Head coach Pete Strickland has made two changes to the Ireland senior men’s team ahead of their 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries campaign, which tips off in San Marino next week.

Ireland were made to work hard but eventually saw off San Marino 79-55 to finish top of Pool A in the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Chisinau.

Ireland’s Men’s and Women’s Senior Basketball teams secured semi-final berths at the FIBA European Championships for Small Countries yesterday with impressive victories on day two.

Champions elect C&S UCC Demons will receive their Men’s Premier League trophy and medals after Sunday’s game against basement side Eanna at the Mardyke Arena.

Bakken Bears needed a late surge to pull clear of Hibernia and qualify for the last 32 of the FIBA Europe Cup at the National Basketball Arena. The Danish champions beat the home side 90-67, but there were just 10 points between the sides with 3:30 to go.

An Irish club side made up of players from teams in the Basketball Ireland Men’s Premier League were made to pay for their mistakes by Czech heavyweights CEZ Nymburk in the FIBA Europe Cup. Hibernia Basketball lost 106-45 in central Bohemia in their third trip to the continent in as many weeks.

Colin O’Reilly has laid down a challenge to players hopeful of making the Men’s Premier League All-Star team competing at the Sino-European Championships in July.