The Portugal National Basketball Team is the team that represents Portugal during international competitions and events.
Despite the unsuccessful years of the team to win awards of the sport basketball, the Portugal National Basketball Team is indeed a survival. The team believed that they have something to prove, that is why during the year 2007 in EuroBasket they were able to be one of the qualified team to enter finals.
In that event, the spirit of team and the team itself is developed. The first participation of Portugal in the European Championship Debut happened on the year 1951 in Paris, where in they played for tournament. However, they were unsuccessful during that time losing the preliminary rounds.
Moreover, they won over Romania and gained 1 win 2 loses and placed them as the third team in the competition. It was also in the EuroBasket 1951 when they win the game over Switzerland which placed them on the last place. On the next game, their moves were not enough to win over Germany. In addition, the team still felt their spirits on top when they defeated Scotland and was able to be on the 15th out of the 18 teams.
After the EuroBasket 1951, the team became stagnant and was not able to play again for the Eurobasket. With this reason, the team was even forced to try hard on the improvement of their skills in basketball. And on qualification of teams on the EuroBasket year 2007, they were lucky to be one of the participants.
During the EuroBasket 2007, the Portugal National Basketball Team didn’t show any hesitation and doubt about showing their extreme moves and proving that they really deserve to be one of the participants. During that time, they were able to defeat Republic of Macedonia & Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On the first preliminary rounds of the event, they have been lost by Crotia and Spain. But that didn’t stop them, and they won over Latvia. In that event, they were again qualified to play on the second round.
The second round played by the Portugal National Team was not that easy since they played the game with Russia- an all-time winner during the preliminary round, and they lost the game. However, when they played the game with Israel, they had shown again their very best performance and defeated the team. After which, the team has to play with the runner-ups of the EuroBasket 2005 and FIBA Championship 06 and that is Greece.
However, the Greece played a very strong and competent game and won over the Portuguese. Moreover, during that event the Portugal National Team was ensured to be on the 12th spot of the best European basketball teams.
Listed below are some of the players who were involved on the EuroBasket 2007:
1. Miguel Minhava
Minhava plays as the guard during that time and is 24 years old, way back 2007. He is a natural Portuguese and has been playing on the CF Belenense and on Spain under the CBL’ Hospitalet on years 2007-2008. However, he is a current basketball player of the Benefica.
2. Joao Pedro Santos
Santos is the power forward that time. Santos has the record of basketball that averages in 11.2 points per game, 0.8 assists per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. He played for Portugal Telecom during the year 1996-1998. Nevada Reno on 1998-2001. Santos also played on the Panionias BC during the years 2002 up to 2004 and CB Valladolid years 2004-2008. Like Minhava, he is also a player of the Benefica from the year 2008 till this event.
3. Elvis Evora
Elvis Evora who was born on the year 1978 was also part of the PNBT in EuroBasket 2007. He plays as the center and is also a great and essential player of different teams. Such teams are Fe Ponto (1998-1999 till 2004-2005). He is also a player of the Tenerife, but moved to Portugal Ovarense during the year 2006 and stayed till 2008.
In Ovarense he won twice in the National Championship. On 2008, he was back to Spain and played for Gandia Ba, plus he signed in SL Benefica. He started playing for Portugal since year 2000 and gained 95 caps on the year 2007 October.
The History Of Basketball And How It Started In Portugal
Basketball Coaches In Portugal
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