Switzerland men's national basketball team

Men's national basketball team representing Switzerland

Switzerland
FIBA ranking62 Increase 1 (1 March 2024)[1]
Joined FIBA1932 (co-founders)
FIBA zoneFIBA Europe
National federationSwiss Basketball
CoachIlias Papatheodorou
Nickname(s)Nati
(National Team)
Rossocrociati
(Red Crosses)
Olympic Games
Appearances3
MedalsNone
FIBA World Cup
AppearancesNone
EuroBasket
Appearances5
MedalsNone
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
First international
  Switzerland 19–39 France 
(Geneva, Switzerland; 5 March 1932)
Biggest win
  Switzerland 68–19 Scotland 
(Paris, France; 11 May 1951)
Biggest defeat
  Switzerland 53–130 Spain 
(Geneva, Switzerland; 24 November 1988)

The Switzerland men's national basketball team (French: Équipe de Suisse de basketball, German: Schweizer Basketballnationalmannschaft, Italian: Nazionale di pallacanestro della Svizzera, Romansh: Squadra naziunala da ballape da la Svizra) represents Switzerland in international basketball. The managing body for the national team is Swiss Basketball.

Switzerland has competed at five EuroBasket tournaments (1935, 1946, 1951, 1953, 1955) in their history. The national team has also made three appearances at the Olympic Games (1936, 1948, 1952). However, Switzerland has struggled over the past decades to once again qualify to international competitions. They also continue their pursuit to clinch their debut trip to the FIBA World Cup.

History

EuroBasket 1935

Switzerland hosted the first European Basketball Championship in Geneva at EuroBasket 1935. The national team finished fourth in the ten team tournament, defeating Romania and Italy in the preliminary round to advance to the semifinals. There they lost to Latvia, resulting in a playoff for third place against Czechoslovakia which the Swiss lost 25–23.

EuroBasket 1946

Switzerland did not play in the European championship again until the post-war, at EuroBasket 1946, which they hosted. There, they placed second in their three-team preliminary group after losing to the eventual champions Czechoslovakia 20–17, but defeating Belgium 38–33. That preliminary round finish put the Swiss into a 5th/6th place playoff against the Netherlands, which Switzerland won 36–25.

EuroBasket 1951

The next Swiss entry into the European Basketball Championship was at the EuroBasket 1951 tournament in Paris. Switzerland finished the preliminary round with a 1–3 record, 4th in their group. They fared little better in the first classification, taking 3rd in the group with a 1–2 record. In the second classification round, the Swiss won the classification 13-16 and 13/14 games to finish in 13th place of 18 teams, with a 4–5 record.

EuroBasket 1953

EuroBasket 1953 in Moscow was the fourth appearance of the Swiss. The tournament began poorly for the team, as they finished last in their preliminary pool at 0–3. It got somewhat better for them after that, as they took second in their first classification pool with 2 wins and a loss. They dropped their 9-12 semifinal to Belgium, but defeated Finland in the 11/12 final to take 11th of 17 overall.

EuroBasket 1955

Switzerland competed next at the EuroBasket 1955 tournament in Budapest. Their 2–2 record in preliminary round put them in 3rd of the five-team group and relegated them to the classification rounds. They had similar results there, again taking a 2–2 record and 3rd of 5 teams. They won their classification 13-16 semifinal, but lost to Austria in the 13/14 game to finish 14th of 18 teams.

Later years

The 1952 Summer Olympics and the 1955 EuroBasket are the last major international basketball tournaments that the country qualified for. Since then, it lost its international significance despite occasional strong showings at qualification games. E.g. Switzerland surprisingly beat former European Champion Russia at the qualification for the 2015 EuroBasket.

Competitive record

FIBA World Cup

World Cup Qualification
Year Position Pld W L Pld W L
Argentina 1950 Did not qualify 5 3 2
Brazil 1954 Did not qualify
Chile 1959 Did not enter Did not enter
Brazil 1963
Uruguay 1967 Did not qualify EuroBasket served
as qualifiers
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1970
Puerto Rico 1974
Philippines 1978
Colombia 1982
Spain 1986 6 1 5
Argentina 1990 EuroBasket served
as qualifiers
Canada 1994
Greece 1998
United States 2002
Japan 2006
Turkey 2010
Spain 2014
China 2019 Did not enter Did not enter
PhilippinesJapanIndonesia 2023 Did not qualify 4 2 2
Qatar 2027 To be determined To be determined
Total 0/19 15 6 9

