Armenian Basketball Team Reflects on Loss to Austria and Upcoming Match Against Albania

The Armenian national basketball team will host Albania on February 25 as part of the preliminary qualifying round for the Men's Basketball World Cup. During the pre-game training session, team members discussed their disappointment from the recent loss to Austria and their expectations for the upcoming clash with the Albanians.

Chris Jones, a player from the Armenian team and Spanish club Valencia, stated that there is no despair within the team following the defeat against Austria. "We lost the previous game, but we are not discouraged. We strive to do everything to show our best performance in the home game. Each of us is doing everything we can to win tomorrow's match," said Chris Jones.

Newcomer Tigran Mkrtumyan made his debut against Austria, with joining the national team being a dream come true for him. "It is a great honor for me to play for the Armenian national team. It has always been my dream to be part of the national team. Chris Jones is a phenomenal player. I have never seen a player like him. I try to emulate him. The team's spirit is always very high. We are excited and preparing for the game against Albania. Every time we step on the court, it's with the goal of winning. We had the same attitude before the last game. Although we didn’t get the desired score, we didn’t give up or hang our heads. We keep going the same way. Tomorrow we need to try to win for our country at home," noted Tigran Mkrtumyan.

Team captain Andre Spight-Mkrtchyan, who plays for Argentine club Obras Basket, emphasized that they will strive for victory through teamwork against Albania. "I have been playing in Armenia for a long time; I haven't missed a year, and I do not plan to leave the national team. The game against Austria did not start well for us. It was a challenging match. Immediately after the game, we returned to Armenia and started preparing for the match against Albania. We approach this game more prepared and experienced. We need to play together and try to win," said Andre Spight-Mkrtchyan.

The Armenia-Albania match in the second round of the qualifying phase for the 2027 World Cup will take place at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex and is set to start at 18:00.