The Israel Women’s National Basketball Team has its sights set on a return to the EuroBasket stage and the next step toward making that dream a reality begins next week. The blue-and-white will open the second round of EuroBasket qualifying against Poland on November 11 before taking on Turkey on November 14 with those games being played in Latvia and then Montenegro on November 17.

Ahead of the upcoming qualifying window, team captain Eden Rotberg, assistant coach Limor Peleg and Liron Cohen, chairwoman of the Israel Basketball Association’s Women’s Professional Committee, addressed the media at Hadar Yosef on Thursday evening.

Israel enters the second round in excellent shape after completing the opening stage with a perfect record. However, the challenge will become significantly tougher, with the top two teams in the group earning a place at next summer’s EuroBasket.

Rotberg spoke about the team’s preparations and the importance of getting off to a strong start against Poland, “I think every challenge also brings a bright spot. The two practices we had were important and helped us get into a rhythm. We only had six players available, but as far as I’m concerned, you can have a productive practice even with just one player. On Friday, the rest of the team and head coach Shira Haelion will return. We all have high aspirations and want to qualify for EuroBasket, but our first goal is to win on Wednesday against Poland. That’s what comes first, and then we’ll take it from there.”

Rotberg also discussed the potential of the current group, which features a number of fresh faces and returning talent, “This is a new and fresh national team and there’s tremendous potential. Is this the best roster we’ve ever had? It’s too early to say.”

Peleg acknowledged that while Israel enjoyed a perfect opening round, the upcoming games will present an entirely different challenge, particularly given the limited preparation time, “Although we finished the previous round with a perfect record and great success, this is a new round. The teams are very strong, and we’re dealing with a short preparation period of just a few days, with everyone arriving from Europe and their respective clubs.

“We’ll do our best and we believe in ourselves. We have a very talented team and I believe we can compete with every national team. All 12 players will be part of this campaign, and each one will be able to contribute. We can put up a fight despite our significant disadvantage in size. We have other strengths.”

One of the biggest additions to the squad is Yarden Garzon, who returns to the national team after completing her college career and signing with Spanish club Zaragoza. Garzon last represented Israel at EuroBasket 2023 and will bring valuable experience and talent to the group.

Peleg explained that the coaching staff will be patient as Garzon works her way back into the national team setup, “Yarden is a very talented player and we’re happy that she has finished her college career and joined the Israeli national team. I’m sure she’ll contribute a great deal. We have 12 talented players, and each one will have her opportunity to contribute. We’ll need everyone. We don’t know if she’ll be able to show everything she can do in the first game. It might take a few minutes, or perhaps a game or two. We’re happy to have her as part of our team.”

Cohen also highlighted the positive developments taking place throughout Israeli women’s basketball, pointing to the progress of the youth national teams, the increased European exposure for Israeli clubs and the growing number of players competing at the highest continental level.

“Good things are happening in Israeli women’s basketball. We’ve seen it with the U20 national team and throughout the summer with our various national teams. The fact that two clubs, Maccabi Bnot Ashdod and Elitzur Ramla, are competing in Europe is good for the players and gives them an opportunity to gain experience and play at a higher level of intensity.

“We have three Israeli players competing in the EuroLeague, something I can’t remember happening in recent years, if ever. They’re facing high-level players every day, both in practice and in games, and that can certainly benefit the senior national team. We have a good foundation here, a fresh and new core of players, and a hungry group. We hope to take the court and give it everything we have against some very difficult opponents.”

Cohen made it clear that while the national team has several important milestones ahead, the ultimate objective is to secure a place at the European Championship, “We want to aim as high as possible. The goal is definitely to qualify for EuroBasket, and we’ll need to learn and develop on the court. Ultimately, our objective is to bring out the maximum potential of the players and the national team. The main goal, first and foremost, is to qualify for EuroBasket.”

She also addressed Garzon’s return and emphasized that the entire group will need to work together to achieve its goals, “This is one national team, with new players joining the group. The goal is the Israeli national team, and that’s what everyone is working toward. The coaching staff will take whatever each player can contribute and give. Nobody would be happier than us to see Yarden showcase her potential, because ultimately, the national team will benefit from it.”

Haelion, the first woman ever appointed head coach of Israel’s senior national team, initially called up 17 players, with 13 set to travel for the upcoming qualifying window. Among the newcomers is Romi Levy, who earned her first senior national team call-up after several successful seasons in college basketball before joining Red Star Belgrade this summer alongside Dorian Dahan-Sujic. Garzon’s return is another significant addition, while Israel will also benefit from the experience of its established players as it looks to navigate a challenging group.

The national team began preparations on Wednesday without its three EuroLeague representatives, as well as the players from Maccabi Bnot Ashdod and Elitzur Ramla, who were competing in EuroCup action this week. Israel’s most recent EuroBasket appearance came in 2023, when it qualified automatically as a co-host of the tournament. The country’s previous qualification through the regular qualifying process came in 2011.

Now, with a new generation of talent, increased European experience and a perfect first-round record behind them, the blue-and-white will look to take another important step toward returning to the continental stage.