Romania U16 celebrates historic return to European basketball's top tier

For the first time in 39 years, Romania U16 has secured a place in the Top 8 of the European U16 Championship. This remarkable achievement comes on the heels of a hard-fought victory against Turkey, where Romania triumphed with a score of 71-62.

This qualification marks only the second time in history that Romania U16 has reached the quarterfinals, a feat last accomplished in 1987. The team previously finished in 8th place during their inaugural participation in the tournament, making this year's performance particularly significant.

The EuroBasket U16 tournament is currently taking place in Oradea, with matches hosted at the Oradea Arena and Arena 'Antonio Alexe'. Romania's journey has included a thrilling win over Serbia, ending with a close score of 75-73, followed by a hard-fought battle against Lithuania, where they fell in overtime, 86-94.

Sebastian Lăpuște has emerged as a standout player, contributing an impressive 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists against Turkey, achieving an efficiency rating of +31. His teammates, Alexandru-Ștefan Hațegan and Eric Crăciun, also played vital roles in the team’s success, scoring 16 and 12 points respectively.

Romania U16's return to the top tier of European basketball is a significant milestone, especially considering the long period spent predominantly in division B. With this momentum, the team is set to face either France or Georgia in the quarterfinals, scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, at Oradea Arena. The excitement is palpable as Romania looks to build on its historic run.