Olympic Games

Olympic Games Qualifying
Year Position Pld W L Pld W L
Nazi Germany 1936 9th 3 2 1
United Kingdom 1948 21st 8 2 6
Finland 1952 20th 2 0 2
Australia 1956 Did not qualify
Italy 1960 6 2 4
Japan 1964 7 1 6
Mexico 1968 Did not enter Did not enter
West Germany 1972 Did not qualify 7 0 7
Canada 1976 Did not enter Did not enter
Soviet Union 1980 Did not qualify 4 1 3
United States 1984 3 0 3
South Korea 1988 3 0 3
Spain 1992 6 0 6
United States 1996 Did not qualify
Australia 2000
Greece 2004
China 2008
United Kingdom 2012
Brazil 2016
Japan 2020 Did not enter Did not enter
France 2024 Did not qualify Did not qualify
United States 2028 To be determined To be determined
Total 3/21 13 4 9 36 4 32

EuroBasket

EuroBasket Qualification
Year Position Pld W L Pld W L
Switzerland 1935 4th 4 2 2
Latvia 1937 Did not enter
Lithuania 1939
Switzerland 1946 5th 3 2 1
Czechoslovakia 1947 Did not enter
Egypt 1949
France 1951 13th 9 4 5
Soviet Union 1953 11th 8 3 5
Hungary 1955 14th 10 5 5
Bulgaria 1957 Did not enter
Turkey 1959
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1961
Poland 1963 Declined participation 2 2 0
Soviet Union 1965 Did not qualify 3 0 3
Finland 1967 2 0 2
Italy 1969 4 0 4
West Germany 1971 4 1 3
Spain 1973 Did not enter Did not enter
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1975 Did not qualify 5 2 3
Belgium 1977 Did not enter Did not enter
Italy 1979 Did not qualify 3 2 1
Czechoslovakia 1981 4 2 2
France 1983 4 3 1
West Germany 1985 Did not enter Did not enter
Greece 1987
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1989 Did not qualify 9 3 6
Italy 1991 4 1 3
Germany 1993 6 4 2
Greece 1995 5 1 4
Spain 1997 16 6 10
France 1999 3 1 2
Turkey 2001 24 11 13
Sweden 2003 16 6 10
Serbia and Montenegro 2005 Division B 6 4 2
Spain 2007 Division B 8 5 3
Poland 2009 Division B 8 5 3
Lithuania 2011 Division B 6 4 2
Slovenia 2013 Did not qualify 8 3 5
FranceCroatiaGermanyLatvia 2015 12 6 6
FinlandIsraelRomaniaTurkey 2017 6 1 5
Czech RepublicGeorgia (country)ItalyGermany 2022 14 5 9
CyprusFinlandPolandLatvia 2025 16 6 10
Total 5/42 34 16 18 198 84 114

Results and fixtures

  Win   Loss

2023

Kosovo  v   Switzerland
19 July 2023 Kosovo  76–49   Switzerland Prizren, Kosovo
20:45 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 18–16, 23–8, 27–14, 8–11
Pts: Berisha 20
Rebs: Hajrizi 12
Asts: Artis 6 		Boxscore Pts: Rocak 12
Rebs: Tutonda 7
Asts: Fofana 3 		Arena: Sezai Surroi Sports Hall
Attendance: 1,700
Referees: Paulo Marques (POR), Beniamino Attard (ITA), Franko Gracin (CRO)
Switzerland  v  Denmark
22 July 2023 Switzerland  46–60  Denmark Fribourg, Switzerland
17:30 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 6–18, 17–9, 13–12, 10–21
Pts: three players 7
Rebs: Rocak 5
Asts: Fofana 3 		Boxscore Pts: Lundberg 14
Rebs: Dibba 10
Asts: Lundberg, Zohore 3 		Arena: Salle Saint-Lèonard
Attendance: 540
Referees: Fernando Calatrava (ESP), Lorenzo Baldini (ITA), Łukasz Jankowski (POL)
Switzerland  v  Kosovo
29 July 2023 Switzerland  72–76  Kosovo Fribourg, Switzerland
17:30 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 21–20, 18–15, 22–21, 11–20
Pts: Tutonda 15
Rebs: Fofana 10
Asts: Fofana 7 		Boxscore Pts: Artis 22
Rebs: Hajrizi 8
Asts: Artis 4 		Arena: Salle Saint-Lèonard
Attendance: 840
Referees: Gintaras Vitkauskas (LTU), Alexandre Deman (FRA), Valentin Oliot (FRA)
Denmark  v   Switzerland
2 August 2023 Denmark  94–81   Switzerland Næstved, Denmark
18:00 (UTC+2) Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 26–9, 27–21, 23–26
Pts: Lundberg 22
Rebs: Erikstrup 9
Asts: Jukić 9 		Boxscore Pts: De la Fuente 22
Rebs: Fofana, Martin 5
Asts: Fofana 9 		Arena: Næstved Arena
Attendance: 1,280
Referees: Antonio Conde (ESP), Josip Jurčević (CRO), Juozas Barkauskas (LTU)

