High North enters conversation: welcome, Tindastoll!

Tindastoll Saudarkrokur is the first club from Iceland to play in the European North Basketball league.

Iceland is the twenty first country to join the competition.

When it comes to sports, Iceland punches well above its weight.

Iceland men`s national handball team conquered a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Iceland made its debut at the UEFA EURO 2016 and then qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

By population, it`s the smallest nation to reach the World Cup group stage.

Iceland qualified for EuroBasket 2015, EuroBasket 2017 and EuroBasket 2025.

Polish basketball federation chose Iceland as a partner for Group stage in Katowice.

Icelandic clubs have played at various FIBA competitions.

Keflavik entered the 2003-2004 FIBA Europe Cup and posted a 3-3 record.

A year later they also had three wins and three losses at the group stage, advancing to the conference quarterfinals.

In total, Keflavik played at the FIBA Europe Cup for four seasons, while Njarðvík joined in 2006-2007.

KR Basket Reykjavik played at the FIBA Europe Cup Qualifiers in 2007 and 2017.

Körfuknattleiksdeild Þórs Þorlákshafnar played at the FIBA Europe Cup Qualifiers in 2022.

Tindastoll entered the stage in 2023.

Iceland club defeated Parnu Sadam, 69-62, on October 3, 2023, and then lost to BC Trepca Mitrovica, 69-77.

Tindastoll basketball club was founded in 1964.

They advanced to the top division in 1989 and have been playing there, except two seasons.

Tindastoll reached finals in 2001, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2025.

Saudarkrokur team won its first Icelandic championship in 2023, defeating Valur in the best-of-five series, 3-2.

The first trophy was won on January 13, 2018, when Tindastoll beat KR in the Iceland Cup final.

Eight month laters Tindastoll won the Iceland Super Cup too, defeating KR one more time.

Arnar Guðjónsson is the new head coach of Tindastoll.

He grew up in Borgarfjordur where the Sagas were written in the Middle Ages and was assistant at the Iceland national team from 2011 until 2018, helping it to qualify for EuroBasket 2015 and EuroBasket 2017.

Arnar Guðjónsson has also coached in Denmark, being an assistant (2013-2015) and then head coach (2015-2017) at the Svendborg Rabbits.

He is a three time Iceland Cup winner with Stjarnan (2019, 2020, 2022) and a Danish Cup winner (2014).

Petur Gudmundsson, the first non-American player drafted to the NBA, played for Tindastoll 1990-1992.

A 218cm tall center was selected in the third round of the 1981 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Saudarkrokur has a population of 2500.

Town is located 330 kilometers from Keflavik International airport (KEF).

Club`s website: www.tindastoll.is