The Israeli team will face Romania tomorrow (Friday, 18:30) in the penultimate game of the European Championship qualifiers, with a perfect balance of 0: 4 and has already secured its place in the championship that will take place in the summer of 2022.
The Romanian team is in the opposite position with losses in all four games and has actually lost a chance to advance to the championship. The blue and whites arrive in a missing staff without a stick wave recovering from Corona and Idan Zalmanson who remained in the country at the last minute after it was discovered that his family member had contracted Corona. Those on the staff are: Rafi Manko, Adam Ariel, Noam Dovrat, Yiftach Ziv, Yam Madar, Tamir Blatt, Ben Carter, Roman Sorkin, Tomer Ginat, Spencer Weiss and Jake Cohen.
Coach Oded Katash said ahead of the game: “Although we have to continue the process we do, we are in a slightly lacking squad. Without a stick that is an anchor for us is not found but we have young devices that I very much trust. We want to continue to win. “It’s not an easy game, they are a young and talented team, in two years they will be stronger. You always have to respect them, they lack a dominant player but it will give their youngsters a chance to prove themselves.”
Katsch said of Noam Dovrat: “He will have many more good years on the team, from the little I got to coach him he does not feel like 18 years old, his maturity and understanding and also the way he plays basketball is a mature way.”
Jake Cohen said: “We are already on and we can use these games to get better and of course want to win. Our secret is always team basketball and my favorite part of the team is that everyone is close. Without Zalmanson it will be different but for that we have a good and wide staff. “Here are a lot of young people and we as veterans have more responsibility, trying to show how things are done and throwing important comments. Romanians have talent, we saw their video today, we must be focused and do our job.”