Israel’s run at the FIBA U20 EuroBasket in Greece came to an end on Thursday, as it was edged out by Italy 86-80 in a hard-fought quarterfinal matchup.
The game, played at Nea Alikarnassos Arena in Heraklion, saw the teams trade leads before Italy pulled away in the closing minutes.
Israel entered the quarterfinals fresh off a dominant performance against Romania in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, securing a 119-68 victory after sweeping the group phase with an undefeated record against Spain, Finland and Poland.
The impressive 51-point win against Romania at the Heraklion University Sports Hall on the University of Crete’s Voutes campus in Heraklion set national records for scoring and margin of victory at the U20 level.
All 12 players on the Israeli roster scored at least five points, highlighting the team’s balanced attack. Guard Jonathan Abulof led the scoring with 18 points, while Omer Mayer, also a guard, contributed 11 points and six assists in just nine minutes of action.
Israel jumped out to a commanding 69-36 halftime lead and maintained control throughout the game, never allowing Romania to challenge its advantage.
