The first round of the Premier League started yesterday with a victory of Maccabi Tel Aviv over Hapoel Haifa, and tonight (Sunday), we get three more rations.
In the first game, Hapoel Jerusalem defeated Galil Elyon in Kfar Blum 83:69.
Later in the evening, Hapoel Eilat will host Nes Ziona and Hapoel Beer Sheva and Hapoel Gilboa / Galil.
Hapoel Galil Elyon - Hapoel Jerusalem 83:69
The great excitement could already be felt on the streets of Kfar Blum long before the opening whistle of the game against Hapoel Jerusalem - the Premier League back to one of the mythological halls in Israeli basketball after 13 years.
Great excitement in Bloom Village.
Photo: Maor Elkelsi,
Photo: Maor Elkelsi,
Over the years, senior Israeli actors such as Oded Katash, Lior Eliyahu, Avishai Gordon, Doron Sheffer, Nadav Hanfeld, Brad Leaf and many others have lined the floor in the northern hall.
Mighty foreigners like Mike James, Remas Caucinas, Sasha Bratic and others have also made their mark.
As well as senior coaches like Pini Gershon, David Blatt and others who led the team to championships and great trophies.
Since the summer of 2008, the summer when the rights to the team license and ownership of the players passed to Hapoel Gilboa / Galil, Galil Elyon shuffled in the lower leagues and in unions with nearby localities, and its people could only long remember the days when they were one of the top teams in Israel.
In recent years, Galil has become a top team in the national league and the crowd began to fill the stands in the mythological hall again, and last season the task was completed when the northern team officially returned to the main stage of Israeli basketball.
"We are excited, for years we have dreamed of such moments," one of the group's longtime fans told us at the entrance to the hall.
"There were moments when we were no longer sure it would happen, but here came the moment."
Photo: Maor Elkelsi,
Along with veteran fans who remember the good years well, quite a few children and many young boys filled the stands, a very large part were not born for the last time when the team was still playing in the Premier League.
Wait, and there was basketball, too, and not bad basketball at all.
The first half was full of enthusiasm on the part of Barak Peleg's young team who also led with a nice lead at the break to the cheers of the local crowd.
Also in the third quarter the advantage was maintained, much thanks to the excellent Bryce Washington and Itai Moskowitz, but the turnaround took place in the last quarter.
Offensively, Oren Amiel (who played and coached in the Galilee in the past) still has a lot of work to do to connect the group of players that gathered in Jerusalem this year, so to win he must have a good defense.
In the last 8 minutes, Galil stopped on only 7 points, while on the other side Adam Ariel and Retin Obasohan scored accurately, arranged a precious 69:83 for the Jerusalemites and prevented embarrassment already in the first round of the season.
Photo: Maor Elkelsi,
Photo: Maor Elkelsi,