2024

Switzerland  v  Azerbaijan
22 February 2024
2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round
 Switzerland  72–53  Azerbaijan Fribourg, Switzerland
19:00 (UTC+1) Scoring by quarter: 10–20, 19–8, 21–15, 22–10
Pts: Fofana 19
Rebs: Nzege 10
Asts: Fofana, Zinn 5 		Boxscore Pts: LeDay 22
Rebs: Donat, LeDay 6
Asts: Mammadov 4 		Arena: Salle Saint-Lèonard
Attendance: 1,120
Referees: Stylianos Simeonidis (GRE), Joaquin García (ESP), Alessandro Perciavalle (ITA)
Ireland  v   Switzerland
25 February 2024
2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round
 Ireland  63–86   Switzerland Dublin, Ireland
15:00 (UTC±0) Scoring by quarter: 14–22, 15–19, 14–22, 20–23
Pts: Flood 15
Rebs: Buivydas 7
Asts: Blount 4 		Boxscore Pts: Anabir 15
Rebs: Jurkovitz 8
Asts: Fofanfa 6 		Arena: National Basketball Arena
Attendance: 1,500
Referees: Valerio Grigioni (ITA), Javier Torres (ESP), Chess van Looy (BEL)
Switzerland  v  Kosovo
21 November 2024
2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round
 Switzerland  vs.  Kosovo Switzerland
Boxscore
Azerbaijan  v   Switzerland
24 November 2024
2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round
 Azerbaijan  vs.   Switzerland Azerbaijan
Boxscore

2025

Switzerland  v  Ireland
20 February 2025
2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round
 Switzerland  vs.  Ireland Switzerland
Boxscore
Kosovo  v   Switzerland
23 February 2025
2027 FIBA World Cup pre-qualifiers – 1st round
 Kosovo  vs.   Switzerland Kosovo
Boxscore

Team

Current roster

Roster for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifiers matches on 22 and 25 February 2024 against Azerbaijan and Ireland.[2]

Switzerland men's national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
G 0 Boris Mbala 28 – (1996-01-19)19 January 1996 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Lions de Genève Switzerland
F 1 Michel-Ofik Nzege 31 – (1992-10-14)14 October 1992 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Aix Maurienne France
SF 2 Anthony Polite 26 – (1997-06-21)21 June 1997 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) Breogán Spain
G 4 Robert Zinn 29 – (1995-02-22)22 February 1995 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Lions de Genève Switzerland
PG 7 Selim Fofana 24 – (1999-07-08)8 July 1999 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Bayreuth Germany
PG 11 Yuri Solcà 23 – (2000-08-29)29 August 2000 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Massagno Switzerland
F/C 12 Laurent Zoccoletti 24 – (1999-11-17)17 November 1999 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Ármann Iceland
PF 13 Killian Martin 25 – (1998-04-03)3 April 1998 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Fribourg Switzerland
PF 19 Noé Anabir 28 – (1995-05-28)28 May 1995 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) Lions de Genève Switzerland
G/F 21 Dylan Ducommun 20 – (2004-01-30)30 January 2004 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) Fribourg Switzerland
SG 30 Noah Burrell 26 – (1997-05-28)28 May 1997 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) Poissy France
PF 99 Natan Jurkovitz 28 – (1995-04-04)4 April 1995 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Fribourg Switzerland
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Greece Dimitris Menoudakos
  • Switzerland Patrick Pembele
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the competition
  • Age – describes age
    on 22 February 2024

