After getting tripped up in a 66-64 loss to Poland in Group D play of the 2025 EuroBasket, Deni Avdija and Israel bounced back with one of the loudest victories in the tournament. On Sunday, Israel defeated one of the favorites to top the tourney, as they took down France to the tune of an 82-69 score.
Avdija led the way for Israel in the France game. Traded to the Portland Trail Blazers by the Washington Wizards in 2024, Avdija came away with 23 points while grabbing eight boards, dishing out two assists and getting five steals in 26 minutes of action. He shot 7-for-10 from the field and hit three of his four attempts from behind the arc for Israel, who also defeated Iceland in their tournament opener.
An ecstatic Avdija shared his thoughts on Israel's triumph against France, who won the silver medal in the men's basketball tournament in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We had a tough loss yesterday, and I felt a little down, so today coming to the game with no excuses to beat one of the best teams of the tournament is a big deal, honestly, it’s one of the most fun wins I’ve had”, said Avdija following the game, per Eurohoops.
The win improved Israel's 2025 EuroBasket record to 2-1, second in the Group D standings. Only the top four finishers in each group will advance to the knockout stage.
Also stepping up for Israel versus Le Bleus were Yam Madar, Tomer Ginat and Roman Sorkin. Madar and Sorkin had 17 and 12 points, respectively, while Ginat came off the bench and fired 14 points. Ginat finished the contest with a game-high plus-17.
In a game that featured 11 lead changes and eight deadlocks, Israel edged France on the strength of their huge fourth-quarter performance on both sides of the court. Avdija and company went on a scorching 11-0 run to go up by seven points with a little over seven minutes left in regulation.
“We were there for the whole game,” Israel forward Yovel Zoosman said about the win (via FIBA's website). “We kept our composure, we stayed solid, and made some very big plays. We took responsibility, not being afraid of the moment. And that's what happened: big-time players making big-time plays.”
Up next for Israel is a date with Belgium before a meeting with Luka Doncic and Slovenia.
