By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In a close game between two strong competitors in Montpellier, Israel prevailed 73-75 in the end. Poland – who won their first two bouts against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia but understandably lost the third to France – were up by 2 by the end of a close first quarter. Israel – who also beat Russia but lost their previous game to Bosnia and Herzegovina – were better in the second period and managed to snatch the lead from their opponents, who closed out the half trailing by 2. After a pretty even third, the two battled it out with the Israelis prevailing in the end.
“After the loss to Bosnia, I didn’t sleep for 48 hours,” Israel’s coach, Erez Edelshtein, confessed. “I couldn’t. Something bothered me. It was not fair because we lead the 24 teams in FG%, we are 2nd or 3rd in assists. There is no way we are not in the top 16. Especially after Israel didn’t show up in 2007. So I’m proud to be the coach of those players.”
D’or Fischer had a great game with 15 points, 8 boards and 3 assists. Team captain Omri Casspi put in another good performance, racking up 14 points, collecting 7 rebounds and dishing 2 assists. However, it was Gal Mekel who got the most, scoring 18 points – among them, those crucial free throws he made at the end – and serving 5 assists. Raviv Limonad served another 5 and added 9 points for Edelshtein’s team.
Fischer commented on a couple of his teammates after the game, first on Casspi: “He’s stepped up as our captain. He’s been very vocal as our leader. He’s shown so much emotion and I’m very proud of him.” And then on Mekel and his free throws: “Those were pressure free throws. He was able to ice the game and knock those free throws down and take us to the win.”
The 31-year-old giant and team leader, Marcin Gortat, had a solid game, scoring 11 points, collecting 8 rebounds and handing out 3 assists. Adam Waczynski (2 rebounds) and Damian Kulig (6 rebounds, 1 assist) got 13 points apiece, and American-born A.J. Slaughter contributed 9 points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists.