Luxembourg’s men’s national basketball team;
Credit: FIBA
On Thursday 20 February 2025, Luxembourg’s men’s national basketball team (FLBB team) played their fourth match in Group B during the first round of the FIBA World Cup 2027 European pre-qualifiers.
Ken Diederich’s team faced Norway away, with only a victory able to keep their hopes alive for progressing to the next round. Luxembourg’s record going into the match stood at one win and two losses.
The visitors started with a five-point run and managed to maintain their lead until the end of the first quarter. In the second, they extended their advantage and went into the break leading 38:30. Oliver Vujakovic was Luxembourg's standout performer in the first half, contributing 9 points to the team's total.
In the third quarter, Norway turned the game around, first catching up with Ken Diederich’s team (44:44), before making an 8-point run, to which Luxembourg could only respond with two. In the final quarter, accurate shots from Malcolm Kreps, Oliver Vujakovic and Dorian Grosber allowed the “Red Lions” to briefly regain the lead at 55:54. However, that was the last time Luxembourg would be ahead in the match. Norway took control of the game and secured the win with a 68:59 final score.
Oliver Vujakovic was Luxembourg's top scorer with 12 points, also contributing 6 rebounds.
After four rounds of the qualifiers, Luxembourg, with one win and three losses, found themselves at the bottom of the Group B standings. The team’s fate for the next round will be decided by Norway and Romania, both with a record of two wins and one loss, who will face off against each other on Sunday 23 February 2025 in Oradea, Romania.
In the second round of the World Cup 2027 European pre-qualifiers, the three group winners and the best-ranked second-placed team will advance to the next stage of the competition.
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