Spain’s Navarro Ends Macedonia’s EuroBasket Fairytale

Many Macedonians  left work early on Friday to watch the semifinal game of the national basketball team against champion Spain, but Spain’s Juan Carlos Navarro brought to an end Macedonia’s dream for the finals.  

Macedonia lost 80:92 even though after the first half it seemed that the players from the small Balkan country will pull off another unbelievable upset at the 2011 EuroBasket held in Lithuania.

With strong defense and precise three point shots Macedonia won the first half 45:44, but then Navarro took over pouring 35 points. Macedonian players lost pace in the third quarter leaving the opponent to make a lead of 10 points.

Pau Gassol was second best player in Spain's team with 22 points. For Macedonia Bo McCalleb scored 25 and Pero Antic added 17.  

Thousands of fans who watched the game at the main square in the capital Skopje and other cities continuing to sing and praise the team despite the loss.

Reaching the semi-finals Macedonia is the biggest success in its sports history as
Macedonia has never even qualified for the Olympics and has played twice previously in the EuroBasket championship. Two years ago the national basketball team won two matches, coming ninth in the tournament.

While victories against Croatia, Finland, Bosnia were events to savour in a country that takes few prizes in sport, victory against Macedonia’s neighbour, Greece, was seen as the icing on the cake.

In the quarter-finals Macedonia lost against Russia by one shot (61:63) in the last game of the second round, interrupting what had been a series of six wins.

Eurobasket 2011 official site proclaimed the win of Macedonia against the home country Lithuania in the quarter finals on Wednesday as the biggest upset by an underdog team in the history of the Euro Championships that is held since 1935.

Against all odds, Lithuania was beaten by a three-pointer in the last seconds of the game (67:65) and Macedonia entered the best four teams in Europe.

Thousands of jubilant Macedonians poured to the streets all over the country to celebrate the national basketball team’s stunning win over Lithuania in Kaunas.

On Sunday Macedonia is scheduled to play for the third place against Russia. Spain will defend the gold medal against France on Sunday.

On Monday, thousands are expected to greet the basketball team when they return to Skopje.

Macedonia’s government has been vocal in its support for the team whose players have become national heroes. The government paid to send hundreds of fans to Lithuania for the games with lithuania and Spain.

President Gorgje Ivanov has already honoured the players. On Monday, he issued a decree awarding the players and team support staff with a medal. 


Several days earlier the government rewarded the players with 3,000 euros each for their results so far and pledged additional 5,000 euros if they succeed in positioning themselves among the top six teams on the Championship .