Cyprus men's national basketball team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Cyprus women's national basketball team.

Cyprus
FIBA ranking85 1 (25 February 2025)[1]
Joined FIBA1974
FIBA zoneFIBA Europe
National federationΚυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Καλαθοσφαίρισης (CBF)
CoachChristophoros Livadiotis
FIBA World Cup
AppearancesNone
EuroBasket
Appearances1 (Upcoming)
Championship for Small Countries
Appearances4
Medals Silver: (1990, 1994)
Bronze: (1988, 1992)
Games of the Small States of Europe
Appearances16
Medals Gold: (1985, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017)
Silver: (1989, 1993)
Bronze: (1991, 2023)
First international
 Bulgaria 90–45  
(Damascus, Syria; 17 April 1982)
Biggest win
 Monaco 40–108  
(Serravalle, San Marino; 1 June 2001)
Biggest defeat
 Czech Republic 135–60  
(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

Team

Current roster

Roster for the EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers matches on 21 and 24 February 2025 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 Ctr.
C 1 Christos Loizides 33 – (1991-05-26)26 May 1991 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) AEK Larnaca
PG 3 Konstantinos Simitzis 29 – (1995-08-12)12 August 1995 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) AEK Larnaca
F 4 Ioannis Pasiali 27 – (1997-11-01)1 November 1997 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Keravnos
PG 5 Simon Michail 32 – (1992-06-19)19 June 1992 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) Keravnos
PG 6 Stefanos Iliadis 30 – (1994-09-17)17 September 1994 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Anorthosis
F/C 8 Kyprianos Maragkos 31 – (1994-01-19)19 January 1994 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Anorthosis
F 9 Aeneas Jung 23 – (2002-02-13)13 February 2002 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) APOEL
PG 10 Ioannis Giannaras 25 – (1999-03-27)27 March 1999 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) AEK Larnaca
C 11 Michalis Koumis 28 – (1996-11-08)8 November 1996 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) Keravnos
PG 13 Filippos Tigkas 22 – (2002-11-05)5 November 2002 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Keravnos
C 21 Darral Willis 29 – (1996-01-21)21 January 1996 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) Aris
G 23 Stefanos Tigkas 19 – (2005-12-28)28 December 2005 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Keravnos
G/F 74 Victor Ieronymides 30 – (1995-01-29)29 January 1995 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) Anorthosis
F 99 Nikos Stylianou 36 – (1988-11-09)9 November 1988 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Keravnos
Head coach
  • Christophoros Livadiotis
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the competition
  • Age – describes age
    on 21 February 2025

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 Filippos Tigkas Simon Michail 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

21 November 2024   59–75  France Nicosia, Cyprus
19:00 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 15–20, 16–17, 19–14, 9–24
Pts: Simitzis 22
Rebs: Willis 6
Asts: Tigkas 4 		Boxscore Pts: Bouteille, Makoundou 15
Rebs: Makoundou 7
Asts: Benitez 5 		Arena: Eleftheria Indoor Hall
Attendance: 1,500
Referees: Ariadna Chueca (ESP), Carsten Straube (GER), Ofer Manheim (ISR)
24 November 2024 France  85–70   Poitiers, France
17:00 (UTC+1) Scoring by quarter: 28–14, 19–20, 21–24, 17–12
Pts: Bouteille 15
Rebs: Bouteille, Pansa 7
Asts: Benitez 6 		Boxscore Pts: Tigkas, Willis 18
Rebs: Willis 9
Asts: Tigkas 5 		Arena: Arena Futuroscope
Attendance: 4,864
Referees: Marius Ciulin (ROU), Viola Györgyi (NOR), Zdenko Tomašovič (SVK)

2025

21 February 2025 Bosnia and Herzegovina  108–62   Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina
20:00 (UTC+1) Scoring by quarter: 28–14, 25–15, 29–21, 26–12
Pts: Musa 31
Rebs: Vrabac 8
Asts: Atić 8 		Boxscore Pts: Michail 11
Rebs: Jung 6
Asts: Michail 3 		Arena: SKPC Mejdan
Attendance: 4,500
Referees: Saverio Lanzarini (ITA), Gintaras Mačiulis (LTU), Cecília Montgomery-Tóth (HUN)
24 February 2025   67–104  Croatia Nicosia, Cyprus
19:00 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 14–26, 11–22, 18–26, 24–30
Pts: Simitzis 25
Rebs: Willis 8
Asts: Tigkas 7 		Boxscore Pts: Hezonja 40
Rebs: Hezonja 11
Asts: Hezonja, Smith 7 		Arena: Eleftheria Indoor Hall
Attendance: 3,000
Referees: Gvidas Gedvilas (LTU), Andris Aunkrogers (LAT), Mihkel Männiste (EST)
28 August 2025 Bosnia and Herzegovina  vs.   Limassol, Cyprus
18:15 (UTC+3)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
30 August 2025   vs.  Greece Limassol, Cyprus
18:15 (UTC+3)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
31 August 2025 Spain  vs.   Limassol, Cyprus
18:15 (UTC+3)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
2 September 2025   vs.  Georgia Limassol, Cyprus
18:15 (UTC+3)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
4 September 2025 Italy  vs.   Limassol, Cyprus
18:15 (UTC+3)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
28 November 2025 TBD vs.   TBD
[Boxscore]
1 December 2025   vs.  Germany Limassol, Cyprus
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center

2026

26 February 2026 Israel  vs.   Israel
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore
1 March 2026   vs.  Israel Limassol, Cyprus
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
3 July 2026   vs. TBD Limassol, Cyprus
--:-- (UTC+3)
[Boxscore] Arena: Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Center
6 July 2026 Germany  vs.   Germany
--:-- (UTC+2)
Boxscore

Kit

Manufacturer

  • 2012–2015: Champion
  • 2015–2018: Legea
  • 2019–present: Caan Athletics

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  2. ^ "Cyprus results during qualification for EuroBasket 1983". Archived from the original on 1 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Cyprus during the EuroBasket 2017 Qualifiers". Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Cyprus during the EuroBasket 2022 Pre-Qualifiers". Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Cyprus during the 2023 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers". Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Cyprus will host EuroBasket 2025 group in Limassol". ccnnetwork.cn. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Έτσι θα μεταμορφωθεί το «Σπύρος Κυπριανού» ενόψει Ευρωμπάσκετ 2025". gipedo.politis.com.cy (in Greek). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Μεταμορφώνεται» το «Σπύρος Κυπριανού» για το Eurobasket 2025". alphanews.live (in Greek). Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Cyprus during the EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers in February 2025". Retrieved 21 February 2025.
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