Sensation: The youth team recorded a huge victory over France
After defeating Greece in the opening round of the European Basketball Championship, Nadav Zilberstein's team continued their momentum with a 91:77 win over the French - and secured the top spot in the group.
After defeating the Greek national team in the opening round of the European Youth Championship, Israel impressed again this evening (Sunday) and achieved a 91:77 victory over the French national team. The blue-and-whites delivered a great second half, following an even first half that ended in a 39:39 tie. Aviv Aronov (31 points) and David Moses (25 points) took control of the game in the second half, alongside Rom Stoller and Omri Orland, and with a decisive run in the third and final quarters, they secured an impressive victory over France. Israel now controls its own destiny, and a victory tomorrow (14:00) over Austria will secure first place in the preliminary group.
Both teams showed a hesitant start, with Aviv Aronov hitting a three-pointer to make it 9:8 for Israel after 5 minutes. The French, on the other hand, missed from outside the arc but stayed close thanks to offensive rebounds — 18:16 for Israel after the first quarter. Noam Eckstein opened the second quarter with a three-pointer, and then David Moses added a dunk. The French answered with five consecutive points, and the game remained even at 30:30 with 5 minutes to halftime. Amitai Azriel provided a basket and a foul in an impressive move, and a three-pointer by Aviv Aronov gave the team a 39:35 lead. The French returned from a timeout and forced a tie — 39:39 at halftime.
Strong play by David Moses gave Israel a 52:46 lead. Moses completed a 10:2 run for the team, but the French responded with an 8:2 run of their own, narrowing the gap to 60:56. Israel did not lose composure and responded with a run led by Rom Stoller — 69:59 after the third quarter. The Tricolores started the last quarter well, but Aviv Aronov provided an important three-pointer followed by a great basket-and-foul play — 79:67 for Israel with 5 minutes remaining. Hershko and Aronov continued the run, and the gap grew to 83:67 on the way to a huge victory.
For Israel: Aviv Aronov (5/11 from three, 6 rebounds), David Moses (8 rebounds, 25 points), Rom Stoller (8 points), Noam Eckstein and Omri Orland (4 assists each, 7 points each), Amitai Azriel (5 points), Lior Hershko and Oren Trushkin (4 points each), Kerem Ashkenazi (2 points).
