Israel's under-18 basketball team put together its most complete performance of the summer on Sunday, pulling away in the third quarter to beat France 91-77 at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket in Trento and take control of Group A.
It was a second straight statement result for Nadav Zilberstein's squad, who had opened the tournament a day earlier with a dramatic 93-84 overtime win over Greece, rallying from nine points down inside the final 90 seconds of regulation to force extra time.
Against France the game was tight for a half. Israel led 18-16 after the first quarter but the French responded to leave the sides deadlocked at 39-39 at the break, with neither team able to build a cushion.
The third quarter settled it. Israel outscored France 30-20 in the period to open a double-digit lead, and while the French chipped away in the fourth, a 22-18 final frame was enough to see the game out comfortably.
Aviv Aronov, the 17-year-old guard who has already committed to a prep-school move to the United States, was again the standout, finishing with 31 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three alongside six rebounds. He had scored 30 in the win over Greece a day earlier.
David Musis produced a huge all-round display of his own, adding 25 points and eight rebounds, while Rom Stoller chipped in 8 points off the bench. Noam Akstein and Omri Orland scored 7 points apiece, with Orland also handing out 4 assists.
France were led by Hugo Yimga, who kept his side within range for long stretches but could not prevent Israel's superior efficiency from telling — Israel shot 49% from the field and 80% from the line, both better marks than the French.
The win leaves Israel in the driving seat in Group A, which also includes Austria and Greece. Ynet reported that Israel's own fate is now in its hands: a win over Austria in Monday's final group game, scheduled for 2 p.m. local time, would secure first place outright heading into the knockout rounds.
The tournament, the first edition of the FIBA U18 EuroBasket staged across Trento and Rovereto in Italy's Trentino region, runs through August 2, with 16 nations split into four groups before the competition moves to a knockout format.
