Eurocup: Jeter encourages J'lem teammates after Euro loss

“We need to keep our heads up and get ready for the Israeli league."

By ALLON SINAI
hapoel jerusalem pooh jeter 311 (photo credit: BSL)
hapoel jerusalem pooh jeter 311
(photo credit: BSL)
Hapoel Jerusalem guard Pooh Jeter has called on his teammates to maintain their confidence and turn their focus to the BSL after seeing their Eurocup campaign come to an end in Berlin on Wednesday night.
Jerusalem fell to a 72-59 defeat to Alba Berlin in the return leg of the quarterfinals, losing the tie despite claiming a 67-61 victory in the first leg at Malha Arena.
“Congratulations to Alba, they did what they had to do in their great arena,” said Jeter, who led Hapoel with 19 points in the German capital.
“We need to keep our heads up and get ready for the Israeli league.
“Even though we didn’t make it to the Finals, I think we did a very good job in our Eurocup season.
“I wish we could have done better in the quarterfinals, but we also have to give credit to Alba, which played really well.”
Jerusalem hosts Ironi Ashkelon on Tuesday in the BSL before wrapping up the regular season with two difficult games.
Guy Goodes’s team faces Maccabi Tel Aviv at Malha and visits Maccabi Haifa in its final game on April 25.
“Congratulations to Alba and coach Pavicevic. They deserved to qualifyfor the Eurocup Finals,” Goodes said. “I think the story of the gamefor us was how we started the first and third quarters. Alba opened thegame very aggressive and very strong. They stopped us with theirdefense.
“We scored only seven points in the first quarter and also started the third quarter very poorly.”