KATOWICE (Poland) - Israel trailed the previously unbeaten France by as many as 10 points in the first half but held Les Bleus to just 13 fourth-quarter points and Deni Avdija sparked an impressive late run that propelled the Israeli side to a potentially crucial 82-69 win.
Turning Point
Israel crafted their impressive victory in the final stanza, where they turned on the screws on defense, run in transition and went on an 11-0 run within three minutes to go up 66-59 with 7:10 remaining on the clock.
Led by Deni Avdija's decisive plays, Israel then extended the lead to 74-63 with 3:25 to go. The 13-point fourth frame output was France's worst scoring quarter so far in FIBA EuroBasket 2025
TCL Player of the Game
Deni Avdija did everything on the floor. The Israeli leader finished with a team-high 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals, providing clutch plays in the final stanza and inspiring his teammates. Among them, Yam Madar stepped up with 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the win.
Stats Don't Lie
Israel shot 7-of-18 from beyond the arc, a key stat in Sunday's victory. France on the contrary had a poor shooting night from deep, finishing on 8-of-32 from the perimeter.
With that said, Frederic Fauthoux's team shared the ball way better than Israel, out-assisting the opponents 19-12. Moreover, France denied access to the rim on several occasions, finishing with 9 blocks. Israel had none.
Bottom Line
The two sides are now tied at 2-1 in the Group D standings, and Israel have once again demonstrated they can be one of the dark horses of the tournament. They will face Belgium at 14:00 CET on September 2.
After Slovenia beat Belgium to open Sunday action in Katowice, France had the opportunity to qualify with a victory. Instead, they now need to get back on track, starting from their next game against group hosts Poland.
They Said
"Everybody contributed today with the defensive game plan, with the aggressiveness, and the willingness to fight." - Israel's Deni Avdija.
"We were there for the whole game. We kept our composure, we stayed solid, and made some very big plays. We took responsibility, not being afraid of the moment. And that's what happened: big-time players making big-time plays." - Israel's Yovel Zoosman.
"[We lacked] playing together, they adjusted with zone defensively, and we had to pass the ball more. We didn't do that enough, and we have to be better on that. We missed Alex [Sarr] for sure, but we were supposed to do better." - France's Bilal Coulibaly.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA