North Macedonia U18

Damjan Danev

North Macedonia U18 · 25 min★★★★

16 pts3 reb3 ast42.5 TIB EFF

Damjan Danev carried North Macedonia U18 through a losing effort against our GB side at FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B, finishing with 16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in the 83–73 defeat. The North Macedonian guard was the lone consistent offensive threat for his team, shouldering much of the playmaking burden in a contest where Great Britain's defence ultimately proved too stern. His three steals underlined his appetite on the other end, though it was not enough to bridge the ten-point gap by the final buzzer. Our GB U18 side controlled the second half sufficiently to secure the win—a statement of their defensive intensity rather than any collapse from Danev's end. He did his part; the margin simply grew too wide.

Great Britain U18 held off a determined North Macedonia side to claim a 10-point victory at FIBA U18 EuroBasket Division B, earning a hard-fought 83–73 win after a contest that swung repeatedly through three quarters. The opening half saw neither team gain decisive control. North Macedonia led 29–23 early, but our GB squad clawed back to level at 39–39 by the interval. The third quarter remained tightly contested at 54–54 before the decisive moment arrived in the fourth: a sharp 9-0 run pushed GB clear from 62–59 to 71–59, finally creating the breathing room needed to close out the result. Emmanuel Ahamefule led the scoring effort with 16 points on solid 4-of-6 shooting from the field, adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Alexander Ikechukwu Nwabueze provided efficient support off the bench, finishing 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and an impressive 3-of-4 from three. Maxx Tjongondjoza chipped in 11 points. For North Macedonia, Damjan Danev matched Ahamefule's 16-point total on 7-of-11 efficiency, while Grigorij Gjorgjevikj distributed 10 assists alongside 14 points despite a more difficult shooting night. GB's control of the fourth quarter proved the difference—a display of composure when the margin mattered most.

Grigorij Gjorgjevikj arrives at this Division B final with numbers that demand attention. The North Macedonia U18 playmaker has posted 47.1 TIB efficiency over recent outings, averaging 13.3 points and 5.8 assists—the kind of orchestration that has sustained his team through this tournament. Our GB counter comes through Tristan Curran. At 28.9 TIB efficiency, he's averaging 11.9 points and 3.7 assists in current form. A solid platform, though the arithmetic favours Gjorgjevikj's influence in the half-court. The wider test sits there plainly: can Great Britain's defence funnel Gjorgjevikj's playmaking into difficult angles, or will his comfort in transition overwhelm our rotations? Curran will need to be sharper in pick-and-roll situations if our GB are to control tempo. North Macedonia have built this run on offensive balance; we cannot afford to let it flow. This tips off in three hours. Watch it unfold.