Great Britain’s World Cup Qualification Hopes End After Iceland Defeat

Great Britain Men’s FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign is over after an 88–86 defeat to Iceland in Manchester.

GB needed a win at the National Basketball Performance Centre to move into the second round of European qualifying, but Iceland produced a fourth-quarter comeback to take third place in Group D and the final progression spot.

Marc Steutel’s side had given themselves a strong platform. GB led 24–19 after the opening quarter, helped by a Flynn Boardman-Raffet three, a Joshua Uduje dunk from an Iceland turnover and a Jubrile Belo buzzer-beating three.

The hosts pushed the gap to 10 in the second quarter and went into half-time ahead 49–41. Luke Nelson added important scoring in the second half, while GB were still eight points up late in the third period at 69–61.

That advantage did not hold. Basketball England reported that a ragged third-quarter spell, including seven turnovers, allowed Iceland to work their way back into the game before the visitors took control of the key moments in the fourth.

Kristinn Palsson opened the final quarter with a three, and Elvar Fridriksson’s four-point play pulled Iceland within one. Nelson answered with a three and a lay-up to move GB back in front by four, but Iceland managed the closing stages from the free-throw line and held on for the two-point win.

Uduje led GB with 23 points. Nelson finished with 14, while Boardman-Raffet added 11 in what was his first senior GB window.

The defeat means GB miss out on the next phase of World Cup qualifying, with Iceland advancing alongside the other top-three teams from the group. For GB, the immediate frustration will be the missed chance at home after leading for long stretches, but the window also gave further senior exposure to players such as Boardman-Raffet and Sean Trumper as the national team looks ahead.

Image: Basketball England.

Source: Basketball England match report.