A great drama was recorded this evening (Monday) in the semi-final of the second State Cup in the Arena.
In the end, Hapoel Jerusalem managed to erase a double-digit deficit to beat Hapoel Haifa 73:77.
Zach Hankins excelled, but the unexpected hero was 18-year-old Noam Yaakov, who got a lot of credit from Aleksandar Džikić in Money Time, and responded with a series of big moves in the end.
"We were behind because we weren't focused, there was no energy, I don't know what we expected," said Džikić.
"At the end we woke up and won, but we didn't play well. We played childishly, every 50-50 ball went to them. I'm not satisfied, it will in no way be enough against Maccabi Tel Aviv."
It was tough, but they are in the finals.
Hapoel Jerusalem players (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
At the press conference, the coach added: "Congratulations to Haifa, they played well, yesterday at the press conference I said that their recent results don't count in a game like this, because it's a season game, and that's how they play. If they beat us, I wouldn't say they didn't deserve it. I didn't like The intensity and the focus, the energy, the execution, I will remember many things because that is my job, to remind them of the right way to play. There are not many things that I will take to the final. It is not good enough for the game against Maccabi, it was barely good enough for Haifa, with all due respect to Haifa. If They have a bigger rotation, it could have ended differently."
Regarding the credit he gave to Noam Yaakov, he said: "Don't call him young. He's in the locker room with a group of adults, he's naked in the shower, the fact that he's 18 or 28 doesn't matter on the field. With all due respect to my players, Speedy, Cornelius, Levi, Zak , Kadin, everyone should have been better. I always have two jokers, players I can trust, the 18-year-old boy and me Segev, and it worked. It wasn't the plan, it's a combination of several things."
Yaakov scoffed and said: "I didn't expect this, but now we are concentrating on the final. We have to prepare for Thursday, that's the game."
"I did not expect this".
Noam Yaakov with his friends (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
On the other hand, Sharon Drucker concluded by saying: "We controlled the game, we did what we wanted, but in the end we ran out. Here is a whistle, not a whistle, but that's already history, it doesn't matter. I've always advocated not talking about the referees, it's the easiest to get angry. Obviously they had an impact, Every whistle counts, every whistle is important, but if I whine about the referees then we won't be able to improve. We had a chance to do it, there was a spirit of warriors here, everyone gave their best and that's what I expect from my players. We could have made history."
At the press conference, the losing coach added: "We need more to digest. We ran out of players because of the fouls. Everyone who was here left their maximum on the field, we showed that they have a budget and many foreigners and we have spirit, unfortunately it was not enough to advance to the final. I hope the judges see and we will see , precisely at a difficult moment like this for us and for me, I have to stay as I am and not get upset. I respect the judges, even if I have complaints they know how to calm me down. At some of the whistles I got out of control. Noam Yaakov was exceptional, there is not much to say. Do all What is needed, if I were his coach I would hug him, he is a great player."
Out of the tools.
Drucker (Photo: Liron Moldovan)
Anthony Hickey, who provided 22 points that were not enough, added: "In the last few moves we didn't take rebounds, we got into foul trouble, we couldn't take the rebounds and it cost us the game. I try not to talk about the referees, as players we try to control what we can, we had the The opportunity and we didn't take it, you have to take opportunities when you have them. Noam Yaakov led Jerusalem tonight, you have to give him the credit for this game. There were a lot of things going through my mind in the last attack, I trust my teammates, Will was free, he had a chance Great, I believe it, it was a great shot, it's a shame he didn't score, I'll live with that. I don't know if I would have scored the last shot. I went with my gut feeling."
sport
basketball
Super League
Tags
Hapoel Jerusalem
Aleksandar Dzikic
Noam Yaakov
Hapoel Haifa in basketball
Sharon Drucker