Hapoel Jerusalem back on track with rout of Gilboa/Galil

By ALLON SINAI
Hapoel Jerusalem guard Yotam Halperin had 11 points in last night’s 88-58 win over Hapoel Gilboa/Galil at the Jerusalem Arena. (photo credit: DANNY MARON)
Hapoel Jerusalem guard Yotam Halperin had 11 points in last night’s 88-58 win over Hapoel Gilboa/Galil at the Jerusalem Arena.
(photo credit: DANNY MARON)
After a nightmare month in the BSL, Hapoel Jerusalem finally returned to winning ways on Saturday night, thrashing Hapoel Gilboa/ Galil 88-58 at the Jerusalem Arena to snap a five-game losing streak.
Jerusalem had opened the campaign with a club record nine consecutive victories before completely losing its way over the past month.
Gilboa’s visit to the Jerusalem Arena couldn’t have come at a better time for the hosts, with Hapoel dominating from start to finish.
“It was very important for us to win,” said Jerusalem coach Danny Franco. “We haven’t forgotten to play basketball.”
Joseph Jones had 19 points for Jerusalem, which improved to 10-5 and visits Maccabi Tel Aviv next week. Tywain McKee had 14 points on his debut for Jerusalem.
Alex Young scored 16 points for Gilboa, which fell to 5-10 following a fifth defeat from its past six games.
On Sunday, Hapoel Tel Aviv hosts Maccabi Haifa in a showdown between two of the BSL’s in-form teams.
Since cutting Americans Demontez Stitt and Jeff Allen following their arrest for being in possession of marijuana, Haifa has won five of six games over all competitions, improving to 6-8 in the BSL with last week’s 81-73 victory over Maccabi Rishon Lezion and advancing to the State Cup semifinals.
Hapoel Tel Aviv got life at the Arik Einstein Arena off to a winning start last week, beating Hapoel Jerusalem 81-67 for its seventh win from the last 10 games to move to 8-6.
Four more games will be played on Monday, with Maccabi Tel Aviv (12-2) going for its ninth straight BSL win when it visits Ironi Nahariya (5-9), while Ironi Ness Ziona (9-5) hosts Rishon Lezion (9-5), Maccabi Ashdod (3-11) visits Hapoel Holon (8-6) and Bnei Herzliya (4-10) goes to Hapoel Eilat (6-8).
Herzliya made two significant changes to its roster on Friday, cutting Magnum Roll and Kyle Weaver to make room for Julian Wright and Deron Washington.
Herzliya has lost four straight games and six of its past seven, but its prospects for the rest of the season look much better following the addition of Wright, who was waived by Panathinaikos last week and shined at Rishon Lezion in 2012/13, and Washington, who starred for Hapoel Holon and Barak Netanya in the past.