Iceland leg of EuroBasket 2015 Trophy Tour completed
REYKJAVIK (EuroBasket 2015) - The third stop on the EuroBasket 2015 Trophy Tour has come to a wrap in the home of EuroBasket's newest participants, Iceland.
EuroBasket 2015 mascot Frenkie took the Nikolai Semashko trophy with him to the Nordic island country for a two-day visit coinciding with the biannual Games of the Small States of Europe.
Iceland is using the tournament as part of their preparation plans ahead of their debut at a EuroBasket Final Round, which will begin against Group B hosts Germany on 5 September.
The basketball segment of the games comes to a wrap on Friday night when Iceland take on the only other undefeated team Montenegro. Both teams recorded wins over the other two competing nations, Luxembourg and Malta.
The trophy was on display during action on Wednesday and Thursday in Laugardalsholl Sports Hall, allowing fans to get up close with the trophy and interact with Frenkie.
"It's a great honour to have the trophy here in Iceland and is very special for us, since we will be going to EuroBasket for the first time next fall," Iceland's most capped player, Logi Gunnarsson told the media at a press conference which took place on Wednesday.
"Given the history of EuroBasket and the players who have lifted the trophy, it's is a great effort and a fun way to promote the tournament here to the fans."
His sentiments were echoed by long-time Icelandic teammate Helgi Magnusson.
"The Trophy Tour is a great introduction of EuroBasket 2015 for our fans in Iceland," he said.
"It's also fun for us the players as well as the fans to see this remarkable trophy with our own eyes. Obviously, visiting all the participating nations is a huge task for FIBA and we are thankful to be a part of it."
Frenkie was not all business in Iceland however, finding time to take in the sights of the capital city Reykjavik and Thingvellir, Iceland's oldest national park and home of Iceland's first parliament.
Frenkie and the trophy now travel to Group C hosts, Zagreb, on Sunday.
Go to eurobasket2015.org for full coverage of EuroBasket 2015.
FIBA
