Basketball

Pnini sorry over insults

Simon Griver — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:25:35 +0000

Maccabi Tel Aviv has suspended captain Guy Pnini after he was found guilty of racist insults.

Pnini lost his head in the match against Hapoel Tel Aviv and was caught directing verbal abuse towards Swedish-Israeli player Jonathan Skoldjebrand.

Television cameras caught Pnini repeatedly telling Skoldjebrand that he was a "Nazi" and "I hope you and your father drops dead from cancer".

Maccabi has stripped Pnini of the captaincy, handed him an indefinite suspension and fined the player £15,000.
Pnini said: "I apologise. I don't know what came over me. I disgraced myself and the club."

Maccabi chairman Shimon Mizrachi said that the club had decided not to terminate Pnini's contract because he had expressed remorse.

Maccabi coach David Blatt said: "Behaviour like that has no place in sport."

Blatt dedicates medal to Israel

Danny Caro — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 10:07:45 +0100

An Israeli finally won a medal at the 2012 London Olympics. The only problem - he was coaching the Russian Men's Basketball team.

David Blatt, who also coaches Maccabi Tel Aviv, steered the Russians to bronze following a nail-biting 81-77 victory in the third-place playoff.

"This is a very proud moment for me," said Blatt, who guided the Russians to their first basketball medal.

Blatt went on to dedicate his medal to Israel. "I am a product of Israeli sport," he added. "I wholeheartedly offer this medal to everyone. As a child I used to watch American athletes on the podium and wanted to be one of them."

Blatt was born in Boston and played college basketball at Princeton University from for four years. In 1981, his last year playing in the America, he took part at the Maccabiah Games and helped Team USA win gold. The competition clearly tugged on his heartstrings as he decided to stay in Israel.

Energising powerhouse flapjacks

Victoria Prever — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:06:10 +0100

Whether you’ve been inspired by the Olympics to get moving, or if you simply need sustenance while you watch others sweat it out on television, these energy bars will satisfy. Made with healthy ingredients, they are quick and easy to make — you need hardly take your eyes from the screen. Unlike normal flapjacks, they are not too sweet. Vary the ingredients according to what’s in your store-cupboard — chunks of stem or crystallised ginger biscuit or ground cardamom will give a more sophisticated flavour.

Makes 24 squares

INGREDIENTS
350g jumbo or quick oats — not the ground variety
150g light olive oil
100g golden syrup or honey
50g plain flour
175g luxury mixed dried fruit
70g pistachios
30g walnuts
Grated rind 1 orange and ½ lemon
2 medium free range organic eggs, beaten
Pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease a rectangular swiss-roll tin (31½ x 22½ cm)
Toast the oats in a large roasting tin for 20 minutes – or until golden. Leave to cool slightly but leave the oven on.
If you want a finer texture, whizz the fruit and nuts for a few seconds in a food processor.
Measure the oil and golden syrup or honey into a pan large enough to take all the ingredients and heat slightly or until the syrup or honey melts. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Stir in the toasted oats and remaining ingredients until well combined and push the mixture into the tin.
Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes.
Cut into 5 cm squares when warm and leave to cool before removing from the tin.

Olympic Games: Day 2 review

Danny Caro — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 22:27:22 +0100

It was a day of disappointment for Israel as the 2012 Olympic Games ended somewhat prematurely for several members of the delegation.

BADMINTON

Misha Zilberman bowed out of the Badminton competition a second consecutive defeat in Group One, going down 21-9, 21-15 to Singapore’s Derek Wong.

GYMNASTICS

Valeria Maksyuta tumbled out following a hap-hazard performance in the beam and floor events. She averaged 13.3 in the vault, where she suffered a fall and never recovered. She is placed 31st in the Overall Individual rankings after the first preliminary round.

JUDO

Golan Pollack was beaten by Frenchman David Larose in the 66kg category in the Round of 64.

SWIMMING

Yakov Toumarkin finished sixth in his 100-metre backstroke, but his time of 54.91 seconds was not enough to earn him a place in the semi-finals.

Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or was another casualty. He placed 21st overall in the 200m freestyle heats, with a time of 1:48.60 minutes.

TENNIS

Shahar Peer was unable to build on an early break as she succumbed to former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova in the Ladies Singles competition at SW19.

