[MakkabI]
August 1st, 2004, 06:08 AM
Israel's U-20 national basketball team went through to the final of the European Championship Saturday night with a 88-82 semifinal win over Greece in the Czech city of Brno.
Coach Arik Shibak's charges will face Slovenia at 8 P.M. Sunday evening in the final. In 2000, Israel narrowly missed out on the gold when Yoram Harosh's team lost in the last second of the final - also against Slovenia.
"It was a tough game; the Greeks are tough," Shibak said after last night's game. "You make a mistake and they punish you immediately. But we punished them too. We were great. When the Greeks came back to take the lead, I told the players that no matter what, we are going to win because we are stronger than them mentally. And I am pleased that this is what happened."
Yotam Halperin led Israel with 32 points, including 6-6 from three-point territory. Halperin also pulled down seven rebounds and made three assists.
"We aren't the most talented team or the best team here; but it seems that we are the team that wants it the most," an elated Halperin said. "We always like to do things the hard way. We led the entire game and then there was a lapse toward the end. Well done to the professional staff and the players for coming back."
Raviv Limonad also put in a good performance, scoring 18 points. "We feel on top of the world," Limonad said. "This has been the dream of all of us since we were children... We can win the final if we continue to play strong on defense and intelligently on offense."
Lior Eliyahu added 16 points; Erez Kohansky finished with seven points; Eilon Zagury scored 5 points; Igor Simin contributed four points; Anton Kazarnovsky had four points; and Lior Lipshitz scored a single basket.
The U-20s quarterfinal win of 83-82 over Serbia and Montenegro on Friday will be remembered as one of the best games in the history of Israeli basketball, with all five of Shibak's key players putting in good performances. Friday's victory was also worth a ticket to the World U-21 Basketball Championships, scheduled for August 5-14, 2005, in Argentina.
For most of the first three quarters, Israel found itself lagging slightly behind; but the start of the fourth quarter saw the U-20s go on a 11-2 run, thanks to two interceptions, and take a 68-62 lead.
The Serbs continued to fire away from three-point territory and went into a 76-73 lead with three and a half minutes to play.
Limonad equalized with a three-pointer; Kohansky added a basket; the Serbs added one of their own; Halperin sunk two from the free-throw line; and with 1:24 on the clock, Israel led 80-78.
A basket and two free throws for the Serbs against a single free throw for Israel put the score at 81-82 with 28 seconds to play.
With seven seconds left on the clock, Halperin went for a three-pointer - but missed. Kohansky, however, was first to the rebound; but his follow-up shot only traveled around the rim. Nevertheless, Kazarnovsky was on hand to rise above the Serb defense and score with four seconds still on the clock, drawing a foul at the same time.
Kazarnovsky missed the free-throw intentionally, but the Serbs were unable to reply, allowing Israel's U-20s to come away with an 83-82 victory.
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Let's partyin?
Coach Arik Shibak's charges will face Slovenia at 8 P.M. Sunday evening in the final. In 2000, Israel narrowly missed out on the gold when Yoram Harosh's team lost in the last second of the final - also against Slovenia.
"It was a tough game; the Greeks are tough," Shibak said after last night's game. "You make a mistake and they punish you immediately. But we punished them too. We were great. When the Greeks came back to take the lead, I told the players that no matter what, we are going to win because we are stronger than them mentally. And I am pleased that this is what happened."
Yotam Halperin led Israel with 32 points, including 6-6 from three-point territory. Halperin also pulled down seven rebounds and made three assists.
"We aren't the most talented team or the best team here; but it seems that we are the team that wants it the most," an elated Halperin said. "We always like to do things the hard way. We led the entire game and then there was a lapse toward the end. Well done to the professional staff and the players for coming back."
Raviv Limonad also put in a good performance, scoring 18 points. "We feel on top of the world," Limonad said. "This has been the dream of all of us since we were children... We can win the final if we continue to play strong on defense and intelligently on offense."
Lior Eliyahu added 16 points; Erez Kohansky finished with seven points; Eilon Zagury scored 5 points; Igor Simin contributed four points; Anton Kazarnovsky had four points; and Lior Lipshitz scored a single basket.
The U-20s quarterfinal win of 83-82 over Serbia and Montenegro on Friday will be remembered as one of the best games in the history of Israeli basketball, with all five of Shibak's key players putting in good performances. Friday's victory was also worth a ticket to the World U-21 Basketball Championships, scheduled for August 5-14, 2005, in Argentina.
For most of the first three quarters, Israel found itself lagging slightly behind; but the start of the fourth quarter saw the U-20s go on a 11-2 run, thanks to two interceptions, and take a 68-62 lead.
The Serbs continued to fire away from three-point territory and went into a 76-73 lead with three and a half minutes to play.
Limonad equalized with a three-pointer; Kohansky added a basket; the Serbs added one of their own; Halperin sunk two from the free-throw line; and with 1:24 on the clock, Israel led 80-78.
A basket and two free throws for the Serbs against a single free throw for Israel put the score at 81-82 with 28 seconds to play.
With seven seconds left on the clock, Halperin went for a three-pointer - but missed. Kohansky, however, was first to the rebound; but his follow-up shot only traveled around the rim. Nevertheless, Kazarnovsky was on hand to rise above the Serb defense and score with four seconds still on the clock, drawing a foul at the same time.
Kazarnovsky missed the free-throw intentionally, but the Serbs were unable to reply, allowing Israel's U-20s to come away with an 83-82 victory.
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Let's partyin?