Armenia, Andorra formalize top spots ahead of Semi-Finals

ANDORRA LA VELLA (FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, Division C) - With the Semi-Final places at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2017, Division C already handed out, teams in the lower end of the table had the chance to enjoy more of the spotlight on Thursday.

Having already guaranteed first place, Armenia formalized the top spot in Group A with an 85-53 victory against Wales, while Andorra followed suit in Group B despite falling 58-52 to the Principality of Monaco.

Monaco handed tournament hosts Andorra an upset

Jordan Ratton paced Monaco with 19 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocks, while Sacha Piras added 14 points and 5 assists. Sergi Serrato was the leading scorer for Andorra with 17 points in just under 20 minutes.

The Semi-Finals will pit neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Semi-Finals on one end of the bracket, with Andorra facing Gibraltar for a place in the title-decider in the other.

Moldova clinched third place in Group A and a place in the Classification Games for 5th-8th places with a 74-66 victory over the still-winless Malta behind a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double with 6 blocks by Ivan Hmirov.

Moldova kept Malta winless in Group A

The win allowed the Moldovan side to leapfrog the now fourth-placed Wales in the standings. That means they will now face the Principality of Monaco, with the Welsh side paired up with Albania, who defeated San Marino 66-63 to finish third in Group B. 

Albania's winning effort was fueled by Giseld Ndreca's 20 points and 14 rebounds, with Samuel Skendaj and Ergys Mahumetaj chipping in with 19 points apiece. Francesco Palmieri was San Marino's leading scorer with 16 points.

FIBA