Levinson looking for next high on Israeli youth rollercoaster

TEL AVIV (FIBA U18 European Championship 2018, Division B) - Tomer Levinson has experienced his share of highs and lows of wearing the Israeli national team jersey. Now the forward hopes he can go through the next high at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2018, Division B.

"Everybody wants to go back to Division A. I think we are a good team and have a lot of potential," Levinson said. "If we play together, I believe we can do it.

The 6ft 9in (2.06m) forward knows from experience both the good and bad emotions of a country always teetering on the edge of Division A and B.

"I THINK ISRAEL IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE DIVISION A AT THE U18S."
Levinson

Three years ago, he was a year younger and could not keep Israel from being relegated from the FIBA U16 European Championship 2015. The next summer, Levinson  averaged 14.6 points and 11.1 rebounds with his age group at the FIBA U16 European Championship Division B and got Israel back up to Division A at the U16 level by reaching the final.

The same summer, the Beer Yaaqov-native played two years up at the FIBA U18 European Championship 2016. After the joy of getting his country to Division A at the U16 level, he went through an almost tragic basketball experience.

"IT WAS REALLY TOUGH FOR US. YOU CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH THIS HURT."Levinson

In the Turkish city of Samsun, Israel lost five times by six points or fewer and twice by one point. They dropped two games in overtime, one of them after blowing a 15-point fourth quarter lead. Israel also had two last second buzzer-beaters go against them, including in the Classification 13-16 game against Croatia, which meant Israel would be going back down to Division B after playing in Division A for the first time since 2009.

"I was the youngest by two years and I was injured after the third game," said Levinson, who averaged 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds in 41 minutes over five games. "It was really tough for us. You can't believe how much this hurt."

Last summer, Levinson was back with the U18 team - this time just one year younger - but Israel lost in the Semi-Finals to miss the opportunity to get back to Division A with a fourth place finish.

Another dip in Levinson's rollercoaster in an Israeli jersey.

After playing this spring at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Mannheim, Levinson hopes to get back up to the top of the thrill ride this year in Skopje, where Israel is drawn into Group C with Czech Republic, hosts Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Luxembourg and Netherlands.

When asked how important it would be for Israel to return to Division A, Levinson said: "I think Israel is supposed to be in Division A at the U18s."

Levinson expects to take over even more responsibility on Israel's quest in Skopje.

"I think I need to be the leader of the team," he said. "It's not just on the court, but in the locker room, to bring everybody together, to help have good chemistry, to be the leader. For example, say good words to players who didn't play well in a game - just keep everybody together.

Levinson also expects to help his team in more ways on the court too as he expanded his game in his first season with the Croatian side Osijek.

"I played small forward and a little bit of power forward," said Levinson, who left Israeli club Ironi Nes-Ziona before last season and then averaged 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 15 minutes at Osijek.

"I couldn't find a team in Israel that would let me play the three position. They let me play 15-20 minutes. This is the best for me."

The Osijek team leaders saw Levinson play last summer in the U18 Division B playing against Croatia and talked to him after the game.

So even as Levinson was on a downwards slope on his rollercoaster ride, the next hill in the direction was right there in front of him with the move to Osijek. Now, he hopes to reach the peak with Israel in Skopje.

FIBA