Two unbeaten teams up againts each other in the Semi-Finals

ORADEA (Romania) - Quarter-Finals provided no drama at all, but Czech Republic managed to advance to the Semi-Finals as the only second seed, knocking out Portugal in the closest game of the day.

Czech Republic had built a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, and a late run by Portugal did not put the win in danger, as the game finished 83-74. Ondrej Hanzlik scored 19 points for Czech Republic, shooting 7-of-13 from the field, and David Bohm had 14 to help him out in the starting role. Czechs got to the free throw line 31 times, almost double the amount that Portugal shot from the same distance.

Czech Republic will now face Poland in the Semi-Finals, with the winner advancing not only to the Final, but also to Division A next summer. The Polish team played against Georgia, and it seemed it would be a close one when the teams reached the halftime mark at 29-26 to Georgia.

But after the break, Poland just switched through gears, held Georgia to 15 points over the next 20 minutes and collected a 67-44 win. Kacper Gordon had 16 points, Matuesz Kaszowski finished with 11, but also had 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Blazej Kulikowski knocked down 3-of-3 three-pointers for 9 points. Rati Andronikashvili had 19 points and 5 steals in a losing effort.

The other side of the bracket will give us the game of the tournament so far. North Macedonia and Israel have reached the Semi-Finals unbeaten, and both of them put up strong first halves in the Quarter-Finals to erase any doubt about getting to the final four phase.

North Macedonia got 17 points and 10 boards from Andrej Jakimovski to defeat Estonia 92-57. Andrej Andonoski had 16 points on a perfect shooting night, done in 13 minutes off the bench, Viktor Isajloski with 11, Marko Milovanovikj with 10 and Lejson Zekiri with 10 were also in double digits.

Israel got a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double from Dori Sahar, with 3 steals also to his name in a 95-47 dismantling of Sweden. Tal-Or Peled had 14 points, Shahar Lazar 12, and Noam Shimon Dovrat has done a bit of everything with 6 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Pelle Larsson had 11 points and 9 rebounds for Sweden.

FIBA