Netherlands Dominate Albania 82-59 in FIBA U20 EuroBasket Division B

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Albania suffered an 82-59 defeat to the Netherlands in their Group Phase clash at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket Division B on Saturday, July 10, 2026, at the EUBA Sports Hall. The Dutch side established control from the opening minutes and never allowed Albania back into the contest, despite the Red and Blacks winning the final quarter.

Score by Quarters Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Total Netherlands 26 20 18 18 82 Albania 15 11 14 19 59 Fast Start Decides the Contest

The game remained close in the opening minutes, with Erigert Bello tying the score at 5-5 from the free-throw line after just over a minute of play. However, the Netherlands immediately responded through Thijs Beens, whose three-pointer sparked a dominant run that completely changed the momentum.

The Dutch outscored Albania 22-7 over the remainder of the first quarter, taking a commanding 26-15 lead after ten minutes. Their aggressive defense and efficient perimeter shooting forced Albania into difficult shots, while the Netherlands controlled both the pace and the rebounding battle.

From that point onward, the Dutch never looked back. They increased their advantage before halftime and comfortably protected their lead throughout the second half, despite Albania producing a better performance in the final quarter.

Diouf Leads a Complete Dutch Performance

Seal Diouf delivered an outstanding all-around display for the Netherlands, recording a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in only 16 minutes and 30 seconds on the court. He also contributed 3 assists, 3 blocked shots and 1 steal, finishing with the highest efficiency rating of the game (22).

Top scorer for the Netherlands was Thijs Beens, who finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, knocking down five three-pointers.

The Dutch also received valuable contributions from:

Cid van Timmeren: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists Lion Nwankwo: 12 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting performance Jairo van den Berg: 9 points and a game-best +22 plus/minus rating Vezi Shines for Albania

Despite the defeat, Eros Vezi was Albania's standout performer. He finished with:

13 points 4 rebounds 1 assist 2 steals 2 blocks

Vezi once again showed his versatility on both ends of the floor and was Albania's most productive player throughout the contest.

Turning Point

The decisive sequence came during the opening quarter. After the score was tied at 5-5, the Netherlands exploded with a 22-7 run, fueled by accurate three-point shooting and dominant defense.

Later in the first period, the Dutch added a 12-0 run, extending a narrow 12-10 lead into a commanding 24-10 advantage. During that stretch, Cid van Timmeren scored eight consecutive points to put Albania under immense pressure.

Albania Show Character

Although trailing by a large margin, Albania never stopped competing. The Red and Blacks produced their best basketball in the fourth quarter, winning the final ten minutes 19-18.

Earlier in the second quarter, Albania also put together a 7-0 run, highlighted by contributions from Skendi Sinani and Pavlos Jakaj, briefly cutting into the Dutch advantage.

However, the Netherlands' early dominance proved too much to overcome.

Game Statistics

The Netherlands led for 38 minutes and 58 seconds, while Albania held the advantage for only 23 seconds during the opening minutes.

The Dutch built their biggest lead of the night at 79-52, a 27-point margin, before eventually securing a convincing 82-59 victory.

Looking Ahead

The result underlines the Netherlands' depth and balance as they continue their Group Phase campaign with confidence. Albania, meanwhile, showed resilience despite the defeat and will look to build on its improved fourth-quarter performance as it prepares for the next challenge in the FIBA U20 EuroBasket Division B.