For the first time in its history Israel’s women’s U20 basketball team reached the semifinals of the European Championship.
On Friday, the Israeli women’s U20 national team achieved a historic milestone, overcoming a double-digit deficit to secure a dramatic 80-79 victory over Poland and advance to the European Under-20 Championship semifinals for the first time ever.
From the opening minutes, it was clear how significant the occasion was. National team star Gal Raviv, who currently leads the tournament in points, assists, steals, and average efficiency rating per game, once again stood above the rest, scoring five three-pointers and 15 points in the first quarter alone.
In the second quarter, Poland turned the game around, dominating the paint and building a double-digit lead. However, Israel refused to give up, and with eight consecutive points at the start of the final quarter, the team tied the score.
Gal Raviv made the difference, as Israel’s U20 women’s basketball team completed the comeback and won the dramatic game 80-79. Raviv finished with an outstanding performance of 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.
After stunning powerhouse France last year and sending a message to the rest of Europe that it should not be underestimated, Israel’s national team has now reached the top four in Europe for the first time in its history. In the semifinal, Israel will face the winner of the matchup between Belgium and Croatia.