Yarden Garzon Says EuroLeague Experience Has Prepared Her for Israel Return

Yarden Garzon says her experience in American college basketball and the EuroLeague has made her more confident and better prepared for her return to Israel’s women’s national basketball team. The 22-year-old Zaragoza player spoke ahead of Israel’s November 11 game against Poland in Latvia, which opens the team’s second qualifying stage for the European Championship. “There is always great pride in wearing the national uniform,” Garzon said. She described becoming more mature and independent during her time in the United States, and said her current European experience had improved her reading of the game. She described European basketball as faster and more physical, and said she was working on strength, coping with contact and decision-making. Garzon also recalled her disappointment at not being selected in the WNBA draft. She later had an opportunity at Phoenix Mercury’s training camp, where an injury interrupted her progress. She said the experience accumulated by Israeli players at European clubs gave the national team greater confidence against strong opponents. In its November 5 preparation announcement, the Israel Basketball Association said the team had completed the first qualifying group stage with six wins. Assistant coach Limor Peleg described the new group as strong and the preparation period as short, while captain Eden Rotberg identified beating Poland as the first objective. After the Poland game, Israel is scheduled to host Turkey on November 14 and visit Montenegro on November 17.