Two days after a stunning defeat of France, Israel punched its ticket to the knockout stage of EuroBasket 2025 on Tuesday in the Polish city of Katowice, beating Belgium 92-89 behind another strong performance by Deni Avdija.
The NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers forward posted 22 points, four assists and three rebounds for the Blue and White, becoming the first Israeli player to score 20 or more points in more than three games in a single EuroBasket tournament since Oded Kattash in 1997.
The Israelis advance to the Round of 16 for the first time since 2015. They join Poland as the only two teams from Group D to secure qualification for the knockout stage in Riga, Latvia. The team will conclude the Group D phase with a game against Slovenia on Thursday, heading into the final match with a 3-1 record in the group for 7 points to lead the standings.
Israel defeated France 82-69 on Sunday night, in a historic win for the blue-and-white team. It was Israel’s first win over France since 1997.
The quadrennial international men’s championship, which is organized by FIBA Europe and runs from Aug. 27-Sept. 14, is being co-hosted by Cyprus, Finland, Latvia and Poland
