In Barley’s Hapoel Tel Aviv squad, Joe Ragland was left out

Ofer Yanai’s big moment will come today (Saturday, 19:05) when Hapoel Tel Aviv will host for the first time at the Menorah Motvethim Hall. And not just in an ordinary game, but it will happen in one of the biggest meetings that Israeli basketball has to offer, when Hapoel Jerusalem will come next to Eliyahu, who is expected to be completely full.

The group of Dimitris Itoudis will have to put the whole saga of the transfer of the hall, the events that the club is planning and the boycott of the Ultras aside, go on the floor and win the game in order not to let the first place escape. Let’s also mention that Hapoel Tel Aviv counts an impressive streak of eight victories in a row and it really does not want to end its wonderful period.

The Greek coach chose his five foreigners for the game and he decided to register Patrick Beverley, who will play his first game in the league since that derby when he was injured. The one who paid the price is Joe Ragland who was left out, while Ish Wainwright will also watch the big fight from the sidelines. Marcus Bingham is of course ineligible yet and that means the four foreigners who complete the squad are Jonathan Motley, Bruno Caboclo, Marcus Foster and Antonio Blakeney.

Patrick Beverley in the eyes of a lamp in red (Hapoel Tel Aviv)

In terms of the table, the Reds have only one loss in the league in that derby and Maccabi Tel Aviv two losses, but there is a tie in points between the two city rivals following Hapoel Tel Aviv’s drop of a point and the champion leads the league because she is the one who won the last derby. The runner-up has no choice but to continue winning and hope for the stumble of Oded Ketch and his apprentices in the league.

The club is preparing several events for the premiere. A ceremony will be held to hang the shirt of the late Uri Shelf in front of his family, the singer, composer and fan of the group Hanan Yuval will sing the anthem. By Hanan Yuval’s side will be Captain Alon Hindi, a fighter in the paratroopers and a fan of the team who was mortally wounded in Gaza about a year ago. The gates open for the meeting at 17:00.

Hapoel and Menorah are ready (Hapoel Tel Aviv)

Hapoel Tel Aviv understands the importance of the game: “This is one of the biggest ones from the management’s point of view, it is very important for Ofer and we will try to win this match for him as well. We are in one of the team’s best periods in recent years and to beat Hapoel Jerusalem, in a game in front of 10,000 fans in Menorah, is an amazing seal, but of course we won’t want to help even after that.”

By the way, Hapoel Tel Aviv sold in less than 24 hours all the viewing booths at the Menorah Mittehim Hall, this after there was a petition in the district court this week between the Reds and Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Tel Aviv municipality. About Hapoel Tel Aviv’s lawsuit and the entire discussion was published for the first time here in ONE.