2017–18 Israeli Basketball Premier League

The 2017–18 Israeli Basketball Premier League, for sponsorship reasons Ligat Winner, was the 64th season of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Hapoel Jerusalem is the defending champion.

Israeli Basketball Premier League
Season2017–18
DatesOctober 8, 2017 – June 14, 2018
Number of teams12
TV partner(s)Sports Channel
Regular season
Season MVPJamaica Sek Henry
PromotedHapoel Be'er Sheva
RelegatedMaccabi Haifa
Finals
ChampionsMaccabi Tel Aviv (52nd title)
  Runners-upHapoel Holon
SemifinalistsHapoel Jerusalem
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Finals MVPIsrael Alex Tyus
Awards
Sixth ManIsrael Adrian Banks
Rising StarIsrael Yovel Zoosman
Best DefenderIsrael Joaquin Szuchman
Most ImprovedIsrael Nimrod Levi
Statistical leaders
PointsUnited States Glen Rice Jr.24.3
ReboundsUnited States Demetrius Treadwell9.2
AssistsIsrael Avi Ben Chimol7.2
Index RatingUnited States Glen Rice Jr.29.9

Competition format

Twelve teams took part in the regular season, where they played against each other four times home-and-away in a double round-robin format. The first eight qualified teams advanced to the playoffs. The last qualified team was relegated to the Liga Leumit. The regular season started 8 October 2017.

Teams

Ironi Nes Ziona has been promoted to the league after winning 2016–17 National League, and comes back just one year after their relegation.[1] Maccabi Kiryat Gat, who finished in last place during the 2016–17 season, relegated to the Liga Leumit[2]

Stadia and locations

TeamHome cityStadiumCapacity
Bnei HerzliyaHerzliyaHaYovel Herzliya1,500
Hapoel EilatEilatBegin Arena1,490
Hapoel Gilboa GalilGilboa Regional CouncilGan Ner Sports Hall2,100
Hapoel HolonHolonHolon Toto Hall5,500
Hapoel JerusalemJerusalemPais Arena11,000
Hapoel Tel AvivTel AvivDrive in Arena3,504
Ironi NahariyaNahariyaEin Sarah2,500
Ironi Nes ZionaNess ZionaLev Hamoshava1,200
Maccabi AshdodAshdodHaKiriya Arena2,200
Maccabi HaifaHaifaRomema Arena5,000
Maccabi Rishon LeZionRishon LeZionBeit Maccabi Rishon2,500
Maccabi Tel AvivTel AvivMenora Mivtachim Arena10,383

Personnel and sponsorship

TeamChairmanHead coachKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Bnei Herzliya Eldad Akunis Arik ShivekPeakRav-Bariach
Hapoel Eilat Motti Amsalem Sharon DruckerAnd1Fattal
Hapoel Gilboa Galil Haim Ohayon Ariel Beit-HalahmyPeak
Hapoel Holon Eitan Lanciano Dan ShamirPeakUNET
Hapoel Jerusalem Ori Allon Oded KattashMacron[3]Bank Yahav
Hapoel Tel Aviv Rami Cohen Danny FrancoPeakSP
Ironi Nahariya Nissim Alfasi Eric AlfasiPeak
Ironi Nes Ziona Tomer Yamin Nadav ZilbersteinKappaHai Motors
Maccabi Ashdod Meir Kikoz Brad GreenbergAnd1Kaplan Medical Center
Maccabi Haifa Jeff Rosen Barak PelegPeakHunter
Maccabi Rishon LeZion Itzhak Peri Zvika SherfUnder ArmourILAND.TV
Maccabi Tel Aviv Shimon Mizrahi Neven SpahijaNikeFOX

