Israel U20 women's basketball team reaches European final for first time
Israel's U20 women's basketball team, led by Gala Raviva's outstanding performances, has reached the European Championship final for the first time in history.
Israel's U20 women's basketball team made history on Saturday, July 11, by defeating Belgium 78-69 in the semifinal held in Gargždai, securing their first-ever medal at European youth championships. In the other semifinal, Spain will face France.
This achievement marks a milestone for Israeli girls' basketball. Previously, the best result in junior competition was eighth place in 1969 and 1971, while in youth competition it was seventh place in 2023.
A key factor in the success has been Gala Raviva. Throughout the tournament, she has delivered remarkable performances: 33 points against Spain, 26 against Croatia, 35 against Lithuania, 24 against Hungary, and 37 points in the quarterfinal against Poland. In the semifinal against Belgium, she recorded 13 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Raviva has been steadily progressing. Two years ago, she scored 32 points against France in the junior championship. Next season, she will become a teammate of Anna Liepiņa at the Miami Hurricanes university team.
The final will take place on Sunday, July 12, at 20:30, where Israel will face the winner of the Spain-France semifinal.
