Team Profile: Hungary make back-to-back appearances after half century

 

BUDAPEST (Hungary) - Hungary are making a second consecutive trip to FIBA EuroBasket, the first time that’s happened in more than 50 years. They booked their ticket this time around after holding their nerve at the end of tight contests in the first two windows of the EuroBasket Qualifiers, when they won three of their first four games by a combined six points.

Whether it was Zoltan Perl making clutch free throws against Slovenia in the waning seconds, Rosco Allen hitting an incredibly difficult game-winning layup against Ukraine at the death or Szilard Benke banking in a late go-ahead three-pointer against Austria, Hungary's players stepped up at the right time.

When the qualification process was over, Hungary and Group F foes Ukraine and Slovenia each had four wins in six games and spots at EuroBasket 2022.

Hungary will now try to get at least as far as the Round of 16, like they did in 2017 after victories over Czech Republic and Romania. The Hungarians, to be marshaled forward at EuroBasket again by veteran coach Stojan Ivkovic, will play in Cologne, in Group B, against Lithuania, France, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and hosts Germany. They will need a top-four finish to advance.

Several years on from the last EuroBasket and Hungary have a lot going for them, especially in terms of experience. David Vojvoda, Rosco Allen, Zoltan Perl and Akos Keller all had important roles in 2017 and are still in the team.

Adam Hanga (right) is back to the national team and will form a formidable backcourt duo with Zoltan Perl

Hungary's most talented player in the past decade, Adam Hanga, is back as well. It's the first time he'll play for the national team since the last EuroBasket when he was Hungary's second-leading scorer, second leading rebounder and leading assists man.

Since EuroBasket 2017, even more players have logged minutes in various international windows. Now, Benedek Varadi, Adam Somogyi, Szilard Benke and Gyorgy Goloman have broken into the team and are important contributors.

Hungary should also benefit from the chemistry that some players possess because they are teammates at clubs. Perl, Keller, Varadi, Somogyi, Benke and Goloman all suited up for Falco Szombathely this past season and impressed in the Basketball Champions League.

The 1.93m Somogyi's quickness and overall athleticism has helped him become a ball-hawking defender while the long, 2.11m Goloman has blossomed into a stretch four that knocks down threes but also gets to the rim.

Perl, who is now 27 years old, was a menace in his first EuroBasket experience, as Hungary's third leading scorer. He is very effective off the dribble, pulling up for short jumpers, driving all the way to the basket and creating for others.

Vojvoda will again need to be a perimeter threat, just as he has been his entire career. Hungary's leading scorer at the last EuroBasket at 16 points per game, Vojvoda was in solid form in the EuroBasket Qualifiers, shooting 39.3 percent from behind the arc.

Varadi, meanwhile, will be an asset due to his toughness. Heading into the August window, he had played in five of the team's six World Cup European Qualifiers and was third in scoring, first in assists and first in steals.
 

 IN THE LAST 10 FIBA EVENTS

YEAR	EVENT	LOCATION	ACHIEVEMENT
2021	Olympics	Tokyo (JPN)	Did not qualify
2019	FIBA Basketball World Cup	Beijing (CHN)	Did not qualify
2017	FIBA EuroBasket	Istanbul (TUR)	16th
2016	Olympics	Rio de Janeiro (BRA)	Did not qualify
2015	FIBA EuroBasket	Lille (FRA)	Did not qualify
2014	FIBA Basketball World Cup	Madrid (ESP)	Did not qualify
2013	FIBA EuroBasket	Ljubljana (SLO)	Did not qualify
2012	Olympics	London (GBR)	Did not qualify
2011	FIBA EuroBasket	Kaunas (LTU)	Did not qualify
2010	FIBA Basketball World Cup	Istanbul (TUR)	Did not qualify

   

HOW DID  QUALIFY: FIBA EUROBASKET 2022 QUALIFIERS - 3rd IN GROUP F (4W - 2L)

DATE	GAME	RESULT
20/02/2020	Hungary v Slovenia	77-75
23/02/2020	Ukraine v Hungary	60-62
18/02/2021	Slovenia v Hungary	84-72
19/02/2021	Austria v Hungary	81-83
21/02/2021	Hungary v Austria	81-58
22/02/2021	Hungary v Ukraine	63-97

 

FIBA