Basketball: EuroBasket warm-up success breeds confidence in Israel camp

The national team, which beat Italy and France in its first two games last week, defeated Muli Katzurin's Poland 86-76 on Saturday.

By ALLON SINAI
lior eliyahu 224 88 (photo credit: asaf kliger)
lior eliyahu 224 88
(photo credit: asaf kliger)
Israel will return home from Italy on Monday with a 3-1 record from its four EuroBasket 2009 warm-up games after registering a win and a loss against Poland and Italy respectively over the weekend in Bormio. The national team, which beat Italy and France in its first two games last week, defeated Muli Katzurin's Poland 86-76 on Saturday, with Lior Eliyahu leading the side with 17 points. The Maccabi Tel Aviv forward, who initially didn't want to join the team because of a row with coach Tzvika Sherf, was Israel's top-scorer in Friday's 77-68 loss to Italy as well, netting 14 points. Israel, which hosts Great Britain in its first European Championships qualifier on September 3, will continue to train daily over the next few weeks and will play Belgium in three warm-up games between August 17-21.