The Israel Under-18 Men’s Basketball Team qualified for the quarterfinals of the European Championship with a 102-89 victory over Spain and also secured their place in Division A for 2025. Ben Saraf was unstoppable with 40 points and 8 rebounds along with a 40 efficiency rating for the blue-and-white as they will now prepare for France on Thursday.

Ben Saraf started the game well together with Omer Mayer as they kept Israel in the game early on in the first quarter. A Sraf triple to go along with five points form Yaron Goldman off the bench gave the blue-and white a 19-18 lead after ten minutes of play.

Tamir Gold and Aviv Henkin help start the second quarter on a roll as Sharon Avrahami’s squad bumped the lead up to 29-20 while a 3-pointer from Miron Katz and more points from Saraf and Mayer handed Israel a 44-38 advantage at halftime over up and coming Spanish stars Hugo Gonzalez and Mario Saint-Supery.

Gold and Saraf continued their sharp shooting ability to maintain Israel’s advantage at the start of the second half while Mayer with an important basket and an assist to Katz made it 44-53 after just three minutes of play in the third quarter. Mayer with another 3-pointer and a big basket and dunk by Saraf bumped the least up to a 20-point difference but a 7-0 run led by Gonzalez cut the lead down to 73-57 after thirty minutes of action.

Spain did everything it could to get back into the game at the start of the fourth quarter and reduced the Israeli lead to 10 points but Saraf with points a plenty along with buckets from Rani Belaga sealed the deal to send the national team into the quarters.

Saraf scored points, Mayer added 17 points while Katz chipped in with 11 points in the win. Gonzalez scored 32 points and Saint-Supery out in 29 points in the loss.