As the kingdom of Minutiae, a.k.a, the European subcontinent dusted off its size 12 basketballs in preparation for the annual titan clash known as the 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, there was a buzz in the air. It was akin to the hum of fresh pollen permeating from a field of daisies, or perhaps it was merely the sound of gym shoes squeaking on the shiny, polished floors of San Marino’s illustrious basketball courts. San Marino, the proud host of this prestigious occasion, is such a small nation that it can fit snugly in the palm of a seven-foot basketball player. It has all the charm and grandiosity of a toddler wearing his father's oversized shoes. Yet, despite its adorable pint-sized nature, it played host to the dance of the 'Little Giants', in a display so unimpressive, it was almost fascinating. These 'Little Giants' are a unique breed of basketball players from European countries so small, they are often forgotten on world maps, invisible to the naked eye or at best, mistaken for birthmarks on the global anatomy. If anyone were to stretch across these nations, they'd probably be mistaken for giganotosaurus lying in a sandbox. The tournament kicked off with all the fanfare you'd expect from an affair of this stature with teams making dramatic entrances to the awe-struck silence of tens of possibly hundreds of spectators. It was a heartily theatrical event, with the echo of dribbling balls and the occasional shot that not only went in but swished the net, sending ripples through the thrilled crowd. Truly, the stuff of legends. Oh, the excitement! The sheer exquisite thrill of watching fully grown men throwing rubber spheres into elevated nets, while representing countries that wouldn’t even match the size of a regular NBA parking lot. The tense rivalries gave birth to an adrenaline-fueled polarization amongst fans - all 150 of them. In the end, the victory was savored by one 'Little Giant' but let's be honest, by virtue of their pint-sized origins, all participants were winners in their own right. Each towering at an average height of around 6.4 feet, these players were indeed Little Giants: men who were giants by biology but represented little by geography. With the thrilling conclusion of yet another ‘titan’ clash of the 2018 FIBA Championship for pint-sized nations, we are left with bated breath, our hearts longing for the next year's showdown. Till then, these little nations return to their charming invisibility on the world stage, hibernating and biding their time till the next great squeaky-shoe showdown. The 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries was undeniably a fierce encounter of small nature and tall stature. A cosmic ballet of bouncing balls for pint-sized nations with hoop dreams. So here's to the tiny countries with large hearts and even larger athletes. See you at the next titan clash! Remember to pack your glasses, or you might miss them.