Peer is expected to be involved in the Mixed Doubles competition.

IN OTHER NEWS
Elsewhere, Russia, coached by Israeli David Blatt, overcame Great Britain 95-75 in the opening match in the Men's Basketball competition.

Israel will be looking to win their first medals of the Games on Monday, with shooter Sergei Richter and judoka Soso Palalshwelly looking to impress.

Blatt’s GB test

Simon Griver — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:41:34 +0100

David Blatt is confident Russia can challenge for a medal at the Olympic Games in London.

Born in Israel, Blatt has been running an intense schedule as he juggles the roles of coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Russian Olympic team.

Russia's involvement was only confirmed earlier this month when they beat Nigeria 88-75 in an Olympic qualification tournament in Venezuala.

Blatt said: "We deserve to be in London but we made it hard for ourselves against Nigeria. We should have finished off the match early but let them get back into it."

MTA, Israeli basketball champions, want Blatt to step down from his commitments to the Russian team after the Olympics. He has coached Russia since 2006 winning the European Championships in 2007 and finishing ninth in the Beijing Olympics.

Blatt will be looking to get Russia off to a winning start against Great Britain on Sunday.

Greenberg named head coach for USA Maccabiah basketball squad

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:53:36 +0100

Seth Greenberg has been named the Head Coach for the USA Open Men's Basketball Team competing at the 19th World Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Greenberg has just completed his ninth season as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Virginia Tech where the Hokies have made five consecutive and six total post-season appearances during his tenure.

"We at Maccabi USA are very excited that Seth Greenberg has accepted this appointment as Head Coach for the Open Men’s Basketball Team," said Marc Rosenberg, Chairman, USA Open Men’s Basketball.

"As a two-time Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Coach of the year, he has the leadership and ability to lead Team USA to a Gold Medal at the 19th Maccabiah Games."

Greenberg has a career record of 383 – 293 in 22 seasons as a collegiate head coach and a 170 – 123 record in nine seasons at Virginia Tech. Since coming to Virginia Tech, Greenberg's Hokies have three wins over no. 1 ranked teams, including, most recently, a 64 – 60 victory over top-ranked Duke on February 26, 2011. He has also been named the ACC Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2008. Additionally, Greenberg was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

He has always been involved with charitable organisations and causes. When asked why he volunteered to be the Coach for Maccabi USA’s Open Men’s Basketball Team at the 19th Maccabiah Games in Israel, Greenberg responded: "This volunteer position is important to me because anytime you can represent your country and your faith in the same event, it’s something very special.

"Having participated previously as an assistant coach at the 13th Maccabiah Games in 1989, it was a life-altering experience. I look forward to representing the USA and bringing a great group of athletes with me to Israel to share that same experience."

Greenberg will be using his vast network of contacts around the country to identify all the best, young, Jewish players and hopes to put together a Team that plays with great passion, a great energy and a sense of purpose as they represent the USA at the Maccabiah Games in July, 2013.

He will be planning two tryouts in August, one in New Jersey and one in California, and plans to have the details for the trials confirmed in the next month.

‘Mr Basketball’ counters those who take shots at Israel

Danny Caro — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:06:57 +0100

Tal Brody could have been drafted into the NBA but turned that down to help change the landscape of Israeli sport. In playing for the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team, his presence in Israel also led the way for more Jewish American basketball stars to come and play in Israel. Amongst them were Barry Leibowitz from Long Island University and Lou Silver from Harvard.

Brody’s ability and leadership carried MTA to its first European title in 1977, after beating CSKA Moscow. This was a very important first for Israel and at the time, although it was not announced in the Soviet press, word did get through to the Jews in the Soviet Union who were elated about this.

These days Israel’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ is in a different role. To try and counter those who take ‘shots’ at the Jewish state. In this respect, last year Brody was appointed the first-ever international goodwill ambassador of Israel. He was quoted as saying: “I’m very glad they chose a sportsman to take on that position. I speak at campuses and try to go up with the facts against a lot of the negativity about Israel."

Brody is now 68 and takes these trips every four to six weeks on behalf of Israel. When in American he works with Jewish and non-Jewish organisations from Hispanic, Christian, Afro-American and others to try and get the positive message about Israel across.

