The Bulgarian national basketball team for under-18 years achieved a remarkable success at the European Championship in Belgrade, defeating the Republic of North Macedonia with a score of 90:87 and guaranteeing their participation in the elite division.
In an extremely dynamic match held at the "Belgrade Arena", the Bulgarian talents demonstrated impressive will to win. Initially, the Macedonian team led with a convincing 9 points at 39:30 in the second part of the match, but the Bulgarian basketball players quickly turned the situation around.
A key moment was the impressive 17:0 series, which allowed the national team to build a solid advantage of 86:70 less than five minutes before the final whistle. Despite the dramatic comeback of the Macedonian team, which managed to reach a score of 84:86, the Bulgarians maintained their composure.
The decisive three-pointer by Ivaylo Skrinski, made 18 seconds before the end, secured the final victory. Individual achievements were remarkable - Kaloyan Balkandzhiev stood out with 31 points and 8 rebounds, and Daniel Hinkov achieved a "double-double" with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Skrinski additionally impressed with 20 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists. On the Macedonian team's side, Daryan Dimovski was the leader with 29 points. The final score of 90:87 ranked Bulgaria 13th and confirmed its participation in the elite group of the European championship.
The Bulgarian team finished the tournament with a balance of three wins and four losses, demonstrating potential and character in an extremely competitive environment.