Fighting in silence: the challenge of Hapoel Jerusalem in the new season of the Champions League

The Reds host Drushpaka on Monday (21:00), and beyond the professional meaning - they will try to restore the buzz that was lost to the club and get rid of the gray image that stuck to the team this summer.

Will Kadin Carrington, who scored 27 points in the Winner Cup games, carry them to a successful start?

Ehrle Weisberg

02/10/2022

Sunday, October 02, 2022, 20:08 Updated: 20:10

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Hapoel Jerusalem's press conference (Photo: Roni Kanfo. Video editing: Aviad Belali)

Hapoel Jerusalem will officially open their season tomorrow (Monday, 21:00) when they host Drushpaka in the Champions League.

Apparently this is very basic information, which should be self-evident for many thousands of basketball fans in Israel.

But the annual debut of the Reds this time passes in relative silence, on the verge of silence.

This silence is the number 1 enemy of the team from the capital, come the 2022/23 season.

After two years without achievements, the club realizes that the way back to the summits to which they aspire goes first and foremost in bringing back the buzz that was lost when the successful team of Jacob Brown, James Paladin, Tamir Blatt and Tyshawn Thomas disbanded due to the Corona epidemic.

Jerusalem's current squad, under new coach Aleksandar Džikić, is seen as dreary and does not include players with an impressive resume on the main stages of Europe.

It is possible that this statement will get old in a particularly bad way, and in not many months the APR root will be as far east as west from at least one person - Kadin Carrington.

Glitter in the making.

Carrington (Photo: Danny Maron)

The American guard was considered a Euroleague prospect until the injuries that attacked him, and in two Winner Cup games he proved that maybe the Reds have someone to build on this season;

Despite the early elimination, he did his part: contributed 27 points every night, reached the penalty line no less than 23 times and accumulated his shots in different and diverse ways (zero three-pointers in the victory over Hapoel Eilat, five three-pointers in the loss to Hapoel Tel Aviv).

But in order for Carrington, as good as he is, not to be a shining star on a failing team, as Jaylen Adams was for example last season, he will need improved ability from the guards next to him;

Even if Leway Randolph is not supposed to win the title of the king of baskets of the Champions League again, as he did last year in Ostend, Džikić cannot afford to have any more zero-point performances from him, like in the last game;

And Speedy Smith, who was hot with 21 points on Wednesday, he needs more assists and management, and less shooting and execution.

The matters of chemistry, stability and teamwork will be examined over time, and will certainly not reach a peak on the first night of the season, but with the method used in the Champions League - it is difficult to exaggerate the importance of the opening game.

Last year, Jerusalem lost at home to Pinar Karsiaka in the first round (a dramatic three-pointer by Bonzie Coulson), and managed to catch the train to the play-in only after firing a coach, changing foreigners and an impressive comeback;

Two years ago she started with a loss in Ankara and was eliminated in the first stage.

Also tomorrow, for the third time in a row, she jumps into the water together with a Turkish opponent.

good to know (in advance)

The quality water of Eden Water - at your home in a compact and designed water bar

Served on behalf of Eden Water

This time he will not win the title of king of baskets.

Randolph (photo: Danny Maron)

Druzhpaka opened the Turkish league with a home loss to Ankara.

The British Gabriel Olseny will continue to be dominant under the baskets, and will receive help from guard Markel Starks, who failed to fit in at Fenerbahçe at the end of last season, and is now coming to his tenth stop in nine years in Europe.

The Reds' second game will also be at home, in about two weeks against Ludwigsburg, and the meaning is clear: if they take advantage of the seemingly comfortable placement and maintain a 0:2 record, they will be on their safe way to the top 16 (or at least to the play-in);

In such a situation, maybe they will be able to renew the hype around them and shatter the not high glass ceiling they created last year - when 6,046 spectators were the record number in the arena in the European campaign.

If they lose one or more games, the oppressive silence may change to an annoying hum, and the stands will be empty and grumpier than ever.

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• Euroleague and European basketball

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• Hapoel Jerusalem