When Maccabi Tel Aviv welcomes Hapoel Gilboa Galil to Yad Eliyahu on Monday night for game one of the best of three Israel Basketball League finals, one question that will be lingering is if the present version of the Yellow & Blue is looking at their near future.

Kerry Blackshear, Jehyve Floyd and Iftach Ziv are all potential candidates to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv and even head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos said “why not” when asked if there are players on Gilboa that have the quality could play in the Euroleague. The bench boss hesitated before giving his two word answer of “why not” because he had to actually think of how to answer the probing question.

“Why not”. Yes, why not. All three players have proven that they have skills and characteristics that would improve Maccabi Tel Aviv as they enter a season in which they have to do better, a lot better especially after raised expectations form the previous campaign that was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sfairopoulos will be tasked with trying to find a way to stop the two young big men in Floyd and Blackshear while also having to shut down the Israeli player of the season, in Iftach Ziv. All three of which perhaps he would like to have in his lineup next season where the opposing coach can be asked how will you prepare to defend such a front court.

Floyd (23 years old) plays above the rim and dunks with ease, putting down alley-oop after alley-oop while also cleaning up the glass averaging 10.7 points and 7.6 assists per game. The Holy Cross product can also defend at a high level and will look to give some of the Maccabi forwards fits inside whether it’s Othello Hunter, Ante Zizic, Angelo Caloiaro, Omri Casspi or TJ Cline.

Blackshear (24 years old) presents anther slew of issues with his outside sharpshooting (25/60 -41.7%), his shooting from inside the arc (56.6%) and rebounding (7.9rpg). Plus the Virginia Tech/Florida Gators forward even dished out 2 assists per game. He’s as complete a player as we’ve seen here in Israel who outs in 14.8 points per game.

Add into the mix one Iftach Ziv (25 years old) with his 12.3 points, 4.9 boards and 4.5 assists as he orchestrates the offense and Maccabi may find themselves in trouble against a team that beat them two out of three times during the regular season.

The future could be very, very enticing for Maccabi Tel Aviv looking at this trip of players.

That’s not to say Maccabi has nothing to offer in order to tame Gilboa, they have plenty in Scottie Wilbekin and Ante Zizic who were both named First Team All-Stars along with Chris Jones who starred in game two of the Eilat series plus Yovel Zoosman, Omri Casspi and co.

The Yellow & Blue have an experienced squad that have played in the Euroleague, the NBA and know how to get it done on and off of the court. However, it’s enticing to see three players that could play a factor with the club next season.

Maccabi needs to look in their own backyard first for players and that means checking out which Hapoel Eilat players (Josh Nebo), which Hapoel Haifa players (Keenan Evans), which Bnei Herzliya players (Max Heidegger who is on loan by Maccabi) could all make an impact for them the following season. They did it with Elijah Bryant who came over from Eilat and played two strong seasons with Maccabi before heading to the Milwaukee Bucks and the NBA but didn’t with Zach LeDay who played in Gilboa and is now an important Euroleague players with Milano.

Sfairopoulos’s will be staring at as big a challenge as he’s had in the domestic league in Gilboa Galil. A team that can match up to them in almost every parameter, except one; experience. And in these types of situations when the cards are on the table and a championship is on the line, experience is crucial and that may be Maccabi’s biggest advantage against a young team in Avishay Gordon’s squad.

Iftach Ziv spoke about having no fear, and yes, Gilboa has none, except this is the first time that 99% of the club is playing for it all.

The only Sabra who has won a championship and in fact, has won two Israeli league titles just happens to be the coach, Avishay Gordon. He’s only one of three players to have done so while playing for two different teams with neither of them being Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Gordon’s players believe in him and he’s done everything in his power correctly to make sure that the transition from Lior Lubin was seamless.

However, Maccabi have won three straight league championships and are looking to add a fourth and that’s not something to be underestimated; the heart of a champion.

This series will be one for the ages and perhaps one that may shape Maccabi Tel Aviv’s future. Because, well, why not?