After the postponement of the game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Gilboa / Galil, tomorrow (Sunday) the Winner Basket League will be officially renewed with three games: In the spotlight, Hapoel Holon will try to continue the momentum against Hapoel Haifa. The unstable Maccabi Rishon will meet Hapoel Beer Sheva, while Bnei Herzliya will hope to surprise in Eilat.
Hapoel Haifa – Hapoel Holon (21:10)
The two provided great drama in the previous game, which included the dismissal of Stefanos Dadas, exactly one month ago. The Reds from Haifa did not play in the league for three weeks and will hope to continue exactly where they left off – an impressive victory over Hapoel Beer Sheva. Karem Mashur, who has not trained recently, is not expected to play.
Although Holon returned to Israel from France after a journey of 17 hours, it arrives in a great mood, after one of the club’s record achievements – it has to advance to the last 16 of the FIBA Champions League. Now it returns to the league, aiming for a sixth consecutive victory. Richard Howell, who has not played for about two and a half months, will add a little more depth under the Holon basket.On the other hand, Dadas has to rotate again, and the foreigner who will not be registered is Tyros Maggie.
“We are going to Haifa in excellent mental condition and great momentum after the successful trip to France,” said the Greek coach. “We need to leave the Champions League aside for a few weeks and concentrate on the Winner League. I believe our desire to win and our momentum will be stronger than the fatigue. We are preparing for a strong battle and want to continue our way to the top.”
Maccabi Rishon Lezion – Hapoel Beer Sheva (19:20)
A season full of ups and downs passes for the runner-up: she played during the league break in the Balkan league – where she made a big comeback against Hapoel Jerusalem, only to lose in the next game to Gilboa / Galil, on the evening of 10 of 27 penalties. Rishon Lezion does not hide the relative disappointment of the season opener (balance 4: 4) and even thinks about making changes in the staff.
Be’er Sheva did not play basketball at all during the closure, when in fact its last game was 18 days ago, in a victory over Bnei Herzliya. In the first meeting between the two this season, it was Rami Hadar’s team that celebrated an impressive victory, 84:98, and a seasonal double over Rishon Lezion may give it a significant advantage going forward. The good news is the expected return of Caleb Agada, the outstanding player in the league until the injury – who was absent for two months due to a tear in his thigh muscle.
Hapoel Eilat – Bnei Herzliya (19:00)
The last time Eilat saw Herzliya in front of it, it was one of the most one-sided games of the season, ending in 78: 103 for Eilat. Ariel Beit Halachmi’s team is without a doubt one of the best and most impressive in the league, as it goes on a break with a balance of 2: 8, second only to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Although she has not played in the league for almost a month (since December 27) and in fact Joaquin Schuchman will make his league debut for his new team, which he signed about three weeks ago.
Herzliya started the season very badly, with seven consecutive losses, but before the break of the league recorded two victories over its two rivals at the bottom – Maccabi Haifa and Urbani Nahariya – and improved positions for the future. The newcomer, center Elijah Thomas, will make his debut, but Sharon Drucker will suffer from a lack of staff in the back line, as a replacement guard has not yet been signed to replace Frank Gaines, who left in harsh tones after the loss in Be’er Sheva.