15	5

Team

Current roster

Roster for the EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers matches on 23 and 26 February 2023 against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.^[9]

Cyprus men's national basketball team roster

Players

Coaches

Pos.	No.	Name	Age – Date of birth	Height	Club
C	1	Christos Loizides	32 – (1991-05-26)26 May 1991	2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)	AEK Larnaca
G	3	Konstantinos Simitzis	26 – (1998-01-01)1 January 1998	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	AEK Larnaca
F	4	Ioannis Pasiali	26 – (1997-11-01)1 November 1997	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	Keravnos
PG	5	Simon Michail	31 – (1992-06-19)19 June 1992	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	Keravnos
PG	6	Stefanos Iliadis	29 – (1994-09-17)17 September 1994	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	Apollon
F	9	Aeneas Jung	22 – (2002-02-13)13 February 2002	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	Ludwigsburg
PG	10	Ioannis Giannaras	24 – (1999-03-27)27 March 1999	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)	APOEL
C	11	Michalis Koumis	27 – (1996-11-08)8 November 1996	2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)	Keravnos
PG	13	Filippos Tigkas	21 – (2002-11-05)5 November 2002	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)	Keravnos
SF	14	Georgios Tretiakov	23 – (2000-11-10)10 November 2000	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)	Anorthosis
C	21	Darral Willis	28 – (1996-01-21)21 January 1996	2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)	Levanga Hokkaido
F/C	69	Roberto Mantovani	29 – (1994-01-04)4 January 1994	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	AEK Larnaca
F	99	Nikos Stylianou	34 – (1988-11-09)9 November 1988	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	Keravnos

Head coach

Christophoros Livadiotis

Assistant coach(es)

Pablo Cano
Michael Matsentides

Legend

(C) Team captain
Club – describes last
club before the competition
Age – describes age
on 23 February 2024

Depth chart

Pos.	Starting 5	Bench 1	Bench 2	Bench 3
C	Michalis Koumis	Christos Loizides	Darral Willis	Kyprianos Maragkos
PF	Roberto Mantovani	Ioannis Pasiali	Aeneas Jung	Pavlos Stavrinides
SF	Nikos Stylianou	Zayd Muosa	Gavriel Kilaras	Rafail Eleftheriou
SG	Konstantinos Simitzis	Antreas Christodoulou	Panagiotis Markou	Ioannis Giannaras
PG	Simon Michail	Filippos Tigkas	Stefanos Iliadis	Iakovos Panteli

Head coach position

Christos Stylianidis – (2007–2011)
Antonis Konstantinides – (2012)
Panagiotis Yiannaras – (2013–2017)
Linos Gavriel – (2017–2021)
Michael Matsentides – (2022 Interim)
Christophoros Livadiotis – (2022–present)

Results and fixtures

Win Loss

2024

v Bosnia and Herzegovina

23 February 2024 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Cyprus	66–99	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Nicosia, Cyprus
19:00 (UTC+2)	Scoring by quarter: 27–28, 11–23, 18–26, 10–22
	Pts: Willis 22 Rebs: Willis 13 Asts: Stylianou 3	Boxscore	Pts: Musa 26 Rebs: Kamenjaš 10 Asts: Atić, Musa 8	Arena: Eleftheria Indoor Hall Attendance: 3,000 Referees: Martin Horozov (BUL), Ofer Manheim (ISR), Marek Kúkelčík (SVK)

v

Cyprus

26 February 2024 EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers	Croatia	92–63	Cyprus	Rijeka, Croatia
20:00 (UTC+1)	Scoring by quarter: 22–8, 26–16, 22–26, 22–13
	Pts: Prkačin 24 Rebs: Hezonja, Prkačin 10 Asts: Kapusta 8	Boxscore	Pts: Simitzis 17 Rebs: Willis 9 Asts: Mantovani, Willis 3	Arena: Zamet Sports Centre Attendance: 2,500 Referees: Radomir Vojinović (MNE), Ventsislav Velikov (BUL), Can Mavisu (TUR)