Israel outlast Ireland in Women’s EuroBasket qualifier
Sarah Hickey of Ireland in action against Abigail Meyers of Israel during the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers Group A match between Israel and Ireland. Pic: Oksana Dzadan/Sportsfile
Ireland were beaten by Israel after overtime in their Women's EuroBasket 2027 qualifier clash in Riga, Latvia on Tuesday evening.
The fixture was due to be a home game for Shira Haelion's outfit, but was moved to Riga following Ireland's refusal to play in Israel, noting they would only do so in a neutral venue.
The win gives Israel their third in as many contests, while for James Weldon's Ireland side, it's their second loss in three outings thus far and leaves them sitting in third place, behind Israel and Luxembourg.
Having beaten Bosnia and Herzegovina in impressive fashion at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday, this defeat will be a blow to Weldon and Co.
With the contest extremely close throughout each of the four quarters, Haelion's Israel - led by the brilliant Danielle Naber, scorer of 26 points, as well as Dorian Dahan Sujic and Abby Meyers - outlasted Ireland in overtime.
They were able to turn Ireland over at crucial times and were clinical from the line in the five-minute period.
Ireland started brightly and led 23-21 at the end of the first quarter, with a sharing of points that Weldon would have been pleased with, as Lorraine Scanlon, Sarah Hickey, Edel Thornton, Hazel Finn, Bridget Herlihy and Bronagh Power Cassidy all got on the board inside the first 10.
Ireland would hold their lead throughout the entirety of the second-quarter, with Hickey - who scored 17 points in Riga - prominent once more.
While the third was still very evenly contested, it would see the lead switch for the first time since Q1.
With Herlihy continuing to impose herself on the clash, a suspected ankle injury suffered with a minute left in the third ended her involvement, having already scored 13 points.
Israel had started the quarter well and enjoyed an 8-0 run midway through. It helped them to a 58-56 lead by the end of the third.
Ireland would edge the fourth, a quarter in which Ireland hit four three-pointers - from Finn, Thornton and Enya Maguire (2).
Dahan Sujic came to the fore for her side in the fourth but Ireland remained efficient enough to force overtime.
Having taken a three-point (70-67) lead through a Thornton effort midway through the quarter, Ireland would find themselves down a point with 12 seconds remaining, after Hickey was only able to convert one of two from the free-throw line.
Dahan Sujic would do likewise at the other end shortly after, meaning an Ireland two-pointer would force OT. Thornton - this time the provider - set up Hickey, who was able to finish in traffic.
From there, an OT period where Israel scored 12 unanswered points proved to be Ireland's undoing.
Speaking after the game, Ireland head coach Weldon said: “I am immensely proud of the team, it was a very frustrating loss in the end, but I suppose we’re at day 10 of the window and to go overtime and be that close to a team that much higher than us in the world rankings, you can only praise the players for the massive effort they put in.”
Ireland return to action early next year with another three-game window, beginning with a trip to Luxembourg on March 11.
Danielle Naber (26), Abby Meyers (23), Dorian Dahan Sujic (18).
Sarah Hickey (17), Bronagh Power Cassidy (15), Bridget Herlihy (13)
Viola Gyiorgi (Norway), Einars Tukiss (Latvia), Nikola Bejat(Norway).
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