Michael Bree’s reign began with an 89-77 away defeat to Luxembourg on Thursday and his side must improve if they are to progress by finishing top of Group A or as the best second-placed team.
“I don’t think we were ready at the start,” Bree admitted after the loss.
“I mean percentage-wise, those guys shot the ball fantastic, it’s not consistent with who they are as individuals based on the information we knew.”
Indeed, Ben Kovac shot the lights out with 38 points in a standout performance for the hosts.
However, Ireland will likely need to beat the top seeds tomorrow, if they are to advance beyond the group stages for the first time since returning to this level in 2021.
It’s a stiff test. North Macedonia have made EuroBasket five times since they gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, while Ireland have yet to qualify.
They sit 23 places above Bree’s men in the world rankings and got their campaign off to a winning start with victory over Azerbaijan on Thursday, led by Andrej Jakimovski’s 25 points.
Ireland can find solace in how they fought back from 18 points down to lead by four at one stage on Thursday, while 23-year-old debutant Matt Zona offered glimpses of hope for the future.
Ireland head coach Michael Bree will aim to improve against North Macedonia. Photo: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Bree said the Irish American could allow his side to be “more dynamic in offence” before tip-off, and that could be seen against Luxembourg.
His eight points helped take back the lead in the final quarter as the defence struggled to defend against the six-foot-eight centre.
Zona has been playing with Cheshire Phoenix in Britain’s SLB this season in a similar role to the one fulfilled on Thursday.
“I’ve been coming off the bench, playing in the ‘big’ position. We play really fast, so shooting a lot of threes. It’s been fun,” Zona said of his time with Cheshire.
The New Yorker qualifies through his maternal grandmother from Offaly, but was naturalised before he was 16 allowing Bree to play both him and the New Jersey-born Neal Quinn.
“I’ve been trying to play for Ireland since I was at U-16 level but it never really worked out with me being in the States in college and all that.
“But then I tried aggressively in August when coach Bree and assistant coach [Shane] O’Meara took over and got it sorted.”
Zona followed in his father’s footsteps by playing college basketball and captained NCAA Division I side Notre Dame and Fordham College last season.
Bree will need him and the rest of his charges at their best against North Macedonia tomorrow.
Meanwhile, former Basketball Ireland CEO Bernard O’Byrne has resigned from the board of Fiba Europe following last week’s meeting in Bucharest.
O’Byrne’s departure comes after he failed to secure support for his proposal to ban Israel from competition over human rights concerns in Gaza.
Ireland v North Macedonia, TG4, 5.0pm tomorrow