Israel Under-18 Basketball Team Beats Denmark to Reach Euro Quarterfinals

The Israeli Under-18 basketball team secured a decisive 100-86 victory over Denmark on Wednesday, advancing to the quarterfinals of the European Championship. Coached by Nadav Zilberstein, Israel pulled away in the second half and maintained their lead through the final quarter, continuing their impressive tournament run. Israel entered the knockout stage after finishing first in their group with a perfect 3-0 record, including significant wins against Greece and France. Denmark, by contrast, advanced from their group as the last seed with a 0-3 record.

David Moses dominated under the basket early on, helping Israel build a double-digit lead in the first quarter despite Denmark closing the gap to 20-26 with two late three-pointers. Denmark briefly took the lead early in the second quarter, but Israeli guard Omri Orland came off the bench to score 11 points in under three minutes, pushing Israel ahead 48-38 at halftime. In the third quarter, Israel took full control, with Moses continuing to dominate the paint and Rom Stoller scoring five consecutive points to extend the lead to 78-56 by the quarter's end.

Moses finished with an impressive stat line of 23 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals, while Stoller added 15 points. Denmark attempted a comeback in the final quarter, narrowing the deficit to 13 points, but Aviv Aronov halted their momentum. Israel maintained control to secure the win and a spot in the quarterfinals. This victory guarantees Israel will remain in Division A and pursue two additional goals: finishing among the top five to qualify for the Under-19 World Championship and achieving a top-three finish to set a new record in the youth championships.