Hapoel Tel Aviv are just plain and simple winners. Danny Franco’s charges knew exactly how to play a knockout game against Hapoel Jerusalem as they dominated play in an 87-71 win to advance to the State Cup Final Four.

The Tel Aviv Reds were able to continue their dream season which has seen them defeat Maccabi Tel Aviv twice while also winning five league games in a row to thrust themselves way up the league standings.

There have been moments this campaign where it looked as if Franco had lost his squad and that they were far, far away from competing at the highest levels, but all of sudden a couple of months ago everything just clicked.

It began with a win over their city rivals on the road to not only send their fans into euphoria but also clinch the eighth and last spot in the State Cup quarterfinals setting up a date with the capital city Reds who have recently gone on a swoon after being knocked out of the Champions League.

Nonetheless, no matter how Jerusalem would react it was Hapoel Tel Aviv that would dictate the game play as Franco’s team have been playing lock down defense while scoring key baskets which is what they did yet again.

“This wasn’t a big game of basketball but it was a tough battle, it was a war and when it’s a do or die game that is how you have to play,” Franco exclaimed.

They brought the energy, the intensity, the know how along with the grit and desire to play a do or die game, winner take all which was exactly the opposite of how Jerusalem who were wearing their black uniforms entered the clash.

However, it didn’t matter if Yotam Halperin’s team wore, red, white, black, blue or yellow and green; they just never understood the magnitude of the game that was played on the road in a raucous Drive In Arena.

“This is incredible and it gives me an abundance of joy,” Franco said following the victory. “I really enjoy being here at this moment competing for the State Cup. It doesn’t matter which team I would be with but to go to the semifinal as the coach of Hapoel Tel Aviv is something special. This club wants to compete at the highest of levels and battle for titles. To go to the Final Four is extraordinary. It’s going to be fun that’s for sure.”

Franco has been in these situations before, whether it’s winning the Cup with Holon, or going to the Finals with Nahariya, or competing at the top of the top when he was the Hapoel Jerusalem head coach. But there is something very special to get to the last stages with Hapoel Tel Aviv. A team that has gone through a tremendous amount from once upon a time being at the top of the Israeli basketball world to having gone bankrupt and restarting from scratch all the way in the 5th division. Having to work their way back up the ladder of the leagues to once again find their way close to the upper echelons of Israeli basketball especially after a tough season last year which saw them battle against relegation.

While there may not be any favorites in the State Cup as Franco said, once you get into the Final Four there certainly are the Cinderella stories and the thought of winning the Cup after 29 years is definitely one of them.

“That is the beauty of the tournament. We have another game this week and we want to make sure we get to the cup in good health. But to come here with a full arena gives you a boost and that pushes you to make sure you are playing with high intensity,” Franco explained.

Hapoel Tel Aviv’s captain Bar Timor also looked ahead to what awaits the club as they look for basketball glory after disposing his former team, “The cup is one game and anything can happen. The league is super tight and it’s been all season long. One team can beat another and anything can happen. We have a lot of guys here that come and play hard and we have a deep squad. We all have one goal, to win.”

One of the Reds winners is undoubtedly J’Covan Brown who has been no less than superb all season long on the court after having had issues over the past year while with Hapoel Jerusalem. But Brown along with his former teammates back in the capital city, Idan Zalmanson and Bar Timor know that he is the ultimate winner who led Jerusalem to back to back State Cups in 2019 and 2020.

“I’m very calm when J’Covan is next to me and when the ball is in his hands, something good is bound to happen. He is a player who hits big shots, makes great decisions, when to make a foul and when to go to the hoop. He is the best teammate that anyone could ask for and all he wants to do is win. No one has spoken about his defense this season but this has been his best since he has been in Israel.”

Franco smiled while speaking about Brown, “I thought he was going to die in the last quarter and I said how can I take him out? But I’m sure after a win he feels a lot better.”