About our 2nd match: 1W - 1 L
Post-Match Reflection from Iceland U21 Coach Huu
Iceland U21's head coach, Huu, expressed both pride and determination following his team's thrilling 108-101 victory over Cymru U21 in a fiercely competitive match. Reflecting on the game, he highlighted the collective effort and resilience of his players in what turned out to be a high-scoring encounter.
"We knew it would be a tough match," Huu began. "Cymru is a strong side, and they showed their quality, especially with R. Edwards putting up an incredible 41 points. But my team stayed disciplined, fought hard, and executed our game plan well."
Huu was particularly proud of Iceland's ability to control the boards and limit Cymru's second-chance opportunities, with Iceland securing 54 rebounds to Cymru's 50. "K. Svavarsson and H. Ingþórsson were outstanding under the basket, combining for 27 rebounds, which really gave us an edge in key moments."
One of the standout performers for Iceland was H. Ingþórsson, who posted a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while W. Atlason chipped in with 26 points. "Our offense flowed well today," Huu commented. "Ingþórsson and Atlason stepped up when it mattered most, but it was the team’s overall balance that made the difference."
However, Huu also acknowledged that the defense could have been tighter. "We allowed them too many open shots, and their 3-point shooting at 33% kept them in the game. We need to improve our perimeter defense going forward."
He wrapped up by praising the team's mentality and focus: "I'm incredibly proud of the way the boys handled the pressure, especially in the final quarter when Cymru was pushing hard to close the gap. This result shows we're capable of competing at a high level, but there's still work to do. We’re aiming for more."
With the win, Iceland's U21 squad continues to build confidence, but Coach Huu remains cautious and determined to keep pushing for improvement as the tournament progresses.