Israeli Women Make Basketball History Reaching EuroLeague

Israeli basketball players Doran Dehan Sweitz and Romy Levi have made history by becoming the first Israeli duo to reach the Women's EuroLeague with Crvena Zvezda Belgrade. The team secured a dramatic 71-66 victory over Hungary's Miskolc in the final qualifying round on Wednesday.

This achievement marks a significant milestone, as previously only a handful of Israeli women had competed in Europe's top women's basketball league. Daniel Raber was the fourth Israeli to play in the EuroLeague last year, and Jordan Garzon is set to join the list soon after signing with Zaragoza. However, two Israelis playing on the same EuroLeague team is unprecedented.

In the decisive qualifying game, Dehan Sweitz contributed 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists, playing a key role in the comeback. Levi played 6 minutes, adding 3 rebounds. Dehan Sweitz had also been instrumental in the previous qualifying round, scoring 4 points alongside 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in a 75-69 win against Brno.

Dehan Sweitz, 22, is in her second season with the Serbian champions. Levi joined the team this summer after a successful college career. "The connection with Romy is great, she is an amazing person to be around, and on the court we are building chemistry that can help us also during the national team windows," Dehan Sweitz told Sport Channel.

Dehan Sweitz previously played in Israel's top league for Hapoel Rishon Lezion and had a strong performance in the EuroBasket qualifiers for the Israeli national team, averaging 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. Last season, Crvena Zvezda was eliminated in the EuroLeague qualifiers and competed in the EuroCup, where Dehan Sweitz averaged 11.5 points per game.