Spain men's national wheelchair basketball team has represented Spain at the IWBF European Championships, IWBF World Championships and at the Paralympic Games. The team won a bronze at the 2013 European Championships. They finished fifth at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, and sixth at the 1992 Summer Paralympics. Spain also has a men's national under-22 team and under-23 team. The under-23 team finished second at the 2009 Paris European Championships.
Since ÃÂscar Trigo became head coach of the national team, there has been higher standards of player preparation, including formalizing training and nutrition. Trigo also made the role of national coach more important in player selection for the national squad.
The members of the men's and women's national team participated in the XVIII International Memorial Trophy Joan Palau FrancÃÂ s in Barcelona in 2011.
Spain competed at the 2009 European Championships in Turkey. They played in the 7th-8th place match against Israel. Spain won the game 73-65 following a 35âÂÂ31 halftime lead. Alejos led Spain in scoring with 19 points. Spain had 3 wins and 2 losses in group play. The team played the Netherlands in the 2009 edition, winning 69âÂÂ57. The team was coached by ÃÂscar Trigo during the competition.
In 2011, the team competed at the Israel hosted International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) European Championships. The competition was a Paralympic qualifying event, with a fifth place or better finish qualifying the team for the 2012 Summer Paralympics. The team played France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Poland in pool play. They lost to the Netherlands 69âÂÂ47, to Germany 61âÂÂ81, and to France 72âÂÂ62. They beat Poland 47âÂÂ64, and Sweden 65âÂÂ54. Then they lost to Italy 50âÂÂ58, lost to Germany 77âÂÂ70, and defeated Poland 71âÂÂ65.
At the 2013 European Championships, Spain defeated Sweden 60âÂÂ54, Israel 75âÂÂ57, France 56âÂÂ40, and Poland 63âÂÂ45 in pool play. They lost to Turkey 63âÂÂ49. In the quarterfinals, they defeated Italy 65âÂÂ56. In the semi-finals, they lost to Great Britain 72âÂÂ69. They defeated Sweden to win the bronze by a score of 65âÂÂ56. Asier GarcÃÂa Pereiro led the team in scoring in the game against Sweden with 19 points, rebounds with 8 and had 4 assists. In doing so, the team secured a berth at the 2014 World Championships. Members of the team included Alejandro Zarzuela, Paul Zarzuela, Asier GarcÃÂa Pereiro, Francisco Sánchez Lara, Jordi Ruiz, Francisco José Sánchez, Roberto Mena, Asier GarcÃÂa, and David Mouriz. They were coached by ÃÂscar Trigo.
At the 1994 World Championships held in Edmonton, Canada, the team finished seventh. The team finished sixth at the 1998 World Championships in Sydney, Australia.
In the 2013 edition, Spain achieved the semifinals but finally was defeated by United States and by Turkey in the bronze medal game.
The team competed at the 1992 Summer Paralympics, where they finished seventh. They also competed at the 1996 Summer Paralympics.
The team competed in wheelchair basketball at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. In London, the team was coached by ÃÂscar Trigo. It was the first time the Spanish national team had qualified for the Paralympics in 16 years. The team finished fifth. This was the best finish the team had in their Paralympic history. While Alejandro Zarzuela was on the Paralympic roster, his twin brother Pablo Jesús Zarzuela was unable to play as a result of having an ulcer.
In pool play, they were grouped with Italy, South Africa, Australia, Turkey and the United States. After finishing the group stage in third position, Spain was defeated by Canada in the quarterfinals and finally finished in the fifth position.
With José Manuel Artacho as head coach, Spain won the silver medal. In the first round, Spain led its group after winning four of its five games. In the knockout stage, the Spanish team came back in the last quarter to beat Germany in the quarterfinals and beat Great Britain to secure its first Paralympic medal ever. In the final game, Spain was defeated by the United States.
Spain also has a men's national under-22 team. At the 2010 European Championships, Spain lost to Germany in pool play 11âÂÂ65, France 40âÂÂ32, and Italy 18âÂÂ37. In the quarterfinals, they lost to Great Britain 66âÂÂ12. In the semifinals, they lost to Italy 36âÂÂ46. In the 7th-8th place match, they lost to France 62âÂÂ30. They competed at the 2012 European Championships, where they lost to Turkey 91âÂÂ23, lost to Sweden 77âÂÂ25, and lost to France 52âÂÂ46 in group play. Playing Germany in the quarterfinals, Spain lost 76âÂÂ21. In the semifinals, they lost to Italy 68âÂÂ35. In the 7th-8th place match, they lost to the Netherlands 37âÂÂ32.
The under-23 Spanish national team, won a pair European Championships in 2006 and 2008. They finished second at the 2009 Paris hosted European Championships.