On June 28th the first match of the Armenia national basketball team took place at the European Championship for Small Countries. The national team won. In a conversation with the ANOC press service the vice president of the Armenian Basketball Federation, Ara Poghosyan, spoke about the first match and how they finally managed to form a national team and struggle for higher results.

-Congratulations on the first victory! Are you pleased with the team play?
-Thank you. You know it’s not so easy for the newly formed team to approach to such a serious event without excitement. We were all tense before the match: the reason wasn’t the fear to lose but the responsibility and the desire to win. It was important to win the first official match in the history of the Armenia national team. As to the match I’m pleased with the teamwork. Dunston proved to be a true professional. The team is getting stronger.
-Mr. Poghosyan, there have been done many attempts to create a national team, but they were in vain. What helped to create such a competitive team this time?
-Yes, there have been done many attempts by our federation but every time something impeded them. This time the project succeeded because the National Olympic Committee and personally ANOC President Gagik Tsarukyan joined the Armenian Basketball Federation guaranteeing that our efforts wouldn’t be in vein. Do you think it was easy to invite superstar Bryant Dunston to the team? Our project would have collapsed again if NOC’s president didn’t support us.
-We have an important match with Andorra. What are our chances against the most titular team?
-Andorra’s team has many players from the Spanish League. They are obvious favorites. But our team is very inspired with the first victory and is going to do its best to make the fans happy. All this work has been done only for Armenia, the Armenians and basketball.

ANOC press service