Hapoel Jerusalem stunned Hapoel Tel Aviv 92-77 as the capital city reds took care of the upstart hosts who played their first game at their new home Yad Eliyahu. For the past decade, Hapoel Tel Aviv played at the Drive In Arena but with an all-star studded team and an owner in Ofer Yannay who has lofty dreams, the Reds outgrew their home arena.

Hapoel more than easily doubled their season ticket base going from 3,000 to close to 8,000 in absolutely no time but not everyone was happy with the move as the club’s Ultras numbering roughly 200 fans boycotted the move and watched the game at a local drinking establishment. The Ultras, who normally lead the songs and choreography for the entire fanbase, were no doubt missing.

There had been much talk heading into the game that Jerusalem were just going to be wallflowers against Dimitrios Itoudis’s powerhouse, however, that ended up being far from reality as Yonatan Alon’s squad were off and running from the get go to take the win.

Yovel Zoosman set the tone early while Khadeen Carrington and Jared Harper also scored at will but Patrick Beverley showed his NBA prowess and Tomer Ginat ruled the inside to give Hapoel Tel Aviv a slim 30-29 lead after the opening quarter. From there Justin Smith started to control the paint while Harper and scored as well to take a 53-49 lead at halftime. Harper and Zoosman came our flying in the second half as Jerusalem opened up a double digit lead, Antonio Blakeney and Guy Palatin tried to keep Tel Aviv in the game, but Carrington continued to pour points in to help the visitors notch the win.

Carrington, a naturalized Israeli who is also a member of the national team, is without a question a huge addition to any team and when a player of his caliber is also considered as a Sabra and does not count against the club’s foreigner limit, then he is even more valuable. The 29-year old was born in Trinidad and Tobago and played hid college ball at Seton Hall before heading overseas where he has played in a half a dozen different countries before arriving in Israel in 2022.

Carrington, who is a natural shooting guard but can also play the point as well, has been one of the league’s most valuable players and showed just how crucial he can be with an out of this world performance to lead his team to they victory with 26 points. Harper added 21 points, Smith scored 16 points while Zoosman chipped in with 11 points in the victory. Beverley scored 18 points and Ginat put in 17 points in the loss.

Yad Eliyahu was decked out in Red as the Hapoel faithful who pulled up to the legendary arena were greeted with their colors emblazoned all over the facility. On the outside, at the top of the building, red lights glowed while all of the gates made sure to have Hapoel Tel Aviv logo signs at each turnstile to welcome the fans. Inside the arena, players photos were placed above each of entrances, a number of Hapoel merchandise stands were placed at various locations while a special memorial for all of the club’s fans who were killed by Hamas terrorists since the beginning of the war was also placed at one of the central areas.

Yovel Zoosman scored from the outside and inside for Hapoel Jerusalem while Patrick Beverley did the same for Hapoel Tel Aviv but Justin Smith put in a pair of baskets to give the capital city reds a 16-11 lead midway through the first quarter. Antonio Blakeney and Bar Timor came back with points, Jared Harper went from downtown at the other end, Ginat put in a 3-point play and Carrington came back with a triple, Bruno Caboclo lined up for a 3-pointer and Carrington again drilled a 3-pointer but the hosts took a 30-29 lead after ten minutes of play.

Patrick Beverley was Hapoel Tel Aviv owner Ofer Yannay’s big off season signing as the NBA star decided to continue his career in Europe, where he began his prime as a professional. The guard has brought a tremendous amount of publicity to the club worldwide when he inked a deal to play in Israel but to also do so during the midst of a war. Beverley who attended Arkansas between 2006-2008 played in Ukraine back in 2008 and then went on to feature for Olympiacos in the Euroleague. Eventually he signed on with the Houston Rockets in 2013 and played in the world’s best league until 2024 when he made the decision to come to the Holy Land.

Beverley drained a pair of 3-pointers to begin the second quarter, Smith came back with points in the paint, Zoosman scored behind his back, Guy Palatin cruised for a layup while Smith scored at the other end as Jerusalem took a 44-40 lead with 5:24 left in the half. Tarik Phillip and Harper put in points, Carrington and Oz Blayzer traded 3-pointers, Marcus Foster put down a dunk and Blakeney added points at the halftime buzzer to keep the game close with Jerusalem ahead 53-49.

At halftime, the fans went straight for the food in the corridors of the hallowed facility with plenty of new choices from chicken schnitzels to hot dogs, french fries and popcorn being offered but the most exciting part for the supporters were seeing some of the legendary players of the past milling around taking pictures, signing autographs and making small talk. From Raviv Limonad to Dror Hajaj and from Meir Tapiro to Shimon Amsalem to name a few, smiles, laughs and chit chat was the name of the game for the 15-minute break.

Right out of the break, Harper went from deep, Zoosman added a deuce, Ginat came back with points, Phillip put in a 3-point play, Chris Johnson powered in points, Foster came back with an and-one while Koulechov scored from the inside and outside. Carrington dropped in a deuce, Yam Madar hit a one handed floater, Blakeney and Carrington traded baskets as Yonatan Alon’s team grabbed a 74-62 lead after thirty minutes of action.

Yam Madar, who did not have one of his best games to say the least, came back to Israel back in December as he signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv after having played in Europe for a number of years with Partizan Belgrade, Fenerbahce and Bayern Munich. As one of the top Israeli players available Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Tel Aviv showed interest but ultimately the guard ended up coming back to the team that he grew up with to the delight of the red fans. So not only did Yannay sign Beverley, arguably the most famous and talented player but he also made sure to bring in one of the best Israeli players as well for Hapoel Tel Aviv, something that Maccabi Tel Aviv once was able to do.

Palatin tried to get Dimitrios Itoudis’s team back into the game with a triple, but Smith came right back down the court with a dunk and then added another basket, Blakeney went from deep as Jerusalem continued to lead 80-70 with 5:08 remaining in regulation time. Carrington went from long distance, Beverley responded, Timor dialled up long distance but so did Carrington to close out the Jerusalem victory.