Go Israel! National team stuns France at EuroBasket

Israel’s national basketball team caused a major sensation this evening (Sunday), defeating France 82–69 in the EuroBasket tournament. France is considered one of the strongest teams in the world.

The game was evenly matched throughout, with Deni Avdija (23 points), Yam Madar, and Tomer Ginat leading Israel forward. The blue-and-white team managed to pull away toward the end, securing a double-digit victory over one of the tournament’s top title contenders.

Game summary

After a strong start from France, who went up 20–10, Ariel Beit-Halahmi’s squad raised its defensive intensity, completely shutting down the offense of the reigning European silver medalists. On the offensive side, standout plays by Avdija, Madar, and Ginat propelled Israel to a 23–4 run in the final quarter, leading to their first win over France since 1997 – sending the sea of blue-and-white fans in the stands in Katowice into a frenzy.

Deni Avdija once again led the team with 23 points and five steals, Madar had his best game of the tournament so far with 17 points, while Ginat and Roman Sorkin added 14 and 12 points respectively, rounding out four players in double figures.

On Tuesday, Israel will face Belgium – and a win would secure their place in the Round of 16.

The record: Two wins, one loss

Israel came into the match after a victory over Iceland in their opening game, and a tight loss to host nation Poland last night, 66–64. In both games, Deni Avdija stood out – scoring 23 points and grabbing 9 rebounds against Poland, though he missed the decisive shot in the final seconds.

Their opponent, France, boasting four NBA players, had started the tournament with two wins – against Belgium, and a 103–95 victory over Slovenia last night.

Israel is playing in a group alongside France, Poland, Slovenia, Iceland, and Belgium. The top four teams in the group will advance to the Round of 16.

Other group result

In another game today from the "Israeli group", Slovenia defeated Belgium 86–69, claiming their first win of the tournament and improving to a 1–2 record. Belgium now has the same record and will be Israel’s next opponent on Tuesday, in what is shaping up to be a crucial match for advancing to the next round.
Luka Dončić starred for Slovenia with a triple-double: 26 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds.

Upcoming games for Team Israel: