Basketball: Eliyahu leaves Maccabi for Tau Vitoria

23-year-old to leave Tel Aviv after three seasons in which he developed into one of European basketball's best young players.

By ALLON SINAI
Lior Eliyahu 248.88 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger )
Lior Eliyahu 248.88
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger )
Lior Eliyahu will be presented as a Tau Vitoria player next week after signing a four-year contract with the Spanish club. The 23-year-old will leave Maccabi Tel Aviv after three seasons in which he developed into one of European basketball's best young players. The forward was one of Tel Aviv's leading players last season, averaging 14 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the Euroleague. "I congratulate Lior on his move to Tau Vitoria," Maccabi chairman Shimon Mizrahi said on Tuesday, despite the fact that Eliyahu has still to go through a medical before the Spanish Euroleague club will officially announce his signing. "I know from the Tau president that Lior has signed and I also know that they have released several key players. I wish Lior all the best." Tau is coached by strict Serbian Dusko Ivanovic and despite failing to defend its Spanish league title ended the past season with silverware after claiming the Spanish cup. In the Euroleague the team was knocked out in the quarterfinal playoffs, losing 3-2 to Barcelona after leading the series 2-1. Eliyahu began his professional career at Hapoel Galil Elyon, playing three seasons at the club. In his final season up north Eliyahu was extremely impressive, averaging 15.9 points and 5.9 rebounds in league play, and it wasn't long before he was snatched up by Tel Aviv. The Israel international settled quickly at the Nokia Arena, but has now decided to move on, tempted by Tau's lucrative offer estimated to be ian average of $1 million a year.