Israel's U19 Basketball Team Battles Slovenia for Euro Quarterfinal Win and World Championship Spot

Israel's under-19 national basketball team faced Slovenia in a crucial quarterfinal match at the European Championship in Trento on Thursday. A victory would secure Israel a place in the semifinals and guarantee qualification for the 2024 U19 World Championship in the Czech Republic. Even if Israel loses, they still have a chance to qualify by winning two classification games to finish fifth.

Coached by Nadav Zilberstein, Israel entered the game undefeated, having impressed in the group stage with wins over Greece and France, and a recent 100-86 victory against Denmark. Slovenia, meanwhile, had lost to Germany in the group phase but defeated Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Latvia in the knockout round. Their star player, Stefan Joksimovic, who also plays for Slovenia's senior team, was averaging 25.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game and was a leading MVP candidate alongside Israel's David Mossis.

In the first quarter, Israel started strong with a lineup including Lior Hershko, Oren Trushkin, David Mossis, Amitai Azriel, and Aviv Aronov. Mossis scored the first points and added two consecutive three-pointers, while Aronov contributed with drives and a three-pointer, giving Israel a 23-21 lead after ten minutes. The second quarter remained tight, with Mossis continuing to lead Israel's offense, including a three-pointer and a dunk. Kerem Ashkenazi also hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 40-37. However, Joksimovic took control in the final minutes of the half, scoring two consecutive three-pointers to swing the lead back to Slovenia.