Israel's national under-18 boys basketball team closed out the group phase of the FIBA U18 European Championship in Italy with a perfect record, beating Austria to complete a 3-0 run through Group A and set up a place in the quarterfinals.
The Austria game carried little competitive weight of its own — Israel had already clinched top spot in the group after wins over Greece and France — but Nadav Zilbershtein's squad won comfortably regardless, extending an unbeaten start to the tournament.
Forward Oren Trushkin, who scored 12 points in the win, pointed to the work done in training camp as the reason for the form. "We did the work in the group stage, we trained hard all summer at a high level and it's paid off," he told ONE.
Point guard Omri Orland, who added 7 points, said the group-stage form now counts for little with the knockout rounds beginning. He said a "combination of focus and professionalism" would be needed if Israel are to get past the quarterfinal, according to ONE.
The perfect group stage was built on statement wins rather than narrow escapes. Israel needed overtime to see off Greece 93-84 in the tournament opener, before following up with a more comfortable 91-77 win over France that secured first place in Group A with a game still to play.
Aviv Aronov has been the headline act of the group phase, scoring 30 points and adding six assists against Greece before backing it up with 31 more against France. David Moisis has been just as prominent inside, posting 26 points and 19 rebounds against Greece and 25 points and 8 rebounds against France.
Trushkin, an 18-year-old, 2-metre forward who averages 20.3 points, 10 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game for his club side, Hapoel Gilboa/Ma'ayanot, was already named to the tournament's team of the round earlier in the competition — reflecting the size and scoring Israel have brought to Italy.
Orland, a 1.90-metre playmaker from Hapoel Emek Hefer, is regarded as one of the more intriguing names in the squad, and his composure running the offense has been central to Israel's fast start.
With Group A wrapped up, Israel now turn to the knockout stage knowing that the professionalism Orland spoke of will be tested against sterner opposition than they faced in the group phase.
