Rishon, Gilboa hope to snatch remaining Final 4 spots

Relegation playoffs could also be decided, with Maccabi Haifa taking a 2-1 lead into Game 4 at Ironi Ashkelon.

By ALLON SINAI
Hapoel Gilboa Galil 311 (photo credit: Adi Avishai)
Hapoel Gilboa Galil 311
(photo credit: Adi Avishai)
Maccabi Rishon Lezion will advance to its first BSL Final Four since 2006 should it claim a home victory over Bnei Hasharon on Sunday night, while Hapoel Gilboa/Galil needs one more win in its best-of-five quarterfinal series against Hapoel Holon to reach the season-ending tournament for the third straight year.
Effi Birenboim’s team took a 2-1 series lead over Bnei Hasharon with an 82- 75 victory in Herzliya on Thursday and will be desperate to book its return to Israeli basketball’s showcase event on Sunday after playing in the first-ever Final Four in the 2005/06 season.
Gilboa, on the other hand, has been a fixture in recent Final Fours, reaching three of the last four and going all the way last season.
Despite losing in Game 2 in Holon, the reigning champion will be expecting to wrap up the series on Sunday after winning Games 1 and 3 by an average 17 points.
The relegation playoffs could also be decided on Sunday, with Maccabi Haifa taking a 2-1 lead into Game 4 at Ironi Ashkelon.
The National League playoff finals will continue on Monday, with BC Habika’a needing one more win over Hapoel Tel Aviv to clinch the championship after taking a 2-0 series lead on Thursday.