Purdue's Maya Zilbershlag Named MVP of FIBA Event After Leading Israel to Gold Medal
In this story:
Maya Zilbershlag's brilliant summer continued into August. The incoming Purdue guard led Israel to a gold medal in the FIBA U18 Women's EuroBasket Division B over the weekend. She also received Most Valuable Player honors for her role in her team's success while in Tulcea, Romania.
Israel defeated Romania 85-66 in the championship to claim the gold medal. Zilbershlag ended the contest with 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals while logging nearly 38 minutes on the floor.
Zilbershlag was 6-of-16 from the floor and was perfect from the free-throw line, making all eight attempts. It was the perfect cap to a brilliant tournament for the incoming Boilermaker.
Maya Zilbershlag, Maayan Gorin and Mika Kanitz are champions! Maya is the tournament MVP while Maayan announces as first team all tournament. #ProudAgent !!!! pic.twitter.com/xE1hyp5c80
— Yuval Shaham (@yuval59) August 9, 2026
In seven games in the EuroBasket event, Zilbershlag averaged 18.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. She shot 36.4% from the floor and 78.8% from the charity stripe. She reached double-figure scoring totals in six of Israel's seven games and also recorded an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double against Iceland. She was the team's top scorer and rebounder and ranked second in assists.
Israel finished the event with a perfect 7-0 record, winning all but one game by double figures.
Purdue is bringing in a talented guard in Zilbershlag, one who can create her own shot and is also an aggressive rebounder for her size. She can help the Boilermakers get out in transition and push the tempo, a style head coach Katie Gearlds has pushed in recent seasons.
ZIlbershlag also signed in FIBA's U20 event
Israel's gold-medal finish in the U18 Women's EuroBasket Division B comes a few weeks after Zilbershlag helped her country win a silver medal in the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket.
Zilbershlag finished that event averaging 14.0 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest. She had much more success shooting from behind the three-point line in that event, connecting on 39.5% of her shots from distance.
The guard was a scoring machine in those six games for Israel in the U20 event, reaching double figures five times. She was also the team's top rebounder in the event.
With the 2026-27 women's college basketball season quickly approaching, Purdue is eager to get the talented guard on campus to join the rest of the team. She can be a major weapon for the Boilermakers and adds great depth to the guard position.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
Follow SchutteDustin