Poland beats Israel 106:86 in Riga to remain unbeaten in World Cup qualifying

Opening win in Riga

Poland opened the second round of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 qualification on 27 August 2026 with a 106:86 victory against Israel at Xiaomi Arena in Riga. FIBA moved the match to the Latvian capital on neutral ground without spectators in attendance due to the geopolitical situation in Israel. Poland head coach Igor Milicić selected a starting lineup featuring team captain Mateusz Ponitka, Jordan Loyd, Igor Milicić Jr., Michał Sokołowski, and center Aleksander Balcerowski. The Polish team established early momentum through aggressive defense, taking an immediate 4:0 lead following a dunk from Balcerowski and free throws from Ponitka. Early offensive execution pushed the advantage to 11:2 and 16:5 before Poland closed the opening quarter ahead 23:15.

First-half control and perimeter efficiency

Poland maintained perimeter efficiency during the second period through contributions from Milicić Jr. and guard Andrzej Pluta. Pluta went into halftime with 11 points on perfect shooting from the field, converting two two-point attempts, two three-pointers, and one free throw after recently joining the squad from Spanish club Girona. Milicić Jr. sank multiple three-point shots to widen the lead to 34:20 and 42:27. Kamil Łączyński added a three-pointer from beyond the 6.75-meter arc to push the score to 45:30. By halftime, Poland led 55:42 while out-rebounding Israel 23 to 11 and converting 6 of 13 three-point attempts. Ponitka controlled the tempo across the first half, recording 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks without committing a turnover.

Managing Israel's fourth-quarter response

Poland extended their lead beyond twenty points midway through the third period, making the score 69:47 after consecutive three-pointers from Dominik Olejniczak and Loyd. Israel, competing without NBA players Deni Avdija and Ben Saraf, mounted a fourth-quarter rally led by Roman Sorkin, who finished with 26 points and 5 rebounds. Support from Yam Madar (13 points), Adam Ariel (12 points), Tamir Blatt (11 points, 10 assists), and Khadeen Carrington (10 points) allowed Israel to cut the deficit to 87:77 and 90:80. A timeout called by the Polish coaching staff stabilized defensive rotations and stopped Israel's run. Loyd and Balcerowski each finished with 18 points, while Ponitka led the team with 24 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Group K standings and qualification schedule

The win keeps Poland undefeated across the qualifying campaign with a 7–0 record at the summit of Group K. In the other Group K fixtures played on 27 August, Croatia defeated Latvia 115:80, while Germany beat the Netherlands 99:83 behind 23 points and 6 assists from Dennis Schröder. Under FIBA rules, all results from the first round carry over into four second-round groups of six teams, with the top three sides in each pool earning spots at the 2027 World Cup in Qatar. Poland can seal tournament qualification on 30 August 2026 when they play reigning world champions Germany at Ergo Arena in Gdańsk and Sopot. The campaign continues with matches against Croatia on 27 November 2026, Germany on 30 November 2026, Israel on 25 February 2027, and Croatia on 28 February 2027.