The Israel Under-18 National Team is currently competing in the European Championship in Tampere, Finland, as it features in Group C and sports a 1-1 record with a win over Latvia and a loss to Italy.
In the victory, Ben Saraf scored 31 points to help the blue-and-white mount a second-half comeback as many scouts' eyes will be on the Israeli as he continues to turn heads around the globe with his play.
The 18-year-old starlet (1.97 meters), who was selected as this past season’s Up & Coming Israel Basketball Player in the Premier League while playing with Kiryat Ata, averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and one steal in 23+ minutes per game. In addition, this past month, Saraf signed a 2-year deal with Ulm in the German League where he will also have an opportunity to play in the EuroCup as well.
A bright future for Ben Saraf
Just before taking to the court in Finland, where the blue-and-white will also play Serbia and Italy in the group stage, Saraf spoke to The Jerusalem Post about the upcoming tournament, his future in Germany and much, much more.
Saraf enters the competition as a co-captain with Omer Mayer as he returns to the European Championship after missing out on last year’s edition due to an injury. Back in 2022 at the Under-16 European Championship, Saraf was the tournament’s leading scorer with 24.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game and was selected to the Team of the Tournament.
“I’m very excited, it’s a really great honor to be the captain of the team together with Omer,” Saraf began. “Last year I didn’t play, so this year I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve been waiting for this for two years now. There’s a ton of excitement.”
Saraf is also looking forward to playing with Omer Mayer again, who was with the Maccabi Tel Aviv senior squad this past season. The two played together with the Under-16 team in the summer of 2021 as well as the summer of 2022, but last year Saraf missed out due to injury as Mayer helped lead Israel to a sixth place finish at the European Championship.
“It’s great to play together again as we haven’t done that for a long time, really, since the Under-16 team. I think we understand each other, we know how to share the ball and it’s just really fun.”
In the summer of 2022, Mayer was able to flourish alongside Saraf with 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.4 steals at the European Championships.
Saraf is playing again under Sharon Avrahami, who coached him when he was playing with the Under-16 team level and of course at Kiryat Ata as well, where he was named Coach of the Season after leading the team to the State Cup final and to the semifinal series of the Premier League playoffs.
“Sharon really knows what he wants from me and the communication between us is good, so it’s great that he is coaching our national team now.”
One area that Saraf needs to no doubt work on is his shooting from outside of the arc after hitting 25.3% with Kiryat Ata last season and 28.3% the year before in the Leumit League with Netanya. Back at the 2022 European Championships when he was with the Under-16’s Saraf shot 31% and he would like to work on this aspect of his game which will be critical to his ultimate success.
“It’s important,” Saraf said. “I really feel that this summer I did a really good job in this regard, I improved my 3-point shooting a lot and really worked on it and I think we’ll see that in this tournament.”
As mentioned earlier, Saraf signed this summer with Ulm, which is known for the development of young players, especially point guards and will also play in the EuroCup.
“It’s the best place for me from what we’ve seen, really an amazing place for developing young players and it’s really what I need at this point.”
When Saraf was asked if he had offers from teams in Israel, he answered, “Yes.”
Saraf’s dream is something that is known to all, the NBA. But the question remains as to which draft he plans to enter? “I’d like to enter this coming draft in 2025, but if I have to wait a bit then I will.”
In Germany, Saraf will play against some top level Israeli athletes including National Team guard Yam Madar who just signed with Bayern Munich as well as Bayern’s Sabra goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, who plays for the club’s soccer team, “I haven’t been in touch with them yet but I will for sure speak to them in the near future.”
It’s never easy to head to a foreign country and more so when one is only 18 years old, but Saraf will have some friendly faces who will help get him settled.
“My mother will come with me and stay for at least the beginning of my time there and my brothers will also be around a bit as well.”
Saraf and Ulm will play Hapoel Tel Aviv in the EuroCup along with his former teammate at Kiryat Ata, Guy Palatin who signed with the Reds in the off-season.
“I’m very excited. It’s a shame that we won’t play in Israel due to the current security situation, but it will still be exciting.”
Saraf, who said the most famous person he met was David Robinson when the latter’s son Justin played with him at Netanya, is very happy to see that the club was promoted this season and will play in the top league for the first time in more than a decade.
“It’s really great. The process that they have gone through is amazing; they really deserve it.”
Finally, just as the ball is thrown in the air to get the tournament off and running, Saraf is well aware of the goal that the Israel Basketball Association set for the team and that is without a doubt the number one thing on his mind.
“We want to finish in the top 5 and that will earn us a ticket to the Under-19 World Championship next summer. That is what we want to accomplish in Finland.”