Ireland Cruise Past Albania 112–44 to Reach FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket Division B Playoffs

SAMOKOV, Bulgaria – Ireland produced a commanding performance to defeat Albania 112–44 in their final Group A game at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2026 Division B, securing second place in the standings and advancing to the qualifying playoff round.

The Irish dominated from start to finish, pulling away after a competitive opening quarter before overwhelming Albania with relentless defense and efficient scoring. Ireland outscored Albania 87–27 over the final three quarters to seal one of the tournament's most emphatic victories.

Match Summary

FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2026 Division B – Group A

Ireland U20 Women 112–44 Albania U20 Women

Quarter Scores:

1st Quarter: 25–17 2nd Quarter: 36–13 Halftime: 61–30 3rd Quarter: 26–6 4th Quarter: 25–8

Ireland established control early before completely shutting down Albania after halftime, allowing just 14 points over the final 20 minutes.

Ireland Secure Second Place

The victory ensured Ireland finished second in Group A, earning a place in the qualifying playoff round after bouncing back strongly from their defeat to group winners Greece.

Final Group A Standings Team P W L PF PA +/- Pts Greece 3 3 0 253 168 +85 6 Ireland 3 2 1 267 193 +74 5 Azerbaijan 3 1 2 232 232 0 4 Albania 3 0 3 147 306 -159 3 Ireland Bounce Back in Style

After opening the tournament with a 93–81 victory over Azerbaijan before falling to group leaders Greece, Ireland needed a convincing performance to secure second place—and delivered exactly that.

Their aggressive full-court defense forced numerous Albanian turnovers, while their balanced offense consistently found high-percentage scoring opportunities in transition and inside the paint.

Ireland led by double digits after the opening period and never allowed Albania back into the contest, extending the advantage throughout the second half.

Albania Finish Group Stage Winless

For Albania, it was another difficult outing in a challenging group. The team finished the preliminary round with an 0–3 record and a -159 point differential.

Despite showing determination throughout the tournament, Albania struggled with turnovers, rebounding, and defending in the paint against three physically strong opponents.

The experience gained at the European level will nevertheless provide valuable lessons for the young Albanian squad as they continue their development.

Key Tournament Performers

Ireland's impressive campaign has been led by several standout players, including Grace Prenter, one of the tournament's leading scorers, alongside strong contributions from Emma Tolan and Ava Walshe.

With confidence restored following their dominant victory over Albania, Ireland now head into the knockout phase aiming to continue their run at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2026 Division B.