# 2021 FIBA U16 European Challengers

The 2021 FIBA U16 European Challengers were international basketball competitions which took place from 16 to 21 August 2021, replacing the cancelled 2021 FIBA U16 European Championship. Top two teams from groups A, B and C qualified for the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.

## History

The 2020 edition of FIBA U16 European Championship was to be held in Skopje, North Macedonia but was postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic continued in 2021, the FIBA Europe decided to hold alternative format of competition to replace traditional format of U16 European Championship where 16 or more teams gather in one place.

## Structure

* The events are to be played on a voluntary participation basis, with promotion/relegation to be frozen across Divisions A, B and C.
* The Top 18 ranked teams (16 currently in Division A, plus two additional teams by 2019 ranking in respective category) to play three tournaments of six teams each (Groups A, B and C).
* All other registered teams, ranked 19 and lower, to play in tournaments of up to six teams each (Groups D/E).
* One tournament of up to six teams to be created with the lowest-ranked teams to accommodate Division C and Small Countries (Group F).
* All tournaments to be played in Round Robin format, with groups to be created by "serpentine" style allocation, taking the hosting situation into consideration.

## Top-18 Challengers
### Group A

The Group A tournament was played in Skopje, North Macedonia. Greece and North Macedonia withdrew from the tournament. After the first round, all four teams advanced to the playoffs.

#### Group phase

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 254 | 147 | +107 | 6 |
| 2 | Russia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 192 | 173 | +19 | 5 |
| 3 | Lithuania | 3 | 1 | 2 | 199 | 196 | +3 | 4 |
| 4 | Romania | 3 | 0 | 3 | 122 | 251 | −129 | 3 |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| France | 113–32 | Romania |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Lithuania | 65–73 | Russia |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Romania | 52–71 | Lithuania |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Russia | 52–70 | France |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Russia | 67–38 | Romania |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| France | 71–63 | Lithuania |

#### Playoffs

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| A1 | France | 90 | | | |
| A4 | Romania | 30 | | | |
| A4 | Romania | 30 | A1 | France | 57 |
| | | | A3 | Lithuania | 51 |
| A2 | Russia | 79 | A3 | Lithuania | 51 |
| A3 | Lithuania | 84 | 3rd place match | 3rd place match | 3rd place match |
| | | | A4 | Romania | 47 |
| | | | A2 | Russia | 94 |

##### Semifinals

* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| France | 90–30 | Romania |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Russia | 79–84 | Lithuania |

##### 3rd place match

* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Romania | 47–94 | Russia |

##### Final

* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| France | 57–51 | Lithuania |

#### Final standings

| Rank | Team |
| 1 | France |
| 2 | Lithuania |
| 3 | Russia |
| 4 | Romania |
* Qualified for the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup

### Group B

The Group B tournament was played in Sofia, Bulgaria. Spain withdrew from the tournament, but qualified for the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup as hosts.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Poland | 4 | 4 | 0 | 321 | 282 | +39 | 8 | 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup |
| 2 | Germany | 4 | 3 | 1 | 294 | 256 | +38 | 7 | |
| 3 | Croatia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 289 | 289 | 0 | 6 | |
| 4 | Latvia | 4 | 1 | 3 | 244 | 272 | −28 | 5 | |
| 5 | Bulgaria | 4 | 0 | 4 | 269 | 318 | −49 | 4 | |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Latvia | 45–59 | Germany |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Poland | 87–71 | Croatia |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Croatia | 69–58 | Latvia |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Germany | 88–65 | Bulgaria |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Latvia | 69–79 | Poland |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Bulgaria | 63–78 | Croatia |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Croatia | 71–81 | Germany |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Poland | 80–76 | Bulgaria |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Germany | 66–75 | Poland |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Bulgaria | 65–72 | Latvia |

### Group C

The Group C tournament was played in Novi Sad, Serbia.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Serbia | 5 | 5 | 0 | 399 | 315 | +84 | 10 | 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup |
| 2 | Slovenia | 5 | 4 | 1 | 412 | 355 | +57 | 9 | 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup |
| 3 | Turkey | 5 | 2 | 3 | 370 | 364 | +6 | 7 | |
| 4 | Israel | 5 | 2 | 3 | 387 | 352 | +35 | 7 | |
| 5 | Belgium | 5 | 1 | 4 | 335 | 395 | −60 | 6 | |
| 6 | Czech Republic | 5 | 1 | 4 | 293 | 415 | −122 | 6 | |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Israel | 70–87 | Slovenia |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Belgium | 65–76 | Turkey |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Czech Republic | 52–83 | Serbia |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Slovenia | 82–78 | Belgium |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Turkey | 67–73 | Czech Republic |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Serbia | 80–74 | Israel |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Slovenia | 84–79 | Turkey |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Israel | 85–55 | Czech Republic |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Belgium | 48–76 | Serbia |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Czech Republic | 63–94 | Belgium |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Turkey | 80–60 | Israel |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Serbia | 78–73 | Slovenia |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Belgium | 50–98 | Israel |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Slovenia | 86–50 | Czech Republic |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Serbia | 82–68 | Turkey |

## 19–25 Challenger

The Groups D/E tournament was played in Sofia, Bulgaria.

