Following the controversial ending of game one of the semifinal series between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem where the final quarter of the game was not played because of the Iranian missile attack, The Israel Basketball Association Court ruled that the entire match should be replayed.

It had been recommended by both The Israel Basketball League Administration and the Israel Basketball Association’s prosecutor that a technical win should be issued to Hapoel Tel Aviv due to the fact that after the Yad Eliyahu Arena be been cleared of fans as per the Home Front Command’s orders the game was to be continued and Jerusalem did not agree to ascend to the floor to do so. However, the court decided against the recommendation to replay the full game to the delight of the Jerusalem faithful who saw their team in a 77-67 hole after thirty minutes of play in the opening contest of the series.

The prosecutor along with the Israel Basketball League Administration as well as Hapoel Tel Aviv appealed to the high court in order to overturn the ruling which will take place on Thursday just before game three is to take place.

Hapoel Jerusalem Owner Matan Adelson spoke about the decision to replay game one as well as a number of other issues surrounding the club.

“I feel good. I’m pleased with the decision that they’ve made. Obviously game one, the circumstances were very extraordinary and out of the ordinary, I should say and there’s no rule. The founding fathers of Israeli basketball, so to speak, never thought of a situation where a game could be interrupted by missiles or by change in Home Front Command restrictions and we felt that it wasn’t appropriate to go and continue the game. We stood behind our players in the sense that they were uncomfortable and obviously we pushed for, originally it was to replay the fourth quarter or to replay the game and this is the outcome. So we’re very pleased and we’re going to continue to fight all the way.”

Adelson also expressed his dissatisfaction and disappointment in how the league is handling the case But essentially throwing Hapoel Jerusalem under the bus, “Absolutely. The league, the way it’s set up, they delegate certain powers to certain entities and in this circumstance they delegated the power to take discretion or decisions on these issues to the Israel Basketball Association court. They need to stand behind these issues and it’s very clear that the league took a side and they’re very disappointed and they need to stand behind the decisions that their internal stakeholders have taken. They need to stand behind that and it’s very disappointing.”

The chairman of the league Ari Steinberg who is usually involved in many controversial matters has been fairly quiet and hasn’t been in touch with Adelson, “I haven’t heard from him personally. I know that the league put out a letter and I believe he was signed on that letter. So that’s Ari speaking publicly, then so be it. But no, I mean, I’m not surprised.”

There had been plenty of criticism levied at Jerusalem as well as Adelson due to not wanting to continue playing and now the club is continuing to play the series with just four import players as others left the country because of the situation.

“I’m definitely disappointed. We’ve put immense effort in the last 48 hours to keep the team together and from one side, I’m very disappointed, but from the other side, as someone that didn’t grow up here, I understand them, because this is not normal, what’s going on in this country. I love this country to death. I grew up in the States. I choose to be here. I’m a Zionist. I love this country. I love our people, but not everyone feels the same way, and as someone who’s not Jewish, speaking about them, someone whose parents and his family are not Israeli, from one side, I don’t judge them at all and I understand.

“But from the other side, I’m definitely disappointed, because my role as the owner of the organization, as the owner of the team, is to fill the most competitive roster and to go all the way and do everything we can to achieve our goals, which is to win titles. So, I’m definitely disappointed that these guys have left. I understand, but they’re not here and I really appreciate the guys that have decided to stay and that will continue to fight and give everything on the court and we’ll go with them and we’re going to go all the way with them.”

There has been talk that Khadeen Carrington already has a deal in place with Hapoel Tel Aviv for the upcoming season and while he wasn’t sure if he would play games two in the morning, he changed his mind and decided to feature for his team. Adelson tried to explain what he may have had in mind and about his contract negotiations, “You have to ask Khadeen what he has in mind, I hope he has Game 2 in mind tonight. As of now, there’s no progress (with his contract) and I hope he’s just focused on the game tonight.”