Ireland basketball: CJ Fulton returns to squad for EuroBasket pre-qualifying double-header

Uncapped Eoin Nelson, Sean Fitzpatrick and America-born Eli Brooks have also been named in Bree’s squad.

South Carolina-born point guard Brooks plays for Spanish side Basquet Manresa and qualifies for Ireland through his Belfast-born grandfather.

Centre Nelson was called up to the previous squad for the North Macedonia game but did not feature, while guard Fitzpatrick did not make it on to the court against Norway last summer after making an extended 20-man squad.

There is also a return for James Gormley, who missed the Luxembourg and North Macedonia games, but Taiwo Badmus, Sean Jenkins and Max Amadasun are out injured while John Carroll is unavailable due to personal commitments.

“Eoin and James, at 6ft 8ins and 7ft, both bring size to the equation and have been playing well with their respective clubs, as has Sean Fitzpatrick,” added Bree.

“It’s great to be able to bring in someone of the calibre of Eli Brooks too, who has been playing EuroCup basketball with his club Basquet Manresa and has experience playing in Germany and Italy too.”

The three group winners and the best-ranked second-placed team from three first round groups will advance to the second round of pre-qualifiers, where they will be joined by eight teams from the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers first round.