Brody has said that he highlights how Israel is the only country in the Middle East that gives full rights to
women and homosexuals and is not an apartheid state as is commonly alleged.

He also says that “on college campuses, Afro-Americans who have never been to Israel often think that we are like South Africa which is so far from the truth, so when I come and have discussions they get a better understanding of what Israel is all about."

Brody defends the security fence, noting that terrorist actions killed 1,700 Israelis, including Jews, Christians, Arabs, Muslims and Druze, infants and seniors, and that more security was needed. When he speaks to different groups, Brody calls Israel “the sports capital of the Middle East”. He explains the 60-40-20 system by remembering the country’s athletic history. Sixty years of Olympic participation, 40 years since 11 Israeli sportsmen were massacred at the Munich Olympics and 20 years since Israel won its first Olympic medal in judo.

A number of Afro-American players have represented Israeli teams over the years. Therefore the work carried out by Brody and a strong basketball contact between Israel and many Afro-American players can only help to ease some of the tension that exists between the two groups in America.

Analysis written by Matt Suher

Farmar key to Israel success

Simon Griver — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:03:30 +0000

Avner Koppel, the Israel Basketball Commissioner, will travel to America to persuade NBA star Jordan Farmar to represent Israel in this summer's Eurobasket qualifiers.

Koppel will talk to the New Jersey Nets point guard after watching Monday night's clash between the NBA's two Jewish stars as the Nets play Omri Casspi's Cleveland Cavaliers.

Israel will face Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Estonia and Iceland in the qualifying tournament with the top two teams progressing to the 16-team finals in Slovenia.

Israel have an excellent record of reaching the finals, but Koppel is hopeful that the addition of some star names can take them beyond the quarter-finals. The team's best performance came in 1979 where they finished runners-up after losing to the Soviet Union in the final.

Farmar has been in top form since returning to the US and last week scored a dramatic three-pointer on the buzzer to hand the Nets a 101-100 victory over the LA Clippers.

Silverware for schools at Maccabi GB events

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:22:50 +0000

Maccabi GB's busy tournament schedule continued over the past couple of weeks with the Primary School Year 3 & 4 Football tournament and the Secondary School Boys Basketball tournament. In total over 320 young people participated.

The Years 3 & 4 Football tournament saw 18 teams attend and the many players were well supported by friends, teachers and family members who braved the freezing conditions to cheer on their schools.

The tournament for this age group provides the first opportunities for some of the players to represent their school and play competitively, and the youngsters relished the chance with some great goals scored and enthusiastic celebrations throughout.

The final between Naima and Kerem was a close fought game that went all the way to penalties. Ultimately it was Naima that held their nerve and won the shootout and the tournament.

The following week saw all six Jewish Secondary Schools descend on JFS for the Secondary School Boys Basketball Tournament. This event involved 18 teams made up of players from Year 7 right through to Sixth formers.

The tournament was split into 3 separate events with Years 7 and 8 competing in one tournament, Years 9 and 10 in another tournament and Years 11+ in a third league. The games were fast paced and produced some fantastic play with all the teams eager to finish top place and claim the winners’ medals.

The Years 7/8 tournament was won by King Solomon. JFS had a double victory winning the Years 9/10 group and the seniors group.

Maccabi GB's School Sports Coordinator, Scott Shulton reflected on the events. "This past week Maccabi GB has engaged 320 young people in sports tournaments, allowing these young participants to compete in sports in an encouraging environment.

"The Primary School players were so well supported by their friends and families and the Secondary players were able to compete against other Jewish players whilst also socialising and meeting new people."

I've had a ball, says Farmar

Simon Griver — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:22:16 +0000

With the lockout ended, the NBA's two Jewish stars –Jordan Farmar and Omri Casspi - are relishing the start of the US basketball season, two months behind schedule.

New Jersey Nets guard Farmar has been playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv and another powerful performance last week saw him score 21 points as the Israelis beat Milan to go top of Euroleague Group Three.

Farmar said: "I've mixed feelings. It's been such a positive experience in Israel and I'll be back one day."

Forward Casspi moved from Sacramento Kings to the Cavaliers in the summer.

He said: "The most difficult part of the lockout is I've not been allowed to talk to my new club.

"Now I'm really looking forward to the challenge of succeeding in Cleveland." The NBA season starts on December 25.