# Catalonia national basketball team

The Catalonia national basketball team is the basketball team of Catalonia. Managed by the Catalan Basketball Federation [ca], the team is not affiliated to FIBA, so it only plays exhibition games. Their last game was played in 2023 against Argentina.

## History

Catalonia started to play in 1927 a friendly game against Hindú Club of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Catalonia lost by 50–16.
From 1929 to 1936, the team played several friendly games with another European regions.
In April 1980, Catalonia plays several games against Basque Country, and other games against important teams like the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia or Yugoslavia.
In 1992, Catalonia played a game against Croatia; Croatia won by 118-82 led with 30 points of Toni Kukoč and 21 point of Dražen Petrović. The game was played as the opening of new Olympic arena, before the special qualifying tournament that was held for European teams to allocate four extra berths.
Several years later, in 2002 Catalonia played for a second time against Croatia in Palau Sant Jordi, with a record attendance of 16,471 spectators. With players like Juan Carlos Navarro or Pau Gasol, Catalonia wins by 82–75.
In 2005, Catalonia played against Cuba at Palau Municipal d'Esports de Badalona winning by a huge margin: 101–70.
Last Catalonia appearances were in the Torneo de las Naciones, a tournament co-organized with Galicia and Basque Country. It was played from 2008 to 2010 and Catalans won the last edition.
In 2018, the women's team returned to activity with an 83–57 win against Montenegro at Pavelló Fontajau in Girona.
After 13 years, the Catalonia men's national team played a friendly game against Argentina on July 25, 2023, at the Nou Congost in Manresa. The game was organized to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Catalan Basketball Federation [ca].

## Games played

| Date | Venue | Home Team | Visitor | Score |
| 25 Mar 1927 | Catalonia | Catalonia | Hindú Club | 16–50 |
| 8 Dec 1929 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Ambrosiana Milano | 29–42 |
| 13 Jul 1930 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Foyer alsacien Mulhouse | 29–26 |
| 17 Jul 1932 | Barcelona | Catalonia | CA Colonne | 31–22 |
| 1933 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Castile | 29–33 |
| Apr 1980 | Valls | Catalonia | Basque Country | 102–84 |
| Apr 1980 | Vic | Catalonia | Basque Country | 99–92 |
| Apr 1980 | Vitoria-Gasteiz | Basque Country | Catalonia | 96–101 |
| Apr 1980 | Bilbao | Basque Country | Catalonia | 129–124 |
| Apr 28 1980 | Badalona | Catalonia | Soviet Union | 97–109 |
| Jun 1982 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Brazil | 81–76 |
| Jun 1982 | Barcelona | Catalonia | France | 111–98 |
| Jun 1982 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Czechoslovakia | 110–94 |
| Dec 26 1987 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Yugoslavia | 95–120 |
| May 24 1992 | Badalona | Catalonia | Croatia | 82–118 |
| Jun 27 2002 | Barcelona | Catalonia | Croatia | 82–75 |
| Jun 30 2005 | Badalona | Catalonia | Cuba | 101–70 |
| Jun 6 2008 | Girona | Catalonia | Basque Country | 79–81 |
| Jun 7 2008 | Girona | Catalonia | Portugal | 93–63 |
| Jun 26 2009 | Bilbao | Catalonia | Canada | 68–69 |
| Jun 26 2009 | Bilbao | Catalonia | Galicia | 93–72 |
| Jul 2 2010 | Lugo | Catalonia | Basque Country | 76–72 |
| Jul 3 2010 | Lugo | Catalonia | Lithuania 'B' | 78–67 |
| 25 July 2023 | Manresa | Catalonia | Argentina | 88-94 |

## Roster

This was the roster in the Catalan national team's latest game against Argentina (2023).

## Notable players

* José Lluis Cortés
* Juan de la Cruz
* Pau Gasol
* Marc Gasol
* Rafael Jofresa
* Tomás Jofresa
* Raúl López
* Enrique Margall
* Josep Maria Margall
* Ferran Martínez
* Juan Carlos Navarro
* Ricky Rubio
* Luis Miguel Santillana
* Ignacio Solozábal
* Jordi Villacampa