1. The Israeli team finishes the February window of the World Cup qualifiers with great disappointment.
The blue-and-white team lost a 15-point advantage en route to a 84-80 loss to Germany.
After the victories over Poland and Estonia in the previous window, Israel came to the games against Germany with great optimism and knowing that two victories would significantly improve their chances of qualifying for the World Championships in the summer of 2023, but gave a bad display on Friday when they lost in Tel Aviv.
The first half was a direct continuation of the disappointing game in Israel.
The defense worked not bad, but the offense did not function with only 34 points in 20 minutes and 5 behind at the break.
In the third quarter, Tamir Blatt came into action.
The excellent coordinator who returned to the team after more than a year, propelled the attacking game, found the members for free throws and Israel gained a promising advantage.
But in the last quarter they lost their head and the game.
Guy Goodes, who managed the game excellently until the important minutes, got a little stuck with the substitutions, the Germans put up gear and once again controlled the rebounds while Israel missed critical shots on the way to a painful loss at Heidelberg.
Timur Bar.
Great frustration for the Israeli team, Photo: FIBA website
2. Tomer Ginat, who is strongly in the sights of Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem, showed why he dreams of the Euroleague next season.
Second game in a row that the versatile forward was the best in the blue-and-whites with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but other than that and a few good minutes from Blatt and Jake Cohen, Goodes did not get any player with good offensive ability.
That's how hard it is to beat an outside team at the level of Germany.
Dawson on the way to the basket, tonight in Germany, Photo: FIBA website
3. For the second round, Israel will probably go up, because one victory over Poland or Estonia in the window that will take place in June should be enough.
But the two losses to Germany could be costly in the next stage, as the teams carry the balance with them and with the results from last week it will be difficult to qualify for the prestigious tournament for the first time since 1986.
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