Jordan Loyd Credits Poland's Win Over Israel to Absence of Deni Avdija and Height Advantage

Israel's national basketball team suffered a heavy 106-86 defeat to Poland in Riga on August 27, 2026, in their World Cup 2027 qualifying campaign. The loss dropped Israel's record to 5-2, severely diminishing their chances of advancing to the tournament. Poland maintained a perfect record and strengthened their position atop the group.

Poland's guard Jordan Loyd was a standout performer, scoring 18 points. In a postgame interview with Sport Channel, Loyd praised the collective effort of the Polish team and highlighted captain Ponitka's leadership. He noted Israel's resilience, saying the team never gave up despite Poland leading by 12 to 14 points at times.

Loyd identified Israel's lack of Deni Avdija, one of the world's top players and a key figure for Israel, as a significant factor in their defeat. He also emphasized Poland's physical advantage, particularly their height, which they exploited to score easy baskets inside the paint. Loyd described the Polish coaching staff's game plan as excellent and credited the team's adherence to it for their success.

For Israel, this loss continues a difficult qualifying window. Facing the next game against Latvia, Israel's path to the World Cup has become nearly impossible after failing to contain Poland's physicality and conceding over 100 points. The team will need to regroup quickly to keep any hopes alive.