KATOWICE (Poland) - Poland squandered a 14-point lead but some late heroics by Jordan Loyd and an excellent defense on the final possession lifted the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 co-hosts to a 66-64 victory over Israel in a game that kept the 9,000 fans in Spodek Arena at the edge of their seats until the very last millisecond.
Poland now remain, alongside France, the only undefeated teams in Group D after two days of action in Katowice, while Israel drop to 1-1 in the standings.
Turning Point
Israel, who had clawed their way back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter thanks to Deni Avdija pouring in 16 of his 23 points in that frame, jumped ahead 64-62 on a Khadeen Carrington triple from the corner with 1:12 left to play.
Jordan Loyd however drove to the basket and scored with a layup to tie the scores and, after Israel wasted the possession on the other end, he tipped-in the ball off his own missed jumper, to put Poland ahead 66-64 with 13 seconds on the clock.
TCL Player of the Game
Unlimited stamina, leadership, clutch plays: Jordan Loyd has been exceptional for Poland at FIBA EuroBasket 2025. He finished with 27 points on 5-of-8 3FG in the win over Israel, after putting up 32 points against Slovenia on the opening day. Poland captain Mateusz Ponitka gifted himself a birthday present with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Meanwhile in front of his Portland head coach, Chauncey Billups, Deni Avdija finished with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in a losing effort.
Stats Don't Lie
Poland found a way to win despite their 17 turnovers, and the key was probably their superiority on the glass, where they outrebounded Israel 51 to 40. Overall, Igor Milicic's team led for 30:41 minutes, while Israel had the upper hand for only 4:41 minutes. The six lead changes occurred only in the second half.
Bottom Line
Poland saw their offensive flow vastly reduced by Israel's defensive efforts, but still found a way to win two straight games in Katowice. They joined France at 2-0 in the Group D standings, and will face Iceland next.
Propelled by Deni Avdija's all-around effort, Israel proved once again why every team should pay attention to them. Currently at 1-1, they will go up against the unbeaten France on August 31 at 17:00 CET.
They Said
"The last play was an ugly possession; they had great defense. But we found a way. The last possession wasn't what we wanted it to be. The team responded, and great teams do a great job responding to games like that." - Poland's Jordan Loyd.
"We both struggled offensively. But still being able to win the game is huge for us, moving forward. Jordan is amazing, isn't he? He helped us huge, he's a great guy who fits in to our system and to our family." - Poland's Dominik Olejniczak.
"The way we came back shows character. It doesn't help us right now, but hopefully we will win the next three games. Deni is Deni, we know what he can give us. But it's a team effort, everybody gave everything they could." - Israel's Tomer Ginat.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA