Knockout Victory: Keenan Evans has yet to prove he is the right replacement for Chris Jones | Israel today

The Willerban would have been happy to end the Euroleague season right now.

Three games from the start and the French team is a big surprise with a perfect balance (0: 3), when on Tuesday it defeated European champions Andulo Zero after a comeback from minus 19. One of the reasons for this success is coordinator Chris Jones, who played last season for Maccabi Tel Aviv, and today ( Thursday) he will face her at a bad time for the Yellows.

Jones, who last season had his debut season in the Euroleague, also had a contract with Maccabi for the current season with the possibility of the state champion leaving.

After some deliberation, it was decided to release him and replace him with coordinator Keinan Evans, who in 2020/2021 played for Hapoel Haifa.

If Maccabi had brought in a Euroleague caliber coordinator or a very experienced player, the question of whether they did it right would not have arisen.

But, at least at this moment, if you put the two in a head-to-head battle, it is not clear how Maccabi, which has already paid tuition for Jones in its first season at the factory, gave it up in favor of a player whose rookie season is in the Euroleague.

Jones (right), Photo: Getty Images,

On the face of it, these are two identical players, more or less the same, but as mentioned, the priority is currently moving in a clear direction, when compared to Evans and Jones after three opening rounds, the result is an unequivocal knockout in favor of the Willerban player (see table).

Beyond the huge differences in numbers, Jones is his team's leading scorer, becoming its leader.

With him she is doing great things so far.

Evans, on the other hand, is having a hard time getting into matters with Maccabi, and is nothing more than a second fiddle and the team is currently in a negative balance (2: 1).

No wonder, then, that one of them is full of confidence, while the other lacks confidence.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will have a dangerous combination waiting for them in this game - a player in record shape and motivated to prove to her that his release was a mistake, and all this in his home court. History proves that the Yellows from Tel Aviv do not go against exes.

Enough to go back to last week and see what Knight Walters did to her in the Red Star uniform in Belgrade.

Evans.

Photo: Oded Karni,

By comparison, Jones delivers 18 points and 2.7 assists in 29 minutes on the floor, while Evans settles for just 3.3 points plus 1.3 assists in 18 minutes.

Chris Jones:

Minutes - 29

points - 18

percent for three - 54

assists - 2.7

index - 18

Kenan Evans:

Minutes - 18

points - 3.3

percent for three - 33

assists - 1.3

index - 2.7

Jones, this time on the left.

Was Maccabi wrong?

Photo: Getty Images,