Nothing is going to be easy for Hapoel Jerusalem this season. Also not playing against the top of the table in the Premier League. The Reds scored 80:87 over Nahariya after a close battle and stopped a streak of three losses in all competitions. Will it still be the victory that will take them on a new path?
Jerusalem was supposed to sail in Ein Sara which was filled with 300 fans, but somehow when the clock showed 1:15 to end the gap was only two points. Luckily for the Reds, Tamir Blatt (who finished with a double-double of ten points and ten assists) was in the right place and at the right time to provide an important three 51 seconds to go (which was his second in money time) and from there they did not lose it.
And with all due respect to Blat, Jerusalem should thank this victory especially to Jacoben Brown who led his teammates all the way with 17 points and 3 of 10 from outside the arc. Along with him, Stanton Kidd enjoyed an excellent debut in which he scored 13 points including three threes from seven attempts and Adam Ariel provided 14 points (4 of 5 off the arc) in order to complete a good offensive team display.
In fact, Nahariya also deserves a good word. The Purples are deep in the bottom of the Premier League and played with only three foreigners, but still managed to give Jerusalem a fight. Michael Young provided a huge game of 25 points and nine rebounds and alongside him were also Malik Newman with 19 and Jaron Blossomgeim, who played every 40 minutes, and contributed 18. As it seems by this game, Shai Saglovitch and his team have reason to be optimistic.
And what next? Already on Saturday, Jerusalem will host Maccabi Rishon Lezion, which knocked it out in the Cup semifinals, and will try to take revenge in order to establish itself at the top. For Nahariya, a hot bottom battle against Maccabi Haifa awaits already on Thursday.