Holon keeps gathering momentum with win in Haifa

By ALLON SINAI
Coach Muli Katzurin was sacked by Bnei Herzliya yesterday after amassing a 6-12 record in the BSL this season. (photo credit: LIRON MOLDOVAN/BSL)
Coach Muli Katzurin was sacked by Bnei Herzliya yesterday after amassing a 6-12 record in the BSL this season.
(photo credit: LIRON MOLDOVAN/BSL)
Hapoel Holon moved into the BSL’s top four with its fifth win from the past six games on Monday night, edging Maccabi Haifa 85-83 on the road thanks to Shlomi Harush’s buzzer-beater.
Holon improved to 11-7, tied with third-place Hapoel Tel Aviv, and made the most of defeats by Maccabi Rishon Lezion and Ironi Ness Ziona.
The encounter at Romema Arena was tight throughout the night and would ultimately only be decided in the final minute. A Moran Roth three-pointer with 20 seconds to play gave Haifa the edge (83-82), but Guni Izraeli tied the score from the freethrow line before Holon’s Jordan Taylor stole the ball and Harush won the game.
Tony Crocker led five Holon players in double figures with 17 points, while Rene Rougeau had 27 points and 12 rebounds for Haifa (8-10).
Also Monday, Ironi Nahariya (6-12) handed Rishon Lezion (10- 8) its fourth defeat in five contests, winning 80-79 in overtime.
John Williamson had 26 points and 10 boards for Nahariya, with Shawn Dowson finishing with 20 points for Rishon.
Hapoel Eilat (9-9) sent Ironi Ness Ziona (10-8) to its third successive loss, winning 75-65 on the road.
Adrian Uter led Eilat with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Preston Knowles had 11 points for Ness Ziona.
In other BSL news, Bnei Herzliya sacked coach Muli Katzurin on Monday, a day after the team dropped to 6-12.
The veteran coach joined Herzliya last March and helped the team avoid relegation to the National League.
However, Herzliya began the season with three consecutive losses and replaced two foreign players after falling to 4-10.
The addition of Julian Wright and Deron Washington in place of Magnum Roll and Kyle Weaver seemed to have finally kick-started the team’s season, with Herzliya winning two games in a row.
However, it went on to lose its next two games, including a 91-71 defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday which led to Katzurin’s sacking on Monday.
Meanwhile, in other Israeli basketball news, Pini Gershon made his first appointment as the new professional head of the Israel Basketball Association on Monday, naming Oded Katash as the new under-20 national team coach.
Katash, who will continue to guide Hapoel Tel Aviv, was an assistant coach with the senior national team over the past three years and will replace Sharon Drucker.