1.
The Israeli team traveled to Estonia with one goal: to return to Israel with a 0: 2 victory and balance in the opening of the 2023 World Cup qualifiers. In first place in House D.
Israel was better at all stages of the game.
The players in blue started well with 14:20 in the first quarter and also finished the game with a crushing 4:12 run that arranged the victory for them.
In the middle there were some heart palpitations, mainly due to lack of concentration alongside a few threes from the locals, but in the end the better and higher quality team won rightly.
The defense was a direct continuation of the game against Poland last Thursday and the attack already looked much better.
78% of the penalty line, 50% for 2 and especially 43.7% for 3 are excellent data - probably in an away game - that show a good game plan and choosing the right shot by Israel.
Ten players scored, four of them in double digits.
You can not ask for much more than that.
We can especially mention Gal Makal and Rafi Manko who performed the right and necessary actions during the game that helped the team to be in a winning position in the crucial minutes.
Gal Mekel.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
2.
In February 2018, Israel was at the beginning of the mourning process.
The 78:62 we snatched on the head in Tallinn made some people doubt the chances of success, but today, almost four years later, it is clear to everyone that Israeli basketball is in a much better place.
Guy Goodes opened his term as national coach in a positive and successful way.
At his disposal is a diverse, connected and talented bunch with many options in almost every position.
And let's not forget Tamir Blatt and Yuval Sussman, top five players in the previous campaign, who were not released from Alba Berlin's Euroleague team.
In recent days, there have been questions about why Maccabi Tel Aviv players should be brought directly from Germany so that they can barely do two training sessions and go up to play instead of players who have been with the team for almost a whole week.
Roman Sorkin and John Dibertolomeo provided a crushing answer.
The first scored 8 points and took 4 rebounds in 12 minutes and had significant power under the baskets while receiving.
The other did make some mistakes, but the main man in Money Time (scored 7 of the team's last 10 points).
3.
dozens of Jews from the local community hall Sacco Deliver arrived and drove the team.
Their cries of "El El Israel" were heard well during the game and immediately after that the players knew how to go and thank them.
Relative to other halls it was cold on the pitch, perhaps to make it difficult for the visiting teams, but this time the team members came prepared, as lessons learned from the previous time.
Israel arrived the day before, held three training sessions on the field and came with the necessary equipment so that the players would respond well to the weather.
Audience in Tallinn, Estonia.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
4.
As stated, Israel finishes the first window when it is in first place at home.
Any result in the parallel match between Germany and Poland can not move the team from the top of the house.
In the next window that will take place in February, the team in blue and white will meet Germany twice in three days, and then we will already get a picture of where we are headed in the first home stage.
If Israel wins at least once, and especially if it is by the right margin, it can be said that this is a positive first step on the way to promotion to the World Cup, for the first time since 1986.
Israel's national team.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
Nimrod Levy.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
Guy Pnini.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
Guy Goodes at a briefing for his trainees.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
John Dibertolomeo.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
Yam Madar.
Tonight, Photo: FIBA,
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