KATOWICE (Poland) - In front of two passionate fanbases, Israel and Iceland opened the curtain on Group D action at FIBA EuroBasket 2025. Only the first one could celebrate a win, though.
Imposing their physicality, limiting Iceland's quickness, and eventually finding defensive adjustments to close the paint, Deni Avdija and co. started their tournament with an 83-71 victory.
Turning Point
Israel went on a 10-0 run in the first quarter to jump in the driver's seat and led by as many as 8 points early on but Iceland exploited Tryggvi Hlinason's presence in the paint to make it a two-possession game, cutting the deficit to 36-32 at halftime.
The start of the third quarter told a different story, as Ariel Beit-Halahmy's team quickly created a 17-point lead; they also forced one eight-second and one backcourt violation, tightening their grip on the game.
TCL Player of the Game
Roman Sorkin was the big protagonist of Israel's victory, especially on the offensive end, and produced one of his best national-team games ever with 31 points and 5 rebounds, shooting 9-of-12 from two-point range and 4-of-7 from three.
He had lots of help by Deni Avdija. Despite a rough three-point shooting afternoon (0-of-5), the Portland Trail Blazers star still had a well-rounded performance with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
Stats Don't Lie
We have been enjoying Iceland's fast-paced transition game for quite some time, but Craig Pedersen's team couldn't deliver their best version as they struggled hugely from deep. They shot only 5-of-29 beyond the arc.
Moreover, it definitely wasn't Martin Hermannsson's day. The Icelandic leader scored only 4 points, shooting 2-of-14 from the field.
Bottom Line
Propelled by the Avdija-Sorkin duo, Israel demonstrated why they have the tools to establish themselves as the darkhorse of Group D. Their upcoming matchup against co-hosts Poland should be a challenge to their ambition.
Entering their third-ever FIBA EuroBasket with a loss, Iceland still haven't grabbed a victory at this stage, but they will take hear from Elvar Fridriksson's 17-point performance in a losing effort; the paint colossus Tryggvi Hlinason had his first-ever FIBA EuroBasket double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
They Said
"I'm happy my shots fell downm my teammates found me. The most important thing is the win that we got, the rest doesn't matter. It's a long tournament. It took group work to stop Tryggvi Hlinason; he's an amazing player, and it was a pleasure to play against him." - Israel's Roman Sorkin.
"It was very important, the first game is always very hard, and it's something you work for the whole summer. Our opponents weren't easy to face, but I'm glad we found a way in the second half. We will get better in the next games, but it's important to win the first one." - Ariel Beit-Halahmy, Israel's head coach.
"I think we did a lot of good things; we had some problems with their physicality and size. We need to shoot the ball better, but I'm happy we were able to create so many good shots." - Craig Pedersen, Iceland's head coach.
"We will always stay true to who we are and to our identity, and we will keep playing the same game we want to play. When the shots follow, it will be better for us. It was one of those games where the emotions were a little bit too high. We will just recharge now and focus on Belgium." - Iceland's Elvar Fridriksson.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA