While coach Oded Katash has managed to steady the ship on court, Hapoel Jerusalem continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons off it.Hapoel owner Ori Allon was fined NIS 10,000 by the BSL on Monday for making a crude gesture towards the Hapoel Holon fans following his team’s 82-75 win on Sunday.Allon lost his cool after being taunted by the Holon supporters and the BSL said it expects management members and players alike to “show restraint and behave appropriately even if they are taunted by the fans.”Allon also clashed with a group of his own side’s supporters, who have recently targeted the owner’s right-hand man, CEO Guy Harel, and guard Yogev Ohayon.Allon said he is unwilling to accept such behavior and would consider leaving the club if it continues.Jerusalem won for the fourth time in five games on Sunday, improving to a 15-9 record, tied with Maccabi Ashdod and just two games behind leaders Hapoel Holon and Maccabi Tel Aviv.Life without Glen Rice Jr. got off to a rough start for Holon, which has lost three of its past four games, including two defeats to Jerusalem. Holon was playing on Sunday for the first time since the unceremonious departure of the league’s leading scorer. Rice, who leads the BSL with 24.3 points per game, was released by the team shortly after last Monday’s 94-89 loss to Hapoel Gilboa/ Galil, punching teammate Guy Pnini in the locker room after the two had exchanged heated words during the game.“You learn through experience that life is game that you can’t play without making mistakes, but it still pains me in so many ways to be in this situation knowing my mistake let you all down,” Rice said on Monday in a message recorded for Holon fans. “I worked extremely hard to get on the path that brought me to Hapoel Holon and to be a better player, and even more importantly a better person.With my deepest regret I want to tell you all that I’m sorry and thank you for the opportunity to have me on your team.”Holon wasted little time in replacing Rice, signing Jordan Hamilton on Monday. The 27-year-old swingman, who made 151 appearances in the NBA between 2011 and 2016, began this season at Turkish club Usak Sportif.In BSL action on Monday, Ironi Nahariya (8-16) snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 87-72 win over Maccabi Rishon Lezion (10-15).Hapoel Eilat improved to 13-12 with a 90-81 win over Ironi Ness Ziona (10-15). Amit Simhon continued his excellent season with 21 points and eight rebounds for the winners.
