There are coaches
It was a strange season for the status of the coach in Israel.
The two "big" teams of Israeli basketball have replaced their coach with a "loyal to the system" man, who is not a coach by nature.
Avi Even and Yotam Halperin have taken on a role they did not choose, and they do not want to persevere in it, at least according to their initial statement.
For both teams it worked well in the beginning, Maccabi even reached the crossroads in the Euroleague, but the Israeli league signaled to them and the decision makers that the position of the coach is not a place for a substitute, and there is great value to the experience, being and knowledge of a coach.
And so the two teams that finished in first and second place in the league, lost in their semi-final series to teams from 4th and 3rd places respectively, even though they had the home advantage in the series, even though they played the decisive game in the pavilion, and even though their budget was much larger than the opponent.
And both series were decided thanks to the opposing coach, who is a coach in his being and purpose, also Oren Aharoni, and certainly the experienced Guy Goodes.
And there is nothing better for the coaching class than a final series that will bring together these two excellent coaches, who grew up as players within our basketball, and chose the coaching job as a profession for life.
There are coaches in Israel, even if not in Jerusalem.
Oren Aharoni.
Success story, Photo: Alan Schieber
The change of Goods
The atmosphere in the purple camp was cramped after the loss of the house.
The feeling was that the unique opportunity after the victory in Jerusalem was lost.
But here comes the special year that Holon went through, and especially the cosmic connection that the Bilbao experience poured into it.
The fans and management recovered, rebuilt the power and faith and gave it to the players.
And the tactical change implemented by Guy Goodes within three more days will be taught in basketball academies.
It started with a 3-2 matchup defense that Guy inherited and included from his days as David Blatt's assistant.
This defense mimicked the high advantage and power of Jerusalem, and allowed Holon to win on the rebound (35-33).
This defense can have a lot of nuances, and so Adams had two guards attached to him with the ball, which frustrated him and brought him down to throw only three threes, and score only one.
Obasuhan tried to take responsibility, but as the last remnant of the bad signings of the summer and the dowry left by Oren Amiel, he lost a lot of balls, missed critical shots and mostly showed no leadership.
Goods.
This is how a coach works,
Holon had many leaders, most notably one on the bench.
Halperin tried to respond, but failed, nor did he leave a timeout for the final attack.
And again, Avi Even and Yotam Halperin are excellent people, connected to players and also understand basketball players with many rights, but in the role of coach there must be a coach.
Watson Elementary.
Kaiser Souza
And it still would not have been enough, if the secondary players of Holon did not wake up and give the extra.
Niv Misgav played 22 minutes with great confidence and released Maggie Vergeland to breathe on offense.
Few remember the fall of Holon when Misgav was injured in the first part of the season.
Its importance is immense because it also made it possible to seat Smith and select another tall foreigner for the series.
Guy Pnini with one shot to the basket in 15 minutes arranged the attack for Holon.
Proper movement, delivery to transfer the load, delivery before the assist, regional defense that covers all five.
A huge IQ of basketball.
And Michael Kaiser Sousa, who gave his game of the season, the roof of the year, and managed along with Johnson to forget Ogbono and Segev under the basket and on the bench.
As it was in Game 1. And as in Game 1, Ragland and Maggie juggled, fired and sniped.
When your engines are running on Paul Torim, you will win again in Jerusalem.
Kaiser vs. Braimo.
Gave the roof of the year at the end, Photo: Danny Maron
More from Europe
And Holon had something to rely on.
She has already been in such situations this season.
Guy Goodes was signed with the team in the middle of a series in a situation of 1: 0 deficit and a home loss in the Champions League, and brought Holon back to victory in the series.
Holon also won the crossover series and reached the factory's Final Four.
And so the success in Europe built Holon's progress in the league, which in turn strengthens and builds further the status in Europe.
This is a correct and healthy process for clubs that build themselves in modern basketball, and the Holon management has made a series of excellent decisions in recent seasons, which brought the team to the European Final Four and the playoff final in Israel.
Other clubs should learn and emulate the way of Holon, and that will improve Israeli basketball.
come home
It turns out that homeliness is not the most important thing.
Out of the six semi-final matches, in four the guests won, including in the two deciding matches.
It's not only because of the coaches, it's also because the series is too short.
We deserved to get at least the best of five in the semifinals and finals, and maybe this year is finally an opportunity to break free from all the rules built to help Maccabi or interfere with Maccabi.
Does anyone think that Maccabi would have won a longer series?
This is simply not the right question.
Need to set series of the best from five to the end, because it is true sportingly and professionally.
And on the matchup against Herzliya, next week.
Happy Shavuot.
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