Ireland buoyed for Croatia rematch

Ireland take on world #25 Croatia in Saturday’s sold-out 2025 Eurobasket Qualifier in Tallaght much boosted by their impressive 20-point mid-week victory in Luxembourg

KEY MAN: Ireland's Taiwo Badmus attacks Switzerland in a EuroBasket qualifier last year Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Facing a side ranked 71 places above you in the world rankings is always daunting, particularly when they’ve held you to a mortifying five points in the first quarter just 10 days ago.

But Ireland take on world #25 Croatia in Saturday’s sold-out 2025 Eurobasket Qualifier in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght (2:30pm, live TG4) much boosted by their impressive 20-point mid-week victory in Luxembourg against a side also ranked (19 places) above them.

Regular topscorer Taiwo Badmus was unusually quiet in that 89-49 loss to Croatia, when seven-foot Irish-American Neal Quinn was the only Irish player to hit double figures on what was his Irish debut.

But Badmus bounced back with 20 points and eight rebounds against Luxembourg, when 6’10” Clondalkin native Aidan Harris Igiehon matched him (20 points, five rebounds) and Quinn also helped dominate the boards.

Sam Alajiki, who pulled down 13 rebounds, seemed to click with Badmus second-time out which augers well for the future, no matter what happens in this big re-match.

He's 6’7”, still only 20 and starred for Ireland’s U20s in the Europeans last year when he averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game.

Alajiki grew up in Dundalk before moving to London with his mother when he was 11. He played soccer and both Gaelic codes while honing his hard-court skills with Dundalk Raven’s coach Fu Faapito.

He was the University of California’s best perimeter shooter this year, has just transferred to Rice University in Texas and is the sort of dynamic power-player who could get the home crowd on their feet on Saturday.

“Sam’s like a bull,” Badmus says. “He’s got great energy, can guard multiple positions and can also really shoot the ball so he’s a great addition.

“He rebounds the hell out of the ball which gives us lots of second-chance opportunities and can really grab it on defence and kick it up the court.” 

Badmus, who lived in Ireland (mostly Meath) for 11 years thanks to his father’s job in healthcare, remarkably didn’t take up basketball until his mid-teens when his family moved back to London.

Ireland trailed 17-56 at half-time in Opatija when Jordan Blount was hampered by early foul trouble.

Irish captain John Carroll is still rediscovering his top form as he’s just back after a second ruptured cruciate.

So Mark Keenan, who’s picked an unchanged side, will be looking again to experience like Badmus who has played in Spain and helped Tindastoll win Iceland’s premier title this year.

“It was a shock,” Badmus admits of the massive step-up that Croatia posed last time. “But you could see how we adapted to it in the second half when there was only a point between us. If we start stronger today it’ll be much better hopefully.” 

IRELAND: J Carroll (unattached), S Flood (unattached), CJ Fulton (Charleston), C Quinn (Belfast Star), C O’Sullivan (Ulster University), L Murphy (Templeogue), S Alajiki (Rice University), T Badmus (Saudarkrokur Tindastoll), M Treacy (Moy Tolka Rovers), J Blount (Neptune), A Harris Igiehon (Abilene Christian), N Quinn (University of Richmond).