Israel vs Germany

Germany's 31-18 third quarter was the match's decisive phase. The Germans shot 55.6% from the field in the period, punished Israel from beyond the arc, and built a lead that never dipped below six points despite Israel's spirited late push. The lead tracker tells the story: Germany led for 39 minutes and 47 seconds of the 40-minute contest. There were zero lead changes.

Tomer Ginat (Israel) — 27 points. The Israeli forward was the game's leading scorer and the engine of his team's fourth-quarter comeback. His scoring burst kept the pressure on Germany until the final buzzer.

Dennis Schröder (Germany) — 22 points. The veteran point guard controlled the game's tempo, punished Israel's defence from mid-range, and was the catalyst behind Germany's third-quarter surge. His leadership and game management earned him Player of the Match honours.

Player of the Match: Dennis Schröder. His 22 points, floor generalship and role in the decisive third-quarter run edged Ginat's scoring output.

Germany's shooting efficiency was the difference. The Germans finished at 47% from the field (Israel 44%), 38.9% from three (Israel 33.3%), and a clinical 85.7% from the free-throw line (Israel 71.4%). The 10-point gap in three-point shooting alone was worth roughly 12 points over the course of the game. Germany's 57.1% on two-pointers also edged Israel's 54.3%.

The biggest lead was 22 points for Germany, and the largest scoring run was a 10-0 German burst. Israel never held a lead at any stage.

Germany (3-1) share top spot in Group E with Croatia, who also won on Friday. Both Germany and Israel (2-2) have already secured their passage to the Second Round, but the win gives Germany momentum and a share of the group lead heading into the next window.

Israel's next fixture is against Cyprus in the return leg of the qualifying window. Germany will face Croatia in a top-of-the-table clash that could decide the group winner.

A game of three quarters of German control and one of Israeli resistance. The 21-point third-quarter lead reflected the true gap between the sides on the night, even if Israel's refusal to quit made the final scoreline respectable. Germany's ability to close out after building a big lead — despite a 31-point fourth quarter against them — shows resilience, while Israel can take heart from their fightback.