Israel's Cadet Basketball Team Falls 78-75 to Germany, Faces Italy in Classification Round

Israel's cadet basketball team was narrowly defeated by Germany 78-75 in the round of 16 at the European Championship, ending their run in the main bracket. The loss means Israel will now compete in the 9th-16th place classification games to fight for survival in Division A. Their next match is scheduled for Wednesday against Italy, with live coverage on Sport Channel.

Germany started strong, quickly building a double-digit lead within three minutes. Israel managed to rally and even took the lead midway through the second quarter, but Germany closed the half ahead 45-40. The Germans maintained control early in the second half, extending their lead back to double digits and holding it until the final buzzer. Despite repeated Israeli efforts to close the gap, they could not overturn the deficit.

Key moments included three consecutive German three-pointers early on, forcing Israeli coach Guy Kaplan to call a timeout. Israeli players Rotem Ben-David (22 points), Yanai Lachmanovitch (15 points, 6 steals), and Itay Kedem (14 points, 12 rebounds) led the effort. In the final quarter, Israel cut the deficit to five points with crucial free throws and a three-pointer by Ido Ziv, but missed opportunities from the free-throw line and a last-second three-point attempt by Ben-David sealed their fate.

The defeat sends Israel to the classification round where they will face Italy, aiming to secure their place in Division A for next season. The team showed resilience but was ultimately outplayed by a disciplined German squad.