{"id":107461,"date":"2024-03-29T22:23:05","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T22:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/?p=107461"},"modified":"2024-03-29T22:23:05","modified_gmt":"2024-03-29T22:23:05","slug":"jerusalem-primed-for-hapoel-tlv-rematch-play-in-or-playoff-for-maccabi-dadon-leumit-50-pt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsrabbi.com\/en\/jerusalem-primed-for-hapoel-tlv-rematch-play-in-or-playoff-for-maccabi-dadon-leumit-50-pt\/","title":{"rendered":"Jerusalem primed for Hapoel TLV rematch, Play In or Playoff for Maccabi, Dadon Leumit, 50-pt"},"content":{"rendered":"

1) Jerusalem primed for revenge<\/strong>
\nThere\u2019s no question that Hapoel Jerusalem has one goal and one goal only in mind when they play Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday night in State Cup quarterfinal action at the Arena in the Capital City; win and avenge the brutal league loss they suffered at the hands of Danny Franco\u2019s troops just a couple of weeks ago. <\/p>\n

Since that defeat, Jerusalem was eliminated from Basketball Champions League contention as they fell to Karisiyaka and also saw their head coach Ilias Kantzouris part ways with the club after a disastrous term on the bench which saw the losses pile up one after the next. But now with assistant coaches Shai Olerarczyk and Theo Giannakopoulos and sports director Yonatan Alon managing the club, they have gone back to the principles that Aleksandar Dzikic set when he was in charge.
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Shai Olerarczyk – Photo credit: Yehuda Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cWe are working as a team,\u201d Olerarczyk said after this week\u2019s State Cup first round win over Hapoel Galil Elyon. \u201cWhatever the team needs that is what we will do, I don\u2019t like the spotlight but it\u2019s part of the job. We went back to things that we didn\u2019t earlier this season and last year as well. Going back to our defensive principles as well was very important for the staff and the players.\u00a0
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Khadeen Carrington – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\nKhadeen Carrington spoke about the chance to get back at Hapoel Tel Aviv after the stinging defeat to them, \u201cWe have to all look at ourselves if we have some basketball pride. They got us pretty good and our guys should be upset about that. We have to come out play hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bench boss added, \u201cEvery game against Hapoel Tel Aviv at home has to be managed differently than the one that took place two weeks ago. This upcoming game can\u2019t be like what happened last one and we have to prepare\u00a0properly. You have to win in the cup it doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s by one point or twenty and this is important. We are the cup holders and everyone wants to take that away from us.\u201d<\/p>\n

One thing is for sure, this upcoming game will not be like the last meeting between the two. Now let the best team win and move on!
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Antonius Cleveland – Photo credit: Djorde Kostic<\/p><\/div>
\n2) Play In or Playoff<\/strong>
\nMaccabi Tel Aviv picked up their 6th Euroleague victory in a row when they defeated Valencia back at their home away from home in Belgrade. The yellow-and-blue inched closer to an automatic quarterfinal spot with the win but with only two rounds of games to go their current 19-13 record just not may be enough as they still sit in 7th place. <\/p>\n

The teams that need to win just keep on winning and that\u2019s not going to be enough as Oded Katash\u2019s crew may have to settle for 7th place and the Play In which would give then up to two \u201chome\u201d chances to make it to the quarters.<\/p>\n

Maccabi will have a road game at Barcelona next week and then a date with Milano to end the season in Belgrade. Conceivably the yellow-and-blue can still make it through automatically, but the reality of the matter is, Katash should already be looking to make sure he puts his team in the best shape to ensure they advance to the postseason for his second straight campaign.
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Oded Katash – Photo credir: Djorde Kostic<\/p><\/div>
\nIf the standings hold as they are right now, Maccabi will play Bologna in the Play In which should be a decent matchup for the yellow-and-blue as they split their season series, falling in their first meeting in December 100-90 while returning the favor 95-78 in January. <\/p>\n

In fact, Bologna under the tutelage of Luca Banchi have lost five games in a row with the last one coming in dramatic fashion as Kendrick Nunn hit the game winner for Panathinaikos with no time left on the clock to send the Italians to yet another devastating defeat. <\/p>\n

Banchi of course has had a long history coaching against Maccabi including when he was Milano\u2019s bench boss back in 2014 when David Blatt\u2019s yellow-and-blue ended up winning the Euroleague championship which is something that Katash would very much like to replicate.
\nThe final two weeks of the season with no doubt be exhilarating.
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Harel Dadon – Photo Credit: Yehuda Halickman<\/p><\/div>
\n3) Leumit Difference Maker<\/strong>
\nThe Leumit League has been playing all season long with only Israelis and not the usual two import players as they have done in the past due to the war. This has allowed the Sabras the chance to show what they\u2019ve got on the big stage and with a number of teams primed to move up to the top division the competition has been terrific. <\/p>\n

One team trying to find the right ingredients to earn promotion is Maccabi Rishon Le\u2019Zion who were a preseason favorite to do exactly that but for one reason or another, it took time for the talented team to mesh. As the campaign moved along, Rishon also made some adjustments and brought in a number of players including Harel Dadon who began the season with Maccabi Ramat Gan in the first division. <\/p>\n

The Sports Rabbi spoke to Dadon after his team\u2019s win over Elitzur Shomron earlier this week, \u201cI’m very happy that after two losses we picked up the win. We are doing everything we can to get back onto the winning track.\u201d
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Harel Dadon and Shmulik Brener – Photo Credit: Yehuda<\/p><\/div>
\n\u201cThe truth is that I was really happy to come to Maccabi Rishon,\u201d Dadon said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big club with ambitions and I really connected with their values. That’s what I’m here for, to give my all and help this club succeed and get to the place it deserves to be. I wouldn’t have come here if I wasn’t sure we could do it, everything starts with the chemistry of the team and our ‘togetherness’, and if we keep it we will succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t think I’m the difference maker, I came here to bring the things I know how best to do which is strong defense, he\u2019ll lift up the whole team, aggressiveness and toughness and neuron that energy and ‘togetherness’. We can only succeed of we are together, there will be no success by just one person here but as an entire unit.\u201d<\/p>\n

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50.#YellowLegacy<\/a> #EuroLeague<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qvCdnU9t7Q<\/a><\/p>\n

— Fenerbah\u00e7e Beko (@FBBasketbol) March 29, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n