Armenia stifle Ireland, Andorra hold off San Marino to reach the Final

CIORESCU (FIBA European Championship for Small Countries 2016) - Two-time defending champions Andorra will be looking for a three-peat on Sunday. Their Final opponent will be Armenia.

Led by their dynamic duo of Andre Spight and Bryant Dunston, Armenia defeated previously unbeaten Ireland 74-60. The game was tied at 53 with seven minutes left to play when Armenia stepped up their defence and kept Ireland scoreless for four minutes. Spight led the charge on the other side of the court in a 10-0 run. Armenia never looked back, booking a place in their first Final of the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries.

Spight had a game-high 24 points, connecting on 8-of-14 attempts from inside the arc. Zareh Zargaryan picked a perfect time for his first double-digit performance of the tournament, finishing with 17 points and eight rebounds.

However, Dunston was the game hero for Armenia, with the stat line of 13 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks and 3 steals. Ireland's 19-year-old Jordan Blount had 18 points, but it wasn't enough for a place in the Final.

Ireland will be fighting for bronze with San Marino, who suffered a heartbreaking 63-57 loss to Andorra. San Marino were trailing 60-57 heading into the final minute, but Andrea Raschi missed a couple of three-point shots to potentially tie the game. Albert Farfan De Los Godos and Guillem Colom Barrufet kept their calm from the line to guide Andorra to victory.

Farfan De Los Godos was the top performer for the defending champs with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor. Roger Lliteras Riera hit five three-pointers and finished with 17 points. San Marino had four players in double figures led by Matteo Federico Botteghi and his 13-point, 15-rebound double-double, but will have to settle for the bronze medal match on Sunday.

The finalists have already played each other in this tournament. Andorra won the Group B match-up 70-63 back on Wednesday.

Classification games for fifth to eight place saw Malta defeat Wales 63-51, while Moldova defeated Gibraltar 85-43. Wales and Gibraltar will play for seventh, Malta and Moldova get to fight for fifth place on Sunday.  

FIBA