Maccabi Rishon Lezion

Hapoel Tel Aviv evens basketball quarterfinals, Hapoel Jerusalem reaches semifinals

Vasilije Micic and Oz Blayzer lead Hapoel Tel Aviv past Maccabi Rishon 95-69, forcing a decisive third game, while Hapoel Jerusalem sweeps Hapoel HaEmek to reach the semifinals.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
VASILIJE MICIC (22) and Yam Madar helped Hapoel Tel Aviv force a decisive Game 3 against Maccabi Rishon Lezion in their quarterfinals series
HAPOEL JERUSALEM forward goes up to the hoops against Maccabi Rishon Lezion defender Amin Stevens (3) during the capital city Reds’ 100-93 overtime victory.

Hapoel Jerusalem pulls out thriller against Maccabi Rishon Lezion

In the extra session, it was all Jerusalem as Smith put in a pair of baskets while Harper hit his shots from the line to seal the win.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI RISHON LEZION celebrates after defeating Hapoel Eilat in Game 5 of the Leumit League final to capture the title.

Rishon Lezion earns promotion as Leumit League champion

Rishon will return to the Premier League after three years in the Leumit League, and many of the players will follow the club up to the top division, while Drucker is expected to be back as well.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI RISHON LEZION forward DJ Burns had a game-high 26 points in the 92-87 win over Hapoel Eilat.

Rishon-vs-Eilat Leumit League finals heads to decisive Game 5

Maccabi Rishon Lezion defeated Hapoel Eilat 92-87 to knot up the Leumit Final series at 2-2 and send it to a winner-take-all fifth game down south by the Red Sea.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN

Wilbekin and Maccabi Tel Aviv fend off Beersheba

Holon stymies Galil Elyon • Rishon edges Eilat • Hap Haifa hangs on to top Gilboa in OT

DECEMBER 13, 2021ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
AS HE has done time and again, Scottie Wilbekin powered Maccabi Tel Aviv to a tough victory, this time a 71-64 result over Hapoel Beersheba.

Tillman, Hapoel Tel Aviv top host Jerusalem

Holon maintains momentum by beating Beersheba • Gilboa overcomes Ness Ziona in OT

MARCH 30, 2021ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
HAPOEL TEL AVIV forward Justin Tillman dunks for two of his 37 points in the Reds’ 95-89 road victory over Hapoel Jerusalem in Winner League action in the capital.

Yellow-and-blue starting to build momentum

After beating Barca, Maccabi hosts Pana in Euroleague • Jerusalem into State Cup quarterfinals

DECEMBER 21, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV guard John DiBartolomeo is working his way back into form as the club is also playing much better with its captain in the lineup.

Maccabi Tel Aviv advances to State Cup quarters

Wilbekin powers yellow-and-blue past Hap Haifa • Jerusalem maintains perfect league record

DECEMBER 15, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
Jerusalem mayor Moshe Lion lights the Hanukkah candles at Pais Arena before Hapoel Jerusalem’s 96-86 Winner League victory over Hapoel Holon.

Holon grabs maiden win by edging Maccabi Tel Aviv

Captain Brown returns to help Jerusalem topple Eilat • Hapoel Haifa nips Rishon on late three

DECEMBER 7, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
Hapoel Holon forward Willy Workman hangs from the rim after a dunk in the second half of his team’s 79-76 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in Winner League action

Mac TA downs Rishon, earns spot in final

Wilbekin and Zizic lead yellow-and-blue in Winner Cup semi • Hapoel Eilat beats Ness Ziona in league opener.

NOVEMBER 2, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV guard Scottie Wilbekin led the yellow-and-blue to a 20-point conquest of Maccabi Rishon Lezion in their Winner Cup semifinal duel.

Maccabi Tel Aviv downs Hapoel Haifa in Winner Cup

Holon edges Gilboa/Galil to set up final four that also includes Maccabi Rishon Lezion and Hapoel Jerusalem

OCTOBER 27, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV forward Oz Blayzer (left) scored a team-high 19 points in the team’s 83-74 Winner Cup victory over Hapoel Haifa.

Mac Tel Aviv nips Hapoel in playoff opener

Jerusalem drills Ness Ziona in Game 1 of quarterfinals • Holon rallies past Gilboa • Rishon tops Ma Haifa

JULY 19, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
Hapoel Jerusalem big man Emmanuel Terry in the Reds’ 104-79 home win over Ness Ziona in Game 1 of their best-of-3 quarterfinal.

Rishon’s Adam Ariel shooting for the stars

Veteran Israeli forward reflects on Jerusalem origins and his maturation as a basketball player.

JUNE 18, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
AFTER STARTING his hoops career with Hapoel Jerusalem, small forward Adam Ariel has blossomed into a valuable player with Maccabi Rishon Lezion.

Michael Jordan, from an Israeli hoopster perspective

Rishon Lezion icon Gene Banks talks Holy Land career and being a teammate of a young MJ.

MAY 14, 2020ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
A young Gene Banks (left) poses with Michael Jordan (right) while both were in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls in the mid-1980s