Albania national basketball team

The Albanian national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Albania in international competitions.

2009 Roster

History

Basketball started spreading in Albania in the 20s, after the First World War with the creation of the first multi-sports societies. One of the oldest clubs that has paractised basketball is SK Tirana. No professional championships would start until the end of the Second World War. The first National Basketball Committee was created in September 1945 which would be responsible for the basketball problems in Albania. This opened the way for the Albanian Basketball Association ( originally Federata Shqiptare e Basketbollit ) to be formed a year later in 1946. In 1947 the Albanian Basketball Association became memebr of FIBA. The first basketball championship started in 1946 while just a year later started the women basketball championship with the participation of eight clubs from all over Albania. In 1951 the Albanian Basketball Federation started a new tournament that would be open to all professional and amateur basketball clubs in the country, the Republic's Cup. In 1952 was started also the Women's Republic Cup and the youths Republic's Cup. Another more massive basketball tournament was included in the National Spartakiada from 1959 to 1989. Basketball has greatly developed in Albania and is now the second favourite sport of every Albanian. In 1999 the Albanian Basketball Association decided to start another...
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