In one of the most remarkable upsets in the history of the FIBA U20 Women’s EuroBasket, former Grind Session star Gal Raviv and Israel stunned reigning champion France 81-74 in the Round of 16.
After a winless group stage, few would have predicted such a dramatic turnaround – but led by a brilliant performance from Raviv, the Israeli women rose to the occasion in unforgettable fashion in Senhora da Hora, Portugal.
Raviv defined the match on both ends of the court, erupting for a game-high 32 points to go along with five assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
With the sensational result, Israel not only advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in U20 history but also ensured their place in Division A next summer – a significant achievement in itself.
Gal Raviv: From Grind Session Standout to Collegiate and International Superstar
Raviv played her final two seasons of high school basketball with the Grind Session’s Bella Vista Prep, where she was a two-time All-Star and league MVP, among other accomplishments.
After her time in the Grind Session, she went on to complete a sensational freshman campaign at Quinnipiac University, where she guided the Lady Bobcats to an overall record of 28-5, starting all 33 games, while leading the team in points per game (17.9 PPG), rebounds per game (5.5 RPG), and assists per game (4.3 APG). She became the first player in Mid-American Athletic Conference (MAAC) history to be named Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. She also earned All-MAAC First Team and All-MAAC Rookie Team honors.
On April 6, Raviv announced her transfer to the University of Miami, where she’s expected to make an immediate impact as a sophomore.
Last month, she became the most prolific scorer in FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup history after a remarkable display for Israel in Brno, Czech Republic. At the tournament’s 2025 edition, she averaged an all-time high of 26.3 points per game, becoming only the third player to ever surpass the 25.0 points per outing landmark and the first to exceed 26.0 per game. She also averaged 6.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on her way to earning All-Second Team honors.
