Tonight, the Israeli team will try to "take revenge" on the German team for a loss (71:67) from Friday at the Kvutzat Shlomo Hall.
A loss that also complicated us in the fight for immigration from home, and could also cost us dearly in the longer term in the fight for the three tickets to the World Cup.
The task tonight may be several times more difficult.
First, the last time our basketball team defeated the local team in Germany was in June 1985, 88:94 in the Eurobasket in Leverkusen (42 points to Jamchi).
Germany was then coached by the late Ralph Klein, and the victory did not prevent us from being relegated to the second tier.
Second, Germany will be strengthened tonight by three Euroleague players: Alba Berlin's outstanding coordinator Udo Lou (13.2 points per game in the Euroleague), teammate Johannes Tyman, and Andreas Obes from Bayern Munich (39 percent for three).
Sean Dawson.
Will get more minutes tonight ?, Photo: Alan Schieber
2 Our team looks less good in the current campaign than in the bubble meetings a year ago, where we stunned Spain 87:95 in Valencia.
So the prominent quartet was Tamir Blatt, Gal Makal, Tomer Ginat and Jake Cohen, who together issued 73 points (!).
Only Ginat appeared big on Friday with 20 points.
Cohen is in a big retreat.
In addition, the turmoil he went through and the difficulty facing the German size left him at five points.
Gal Makal, who in the previous window issued double-digit games - in points and assists - went back a decade with an endless dribble and output that amounted to 4 points (one basket in Garbage Time), 2 of 9 from the field and minus 10 (!) In the plus-minus index (the most Bad in the team).
To Stick’s credit it can be said that he only recovered from an injury earlier this month (third in a year), and at 34 he is recovering from a much more prolonged injury.
Guy Goodes.
Time for revenge ?, Photo: Alan Schieber
3 Tamir Blatt's first game in the Guy Goodes era raises hopes that with him the team will play more in depth than in width.
Blatt had quite a few difficulties this season, in his first season at Alba and the Euroleague, but he showed a nice improvement graph in all that said for the defensive game, and along with his pick and roll game vision, delivery and shooting ability - the team should look better in terms of attacking play.
Goodes will have to give greater credit to Sean Dawson, who in just six minutes played five points, and with him the team took off for a double-digit advantage.
In defense, Israel will have to be close to Robin Benzing's shooting and rebound, which may allow them to run and make the Germans under pressure.
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