HELSINKI (FIBA U20 European Championship 2016) – Tamir Blatt and Israel are calling upon the 'warrior mentality' to fuel their FIBA U20 European Championship charge. 

Blatt and Co. stunned the Helsinki Ice Stadium in each of their opening two games of the competition, silencing 4,500 home fans to overcome hosts Finland 81-72 on day one before blowing away France 86-66 on Sunday.

Blatt, who earned an All-Star Five spot as he guided Israel to promotion from FIBA U18 European Championship Division B last summer, has been central to both victories.

He has demonstrated real poise to deliver coach Dan Shamir’s game plan on both ends of the floor – and Israel were +33 with him on the floor against the French.

But the player feels the reason for his team’s success on the big stage goes beyond the x’s and o’s.

"We are just very together. We love playing with each other and and to be in each other’s company," said the 19-year-old.

"All of us love to play in front of fans and that’s the best time. We enjoy it. This atmosphere is amazing with thousands of fans here. It’s a lot of fun."

He added: "I think we are warriors, that’s our mentality.

"I have been playing in the first division in Israel this year with a team that has a full, packed gym all the time with all the noise and I think that is why I’m mature for this division."

There could, of course, be another contributing factor to the Hapoel Tel Aviv guard’s basketball IQ beyond his years.

The son of legendary coach David Blatt, Tamir has grown up around the game, and always sought to tap into his father’s font of basketball knowledge.

"I talk to him everyday. We are very close," Tamir said. "He has a lot of experience at all levels and I just love learning from him every single day. With him it’s tough not to talk basketball. He’s a great coach."

Blatt Jnr’s current U20 national team coach, Dan Shamir, worked alongside the floor general’s father at Maccabi Tel Aviv and Dynamo Moscow. 

He therefore knows better than most what makes Tamir tick.

Shamir said: "Tamir is a great player as you can all see now. He is a great kid. I have known him for a long time. He knows basketball - you can understand why - and it is a real joy and it is very easy to coach a guy like that.

"At this age it’s not about one guy, but he’s obviously the guy that puts it all together and he leads on the floor.

"His dad is a very close friend of mine. We worked together in Maccabi, we worked together in Dynamo Moscow. It’s fun, [Tamir] knows basketball but he’s also very coachable."

Judging by the opening two days’ action in Helsinki, Shamir has moulded Israel into an impressive unit.

And with Blatt combining his coach’s ideas with 'warrior mentality' on the floor, who knows how far they can go.

FIBA