Local Hoops: Women return with deal inked

Local players' union, Israel Basketball Association sign deal to end two-week strike.

By ALLON SINAI
Israeli womens basketball 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Israeli womens basketball 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Israeli women’s basketball Premier League returned to normal service on Monday night after the local players’ union agreed to a deal with the Israel Basketball Association, ending a two-week strike.
The Israel Basketball Association announced last week that it is canceling the women’s top-flight season following the work stoppage announced by the Israeli players, who were unhappy with the cancellation of the ‘Russian rule’ – which dictates that two local players have to be on court at any given time during a game.
The IBA planned to resume the season even without the Israeli players on Monday, but a new agreement was finally signed earlier in the day and the local players showed up for the games.
According to the new deal, the ‘Russian rule’ will return for three seasons starting next year, while each team will be able to use four foreigners at once this season as the IBA demanded.
In BSL action, Barak Netanya suffered its fourth straight defeat to start the season, losing 104-94 at Maccabi Haifa.
Sylven Landesberg led Haifa with 35 points, while Carlos Powell scored 23 for Haifa, which improved to 2-3.
Christian Barnes had 28 points for Netanya.
Netanya got off to the better start, but Haifa came back with an 11-1 run before the visitors scored the final points of the period to lead 26-25 after 10 minutes.
The second frame unfolded in a similar way to the first, with the visitors pulling ahead, only for Haifa to end the half with a 12-2 surge that tied the score at 48-48.
Netanya scored the first nine points of the second half to open a margin it would hold throughout the third period, but Haifa held its composure the better of the two teams in the final 10 minutes to claim its second win of the season.