Once again, it's his turn to answer: Gal Makal's critical days in the Israeli national team

When he is without a contract, with only two games in six months and the big ones think that "it is a significant risk to take him", the captain of the Israeli team stands for a critical window and already tonight (21:30) against Poland will try to prove to visitors - and himself - that he still belongs to the high levels

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30/06/2022

Thursday, June 30, 2022, 2:00 p.m.

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Wave stick hits from the half in Andorra's game against LeBlou (Sport 1)

If things work out properly, Israeli national team captain Gal Makal will go on the floor tonight (Thursday, 21:30) in the hall in Lublin, Poland for his third official game in 2022, on the last day of the first half of the year.

Last week the coordinator played against the reserve team and was far from his peak, but began to shake off rust that has accumulated since December.

Corona, a muscle injury, thumb fracture and conflict that led him to part ways with his Spanish side Andorra, has left Stick with two games in the last six months, both held in February: 15 minutes with 8 points and 3 rebounds in the away loss to Oberdauro, and 26 minutes with 4 points. 4 rebounds and 4 assists in the home loss to Germany in the Israeli national team uniform.

Tonight he will hope to win for the first time since December 14, 2021, to show those who examine him closely that despite everything he is still able to play and look good at the highest levels, and to prove that the injuries are behind him as well.

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Accumulated quite a bit of rust.

Stick (Photo: Berni Ardov)

Summary of previous episodes: Makal returned from a muscle injury in mid-February in the Andorra uniform, played one game and joined the Israeli team, subject to the team's demand that he play only in the first game against Germany and return.

After there were disagreements between the parties, and Stick was injured and broke his thumb in his hand, the tension shifted to a very murky relationship, which eventually led to his departure.

In April, he returned to Israel, telling about what was happening in a special interview with Walla!

Sports and thought about getting back into the game.

People around him said that he aspired to come to Hapoel Tel Aviv, the Reds, for their part, were not enthusiastic about the idea, and Makal stayed out.

When he returned to team training more than two weeks ago, Stick still looked rusty.

"See that he did not play for a long time," said one of the team members before the game against the reserve team last week.

The fact that he is the team captain gave him a lot of points with the union members and the professional team, and passed the decision to national coach Guy Goodes, who at the end of the day preferred to take him at the expense of Yiftach Ziv to the staff, when it is quite clear Van Dibertolomeo, Yam Madar and Bar Timur.

The current window is significant for Stick both to show himself to teams looking for reinforcements, and also to prove to himself that he has indeed overcome the injuries and is able to look good at that level.

The fact that his next official games will be before the Eurobasket are critical, as Makal wants to lead the Israeli team to the European Championship as captain, and any unimpressive injury or appearance may keep him away from that dream.

The captain wants to show Goodes his place in the squad for EuroBasket (Photo: Bernie Ardov)

At the same time as the team dreams, the 34-year-old coordinator is not thinking about retiring, at least not at this point in time, and really wants to play for a good Israeli team.

The seniors in Israeli basketball - Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Holon and Hapoel Tel Aviv - have not expressed interest in the stick, for any of its reasons.

Now it seems that the two teams with the real chance of joining him are Bnei Herzliya and Hapoel Haifa.

"Looking at Gal Makal and seeing a player who is often injured, has not led a team as a leading player for a significant number of years, and is in the last stage of his career," says Walla!

Sport causes one of the senior teams, "When you go and build a team, and want to add a senior Israeli to a European enterprise, it's a significant risk to take him. Gal is a smart guy, and he knows this is the situation. Everyone knows what abilities he has, but the risk here outweighs the chance."

In the past, Makal managed to answer the parquet several times for those who managed to doubt it.

Tonight in Poland he will have another opportunity to do so.

• sport

• basketball

• Israel national basketball teams

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• Israel basketball team

• Gal Mekel