Israel's U18 Basketball Team Upsets France to Top Group at European Championship

Israel's under-18 basketball team continued its impressive run at the European Championship in Trento, Italy, by defeating a strong French side 91-77 on Sunday. This victory secured Israel the top spot in Group A with a 2-0 record. The team will next face Austria on Monday at 14:00 in Roberto before awaiting their round of 16 opponent, which will be the last-place team from Group B.

The game was closely contested early on, with France leading 18-16 after the first quarter. The teams exchanged leads throughout the first half, ending tied at 39-39. The turning point came midway through the third quarter when David Mossis and Oren Trushkin sparked an 8-0 run. Despite France narrowing the gap to four points, Israeli substitutes Omri Orland and Rom Stoller reignited momentum, pushing the score to 69-59 entering the final quarter.

Israel started the fourth quarter with a scoring drought of over three minutes, allowing France to close in. However, Aviv Aronov's fifth three-pointer of the game sparked a decisive run, extending Israel's lead to 83-67 with less than four minutes remaining. Aronov scored over 30 points for the second consecutive game, finishing with 31 points, while Mossis contributed 25 points and seven rebounds. The Israeli team maintained control to secure the 91-77 win.

This victory marks a significant achievement for Israel's youth basketball program, highlighting their potential in the European competition. The team now prepares for the final group stage game and the knockout rounds ahead.