### Group phase
#### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Portugal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 140 | 101 | +39 | 4 | 19–25 Challenger Final Four |
| 2 | Ukraine | 2 | 1 | 1 | 131 | 136 | −5 | 3 | 19–25 Challenger Final Four |
| 3 | Switzerland | 2 | 0 | 2 | 108 | 142 | −34 | 2 | 19–25 Challenger Consolation round |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Ukraine | 54–75 | Portugal |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Portugal | 65–47 | Switzerland |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Switzerland | 61–77 | Ukraine |

#### Group E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Georgia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 223 | 204 | +19 | 5 | 19–25 Challenger Final Four |
| 2 | Hungary | 3 | 2 | 1 | 200 | 163 | +37 | 5 | 19–25 Challenger Final Four |
| 3 | Cyprus | 3 | 1 | 2 | 180 | 210 | −30 | 4 | 19–25 Challenger Consolation round |
| 4 | Slovakia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 201 | 227 | −26 | 4 | 19–25 Challenger Consolation round |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Hungary | 63–39 | Cyprus |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Georgia | 76–77 | Slovakia |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Cyprus | 76–86 | Georgia |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Slovakia | 63–86 | Hungary |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Cyprus | 65–61 | Slovakia |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Georgia | 61–51 | Hungary |

### Consolation round
#### Group Z

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 23 | Slovakia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 138 | 131 | +7 | 3 |
| 24 | Cyprus | 2 | 1 | 1 | 125 | 122 | +3 | 3 |
| 25 | Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 1 | 127 | 137 | −10 | 3 |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Switzerland | 61–60 | Cyprus |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Slovakia | 77–66 | Switzerland |

### Final Four

| 19th–22nd place semifinals | 19th–22nd place semifinals | 19th–22nd place semifinals | 19th place match | 19th place match | 19th place match |
| D1 | Portugal | 54 | | | |
| E2 | Hungary | 63 | | | |
| E2 | Hungary | 63 | E2 | Hungary | 75 |
| | | | E1 | Georgia | 72 |
| E1 | Georgia | 82 | E1 | Georgia | 72 |
| D2 | Ukraine | 62 | 21st place match | 21st place match | 21st place match |
| | | | D1 | Portugal | 62 |
| | | | D2 | Ukraine | 55 |

#### 19th–22nd place semifinals

* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Portugal | 54–63 | Hungary |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Georgia | 82–62 | Ukraine |

#### 21st place match

* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Portugal | 62–55 | Ukraine |

#### 19th place match

* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Hungary | 75–72 | Georgia |

### Final standings

| Rank | Team |
| 19 | Hungary |
| 20 | Georgia |
| 21 | Portugal |
| 22 | Ukraine |
| 23 | Slovakia |
| 24 | Cyprus |
| 25 | Switzerland |

## 26–31 Challenger
### Group F

The Group F tournament was played in Pristina, Kosovo.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
| 26 | Kosovo | 5 | 5 | 0 | 526 | 170 | +356 | 10 |
| 27 | Luxembourg | 5 | 4 | 1 | 356 | 281 | +75 | 9 |
| 28 | Moldova | 5 | 2 | 3 | 283 | 343 | −60 | 7 |
| 29 | Malta | 5 | 2 | 3 | 221 | 341 | −120 | 7 |
| 30 | Gibraltar | 5 | 1 | 4 | 197 | 367 | −170 | 6 |
| 31 | Albania | 5 | 1 | 4 | 269 | 350 | −81 | 6 |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Albania | 52–56 | Gibraltar |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Malta | 20–117 | Kosovo |
* 16 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Moldova | 65–77 | Luxembourg |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Gibraltar | 45–62 | Malta |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Kosovo | 122–42 | Moldova |
* 17 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Luxembourg | 73–53 | Albania |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Albania | 67–56 | Moldova |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Gibraltar | 19–98 | Kosovo |
* 18 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Malta | 36–75 | Luxembourg |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Moldova | 53–41 | Malta |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Kosovo | 103–46 | Albania |
* 20 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Luxembourg | 88–41 | Gibraltar |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Malta | 62–51 | Albania |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Gibraltar | 36–67 | Moldova |
* 21 August 2021
* Boxscore
| Luxembourg | 43–86 | Kosovo |