Despite the high expectations, only a win over Oradea in the heart of the colony will leave the Orange with chances to rise to the eighth European Cup final • Nadav Silberstein realizes: "We need one good game to get back on track"

• Tal discusses the action. Will make the change?

  Photo:

  Danny Maron

1. Urban Ness Ziona has opened the European season with very high expectations. The Oranges set themselves a goal to recapture last season's achievement by reaching the eighth European Cup and maybe even go one step further.

In the first phase, everything went smoothly. Ness Ziona maintained a perfect balance of six wins in six games and a smooth rise to the top 16, ranking first in the factory in many statistical categories.

The second stage also opened with a handsome victory over the Minsk cliffs, but then something went wrong. The Oranges lost to Romanian Orde and from there began the deterioration with three consecutive losses in Europe, including a severe 22-point defeat in the cycle that went to the same Minsk. The league is also in a less favorable period with four losses in the last seven cycles.

"We lost confidence, we miss the layoffs and free throws," says coach Nadav Zilberstein. "We need one good game to get back on track. How do we do that?

Lemonade is trying to break free. The Orange must win tonight // Photo: Danny Maron

2. Apart from the professional repairs, Ness Ziona's management realized that reinforcement had been added earlier this week to JP Tokoto. This is an impressive run. The athletic forward is well acquainted with the league from his era last season at Hapoel Eilat, will significantly improve the defense game that Silberstein spoke and is also fit, unlike many of the strengthening players who come to Israel at this time of the season.
Just on Saturday, he was released from Burgos in the ranks and played an average of 23.3 minutes in the Spanish league, scoring 7.5 points.

3. Tonight, it will reach the heart of the Oradea Colony, with the loss in front of it in the first round beginning the withdrawal of Ness Ziona. An Orange victory will leave good chances for a boost, a loss, however, will close a slightly disappointing European campaign and plenty of thoughts before the Cup semi-finals in less than two weeks.