After just a single game for Bnei Hasharon, Sacramento Kings forward J.J.
Hickson will return to the US on Sunday, reaching a mutual agreement with the
BSL club to terminate his contract.
Hickson, who only arrived in Israel
two weeks ago as a replacement for injured Washington Wizards big-man Trevor
Booker, was homesick almost from the start and was unhappy with the size of the
apartment he was given.
Bnei Hasharon arranged a new residence for the
forward, but he still insisted he wanted to leave and after missing Friday’s
training session – claiming in a text message that he wasn’t feeling well – the
club decided there was little point in keeping him around.
Hickson had 20
points and eight rebounds in his only game for Bnei Hasharon last week, a 119-80
blowout defeat at Hapoel Holon.
Bnei Hasharon will look to recover from
the humiliation in Holon and Hickson’s unexpected departure when it hosts
Maccabi Rishon Lezion in BSL action on Sunday.
Also Sunday, Maccabi Tel
Aviv will aim to build on its best performance of the season to date when it
visits Maccabi Ashdod.
Tel Aviv was extremely impressive in the 88-82 win
over Real Madrid at Nokia Arena on Thursday, with Jordan Farmar’s excellent
performance being rewarded with Euroleauge Week 3 MVP honors. Farmar finished
with 27 points on 9-of-11 two-point shooting, made his only three-point attempt,
and added five assists, four rebounds and eight fouls drawn for a performance
index rating of 35.
Maccabi Haifa, which visits Ironi Ashkelon on Sunday,
added Qyntel Woods to its roster on Friday as a replacement for the injured
Tyler Wilkerson, who is expected to miss a couple of months through
injury.
Woods, 30, who has played for Asseco Prokom Gdynia of Poland in
the last three seasons and has also spent spells in the NBA at Portland, Miami
and New York, is due to arrive in Israel later this week.
“To be able to
sign such an experienced player as Qyntel Woods, who can handle the ball, shoot
and defend like he can is a great asset to Maccabi Haifa,” said coach Mickey
Gorka.
In Sunday’s first game, Hapoel Gilboa/Galil hosts Maccabi Rishon
Lezion.
On Monday, the struggling Hapoel Jerusalem will be hoping the new
addition of Dan Grunfeld and the return from injury of Brian Randle will help it
get back on track when its visits Barak Netanya.