Basketball: Sean Flood forewarned of Cypriot passion ahead of EuroBasket opener

Sean Flood

Ireland are expecting a hostile reception in Nicosia this evening when they take on Cyprus in the opening game of their EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers (5pm).

But among the Ireland squad is a player who knows that things will be positively warm and cuddly compared to his own eye-opening introduction to local basketball a few months ago.

Ireland’s overwhelming victory in the European Championships for Small Nations last August prompted this re-entry into the qualifying stages of the top tier of European basketball for the first time in 12 years.

Five days later, point guard Sean Flood flew out to join Cypriot club Omonia Nicosia where he got a baptism of fire.

“We played a few pre-season games and two minutes into them, you’d hear a big bass drum and next thing a group of 75 hoodied ‘ultras’ would walk in, masks on, drinking beer, making a lot of noise,” he explains.

“My first scrimmage they sat up behind our bench and created a good atmosphere. I really enjoyed it.

“But then it got a bit out of hand when they started throwing bottles at the dug-out and lighting flares. The game had to be stopped for half an hour to let the smoke clear!”

Thankfully Flood’s first seven league games in Cyprus’ professional first division have been much calmer, and he’s discovered why.

As is common in professional sport across Europe, local clubs often field teams in several sports.

“Apparently Cypriot sport struggled with hooligans and ultras and fights breaking out so they introduced this ‘fan card’. You can’t get into an official sporting event without one. Fans can be traced through it so I’ve heard that changed things but basketball attendances are down as a result.”

Flood is averaging 37 minutes and 15 points a game for his side who are fifth in the local first division so he is well placed to give Irish coach Mark Keenan and his teammates some inside knowledge on tonight’s opposition.

“The morning I flew out here, the draw for Europeans was being done. I remember sitting in the living room with my family looking at the draw, hoping we’d get Cyprus so it’s great for me.

“The game is literally a two-minute drive from my apartment and my teammates are excited. They’re asking me for Irish hats and colours so they’ll be shouting for us.”

He confirms that Cyprus are missing two injured perimeter players and identifies their captain Simon Michail as someone who’ll will need tight marking.

“Club basketball here is a lot more physical than at home. There’s bigger bodies, very big guards. The standard of imports is a lot higher than in Ireland but that’s just down to more money.

“Some of the local lads could be on only €500 a month but I know there’s an American guy on one team making 11 grand a month as he’s a real seasoned pro.

“The money is all within the top three or four teams, they have the big budgets and provide a lot of the national team.”

Teams are allowed three imports (usually Americans) and Flood counts as one for his club after moving to Cyprus from Germany last summer.

He grew up in Kingswood in Tallaght, less than 10 minutes away from the National Basketball Arena where Ireland will host Austria in their second qualifier on Sunday.

He juggled soccer with Crumlin and basketball for Templeogue until his Junior Cert year.

“Watching college basketball on TV and playing on the national U16 squad, getting an opportunity to represent your country, that’s what swayed me.”

He went to a junior college in Gainesville, Florida and then transferred to a Division One college (Longwood University) in Virginia where he graduated in business.

His first professional season was with SCC Karlsruhe (German third division) last year where he averaged 15 points a game for coach Danny Nelson, another ex-Templeogue man.

Flood was looking at joining an Austrian club last summer until his agent mentioned it to Nelson who revealed he was moving to Cyprus and would like to bring Flood with him.

“Growing up, the first goal was to play Division 1 college basketball in the States and the second was to be a professional player. I’m a year and a half into that journey now and if I can kick on now, that’s the plan.”

- Tonight’s game is live on Fiba’s YouTube channel (5pm).