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The Israel National Basketball Team has opened training camp ahead of its final two games of the first round of 2027 World Cup qualifying, facing Germany and Croatia next week. The blue-and-white has already secured qualification for the second round, but the pair of games remain important because results from the first round carry over to the next stage of play.

Head coach Ariel Beit Halachmi will be without several regulars due to injuries, and NBA All-Star Deni Avdija was not released by the Portland Trail Blazers, while Ben Saraf, who just completed his rookie season with the Brooklyn Nets, will also not be available for the upcoming contests. Despite these absences, Beit Halachmi emphasized focus on the players who are available, saying, "We have gathered here for the final window of the first stage of the qualifiers. We've already advanced from our group, and we're preparing for two very difficult games against strong national teams. We have a lot of absences for many reasons, there are injuries and NBA players who were not released by their clubs, but I want to focus on the players who are here. There's nothing we can do about those who aren't, and we'll give our players the confidence they need."

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post reported on the team's preparations and the challenges posed by player absences, quoting both Beit Halachmi and captain Tomer Ginat. A subsequent report detailed Israel's 103-75 loss to Croatia in the final qualifying game, a defeat that highlighted deeper issues surrounding the national team and the Israel Basketball Association. The same outlet also covered the opening of training camp, noting the team's 2-2 record in Group E and the importance of the upcoming games despite already securing advancement.

The loss to Croatia, coming on the heels of a defeat to Germany, left Israel with a 2-4 record in the first stage, a mark that carries over into the second group stage. According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel trailed 9-0 early before Khadeen Carrington scored the team's first points, and Croatia controlled the game from the start, leading 25-12 after the first quarter and 47-31 at halftime. Despite a second-half push from Adam Ariel, who scored a national team career-high 17 points, Yam Madar led Israel with 21 points, and Netanel Artzi added 10, Croatia continued to dominate. Ivica Zubac recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds for Croatia, Dario Šarić finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, while David Škara and Antonio Jordano scored 13 points apiece.

Key Claims

  • Israel opened training camp for the final two first-round games of 2027 World Cup qualifying against Germany and Croatia, with the games scheduled for the following week.
  • Israel had already secured qualification for the second round, holding a 2-2 record in Group E, which also includes Cyprus, whom Israel defeated twice earlier in the qualifying.
  • NBA All-Star Deni Avdija was not released by the Portland Trail Blazers for the upcoming games, and Ben Saraf, who completed his rookie season with the Brooklyn Nets, was also unavailable.
  • Tomer Ginat joined the team despite not being fully healthy, with Beit Halachmi noting the importance of his presence.
  • The team was shorthanded due to injuries to several players, including star center Roman Sorkin, and the roster of 15 was to be pared down to 14 for the qualifiers.
  • Israel lost to Croatia 103-75 in the final first-round game, ending the stage with a 2-4 record that carries over to the second round.
  • Beit Halachmi expressed frustration after the loss, stating, "It was a tough loss, no doubt about it. We didn't play well, and overall the game was completely under their control. Our chances are slim, but we can't give up."
Beit Halachmi also spoke about the team's approach leading into the games, saying, "We've worked really well over the past week. The news that Tomer Ginat was able to join us is very, very important. We're doing everything we can, preparing as best as possible, and like I told you before, we need to give these players confidence, empower them, and I hope everything will go well." The coach noted the team's motivation and the opportunity for less experienced players, saying, "Overall, we have players here with a tremendous amount of motivation. This is an opportunity for them to come in and play a lot of minutes, and a lot of players here are getting a chance, and I trust them. We'll be using some unconventional lineups, let's call them that. On the one hand, that can actually work to our advantage."

Perspectives

Coach Ariel Beit Halachmi: Emphasized focus on available players, confidence-building, and preparation despite absences. After the loss to Croatia, he acknowledged the difficulty but urged resilience and hoped for the availability of key players in the next window.

Israel Basketball Association: The Jerusalem Post reported that the loss served as a reminder of deeper issues surrounding the national team and the association's handling of the situation, though the association itself did not provide comment in the reports.