Depth chart

Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Laurent Zoccoletti Natan Jurkovitz
PF Killian Martin Michel-Ofik Nzege
SF Anthony Polite Noé Anabir Dylan Ducommun
SG Robert Zinn Noah Burrell
PG Selim Fofana Boris Mbala Yuri Solcà

Head coach position

Notable players

Past rosters

1935 EuroBasket: finished 4th among 10 teams

3 René Karlen, 4 Raymond Lambercy, 5 Mottier, 6 Jean Pare, 7 Radle, 8 Sidler, 9 Marcel Wuilleumier (Coach: ?)

1936 Olympic Games: finished 9th among 21 teams

1 Fernand Bergmann, 2 Pierre Carlier, 3 René Karlen, 4 Georges Laederach, 5 Raymond Lambercy, 6 Jean Pollet, 7 Jean Pare, 8 Marcel Wuilleumier (Coach: ?)

1946 EuroBasket: finished 5th among 10 teams

3 Georges Stockly, 4 Fernand Keller, 5 Theo Winkler, 7 Georges Gallay, 8 Henry Gujer, 10 Robert Geiser, 12 Jean Pollet, 13 Jean Pare, 15 René Wohler, 20 Louis Sanguin (Coach: ?)

1948 Olympic Games: finished 21st among 23 teams

3 Georges Stockly, 4 Henry Gujer, 5 Jean Pollet, 6 Maurice Chollet, 7 Claude Chevalley, 8 Pierre Albrecht, 9 Marcos Bossy, 10 Robert Geiser, 11 Jean Tribolet, 12 Claude Landini, 13 Jean Pare, 14 Bernard Dutoit, 15 Henri Baumann, 16 Gérald Piaget (Coach: ?)

1951 EuroBasket: finished 13th among 17 teams

3 Georges Stockly, 4 Henry Gujer, 5 Theo Winkler, 6 Arthur Bugna, 7 Henri Baumann, 8 Roger Domenjoz, 9 Marcos Bossy, 10 René Wohler, 11 René Chiappino, 12 Bernard Dutoit, 13 Albert Hermann, 14 Roger Prahin, 15 Francis Perroud (Coach: ?)

1952 Olympic Games: finished 20th among 23 teams

3 Georges Stockly, 4 Pierre Albrecht, 5 Jacques Redard, 6 Gérald Cottier, 7 Henri Baumann, 8 Roger Domenjoz, 9 Marcos Bossy, 10 René Wohler, 11 René Chiappino, 12 Marcel Moget, 13 Maurice Chollet, 14 Roger Prahin, 15 Bernard Schmied, 16 Jean-Pierre Voisin (Coach: ?)

1953 EuroBasket: finished 11th among 17 teams

3 André Laverniaz, 4 Pierre Albrecht, 5 Jacques Redard, 6 Henri Devaud, 7 Albert Hermann, 8 René Hofmann, 9 Marcos Bossy, 10 Gérald Cottier, 11 René Chiappino, 12 Jean Emery, 13 Pierre Wittwer, 14 Michel Currat, 15 Jean-Pierre Voisin, 16 Ruggero Balmelli (Coach: ?)

1955 EuroBasket: finished 14th among 18 teams

4 Pierre Albrecht, 5 Jacques Redard, 6 Michel Currat, 7 Henri Baumann, 8 V Bally, 9 C Sevelley, 10 Gérald Cottier, 11 Marcos Bossy, 12 René Chiappino, 13 M Etter, 14 C Lambrecht, 15 Jean-Pierre Voisin, 16 P Worte, 17 M Robert (Coach: ?)

Kit

Manufacturer

2017: Tissot[4]

See also

  • Sports portal
  • flagSwitzerland portal

References

  1. ^ "FIBA Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Switzerland during the 2027 FIBA World Cup European Pre-Qualifiers in February 2024". Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Un entraîneur de renom à la tête de l'équipe de Suisse". Retrieved 13 July 2021. (in French)
  4. ^ a b FIBA EuroBasket 2017, FIBA.com, Retrieved 31 August 2017.

External links

  • Official website (in French, German, and Italian)
  • Switzerland FIBA profile
  • Switzerland National Team – Men at Eurobasket.com
  • Switzerland Basketball Records at FIBA Archive

Videos

  • Switzerland v Iceland – Full Game – EuroBasket 2022 Pre-Qualifiers Youtube.com video