1) Amare Stoudemire is Back! Stat will return to Israel and play for Hapoel Jerusalem, the team which he won his first league championship with two seasons ago. With Amare headed back to the Holy Land, there couldn’t be more excitement from the supporters and basketball fans around Israel. Later in the week The Sports Rabbi will take a look at what the former NBA All Star will be able to offer and how he can impact the league and the Sport across the country.

Head Coach Oded Katash spoke about having Amare join the team, “I’m very happy that Amare is coming back to Jerualem and it’s no secret that both sides wanted to collaborate again. We don’t have to elaborate what Amare brings to the table both on and off of the court. Everyone involved will benefit from his return.”

2) Hapoel Katamon won the Leumit League Toto Cup Final 1:0 over Hapoel Marmorek thanks to a goal by William Agada. The title is Katamon’s first as look to earn promotion this season to the Israel Premier League.

3) Hapoel Tel Aviv fell to Spirou Charleroi 73-59 (146-135) and was eliminated from Basketball Champions League qualifying. But the defeat wasn’t the only newsworthy item from the game in Belgium as Hapoel fans and police clashed in the second half. Dallas Moore scored 16 points while Dallin Joyner added 10 points in the loss for Hapoel.

4) Winner Cup
The Winner Cup Basketball Preseason Tournament is underway. Nahariya hosted newly promoted Hapoel Beer Sheva and fell to Rami Hadar’s team in overtime 88-83. Taylor Braun led all scorers with 26 points as a spirited Semaj Christon dropped 24 points off the bench for Beer Sheva while Iftach Ziv had a tremendous game for the host’s 25 points in the defeat. Tomorrow Maccabi Rishon Le’Zion welcome Bnei Herzliya for a quarterfinal contest in Winner Cup action.

5) Israel Basketball Preseason
Hapoel Jerualem won their final preseason game in Crete defeating Rhthymno 75-69. Tamir Blatt returning from injury scored 14 points while Chris Johnson added 14 points of his own while James Feldeine dropped 12 in the win. The Jerusalem Reds will face Hapoel Eilat on Saturday night in the Winner Cup.

Hapoel Jerusalem 93-94 Olympiacos
James Feldeine 30p, Chris Johnson 18p, Josh Owens 17p.

Hapoel Jerusalem 94-87 Galatasaray
Chris Johnson 16p/6r, J’Covan Brown 13p/4a, James Feldeine 12p/6a.

Maccabi Tel Aviv 60-65 Fenerbahce
Johnny O’Bryant 15p/10r, Scottie Wilbekin & Kane 9p each. O’Bryant will be out for week with a groin injury.

Maccabi Tel Aviv 100-64 Liaoning
Angelo Caloiaro 15p, Yovel Zoosman 15p/7r, Deni Avdija 13p, Jeremy Pargo 10p/12a

Hapoel Eilat 76-80 Bnei Herzliya
Michael Dixon Jr. 17p, Jeff Adrien 12p for BH. Elijah Bryant 22p for Eilat.