Since Hapoel Jerusalem landed in Israel after the scorching loss in Poland to Stal Ostrov, all the club's heads and team members and their efforts have been directed to the second game against the Poles, which will be held tonight at the arena (Wednesday, 21:00, Sport 5).
A win will keep the Reds' European season alive, while a loss will almost definitively eliminate their chances of qualifying for the next stage.
The dismissal of Oren Amiel and the decision not to rush with the appointment of a replacement coach, were related, among other things, to the thought that sports director Yotam Halperin and assistant coaches Donalds Kyris and Goni Yizraeli would be the most successful team for this important and specific task.
In the victory over Gilboa.
Does not tire the players in long conversations, Photo: Liron Moldovan
matching expectations.
The desire not to shock too much and not to make far-reaching changes was also at the heart of Halperin's work during the 12 days that have passed since his appointment as interim coach.
The morning after the dismissal of the previous coach, Halperin gathered the players and had a "coordination of expectations" conversation with them, in which he made it clear that he believes there is a good team that can play basketball much better.
He asked the players to stay together and help each other out of the bad times.
The club says that the conversation was short and to the point and that Halperin does not talk much unnecessarily, but when a player who has been through all possible situations understands that he needs to use the time to work and improve things.
The new coach also had several personal conversations with players who were in poor personal shape and their confidence dropped, including Retin Obasuhan, who has recovered in the last two games.
The players also understood the situation and know that after the change of coaches they have to rise above.
Obasohan and captain Adam Ariel, who appear to be the leaders of the team, took the rest of the players for a formation conversation in an attempt to unite everyone and clarify what is expected of each to get out of the situation they found themselves in.
Obasohan.
Gained confidence, Photo: Liron Moldoven
Do not go wild.
Professionally, Halperin did not change too much, as part of the desire not to undermine the stability and confidence of the players.
He and his team added 3-2 new drills and made some tactical, mostly defensive, adjustments that they think are more appropriate for the current roster.
The change that has been made is on the offensive side.
Unlike Amiel who advocated a fast and intense attacking game and creating many passers, and as a result also in wide rotations and many players getting significant playing minutes as he used to do in Nymburk, Halperin requires players to play more controlled, get in color and attract more offenses to reach the penalty line.
After the last game he did not hide his dissatisfaction that the team threw 36 times off the arc and only 10 of the penalties.
"I want us to be less offensive and less to lose our heads," he told the players.
To eight.
Halperin took Amiel's dismissal very hard.
He is the one who worked closely with the previous coach during the summer.
After the loss to Manresa the two stayed for a long conversation that lasted into the night, and this was not the only time.
"What happened sits in my heart and will go with me for a long time to come," he said honestly a few days ago.
Halperin in team training, last night, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Despite this, when CEO Guy Harel and owner Eyal Chomsky asked him to get down to the lines, Halperin did.
At first it took him a while to get used to.
In the first days he talked to Kyris and other professionals in Israeli basketball, to learn the secrets of the role and what it takes to perform the task well, but slowly, and especially thanks to the nice victories over Hapoel Holon and Gilboa / Galil, he began to feel comfortable in the new shoes.
He is also more involved in training than one might think at first, although he delegates a lot of authority and responsibility to his assistants as well.
"It's the closest to the thrill I had as an actor," he revealed.
Sources well acquainted with Halperin say that he fell in love with the idea of coaching, and it is not at all certain that he will refuse to continue if he is asked to do so by the management.
The results in the upcoming game and the next games will likely have a big impact on his decision.
Who knows, maybe the events of the last two weeks in the capital will produce a new coach in Israeli basketball.