Managerial changes

Departure dateTeamOutgoing head coachReasonHire dateIncoming head coachRef.
November 9, 2017Hapoel Jerusalem Fotios KatsikarisFiredNovember 9, 2017 Modi Maor[4]
November 14, 2017Hapoel Eilat Meir TapiroFiredNovember 18, 2017 Sharon Drucker[5][6]
December 5, 2017Bnei Herzliya Mickey GorkaFiredDecember 20, 2017 Arik Shivek[7][8]
February 22, 2018Hapoel Jerusalem Modi MaorFiredFebruary 22, 2018 Oded Kattash[9]
April 10, 2018Maccabi Rishon LeZion Shmulik BrenerFiredApril 10, 2018 Zvika Sherf[10]
April 22, 2018Maccabi Haifa Offer RahimiResignedApril 27, 2018 Barak Peleg[11][12]

Regular season

In the regular season, teams play against each other at least three times home-and-away in double a round-robin format. The six first qualified teams advance to the playoffs. The regular season started on 8 October 2017.

Standings

PosTeamPldWLPFPAPDPtsQualification or relegation
1Maccabi Tel Aviv33231028162620+19656Advance to play-offs
2Hapoel Holon33221128952792+10355
3Hapoel Jerusalem33211227382614+12454
4Maccabi Ashdod33201327222605+11753
5Hapoel Tel Aviv33191427562717+3952
6Hapoel Gilboa Galil33171627492792−4350
7Hapoel Eilat33161725592613−5449
8Ironi Nes Ziona33132027042788−8446
9Ironi Nahariya33132026892760−7146
10Bnei Herzliya33122126122775−16345
11Maccabi Rishon LeZion33112227572792−3544
12Maccabi Haifa (R)33112225602689−12944Relegation to Liga Leumit
Source: Basket.co.il
(R) Relegated

Players strike

On May 22, 2018, the Israeli Basketball Players Association announced a strike after the league introduced a rule, which enforced the teams to have at least two Israeli players on court at the same time.[13] On May 24, the league announced that the season would be ended with one regular season game remaining and that no playoffs would be held due to the ongoing strike.[14][15]

However, on May 25, 2018, the Israeli League Management have reached an agreement with the Israeli Basketball Players Association and the strike ended.[16][17]

Play-offs

Team 1SeriesTeam 2Game 1Game 2Game 3Game 4Game 5
Maccabi Tel Aviv3–1Ironi Nes Ziona94–6294–95102–9396–79-
Maccabi Ashdod1–3Hapoel Tel Aviv91–8677–9878–9974–79-
Hapoel Jerusalem3–1Hapoel Gilboa Galil78–8593–85107–10599–74-
Hapoel Holon3–2Hapoel Eilat89–8386–10087–8170-8782-71

Source: Ligat Winner

Final Four

 
SemifinalsFinal
 
      
 
June 10
 
 
Maccabi Tel Aviv 98
 
June 14
 
Hapoel Tel Aviv 74
 
Maccabi Tel Aviv 95
 
June 11
 
Hapoel Holon 75
 
Hapoel Holon80
 
 
Hapoel Jerusalem 76
 

Clubs in European competitions

TeamCompetitionProgressRef
Maccabi Tel AvivEuroLeagueRegular season
Hapoel JerusalemEuroCupRegular season[18]
Hapoel HolonChampions LeagueRegular season[19]
Bnei HerzliyaFIBA Europe CupRegular season[20]

Final standings

PosTeamQualification or relegation
1Maccabi Tel AvivAutomatically qualified for 2018–19 EuroLeague
2Hapoel HolonQualified for 2018–19 Basketball Champions League
3Hapoel Jerusalem
4Hapoel Tel Aviv
5Maccabi Ashdod
6Hapoel Gilboa Galil
7Hapoel Eilat
8Ironi Nes ZionaQualified for 2018–19 FIBA Europe Cup
9Ironi Nahariya
10Bnei Herzliya
11Maccabi Rishon LeZion
12Maccabi HaifaRelegated to the Ligat Leumit

All-Star Game

The 2018 Israeli League All-star event was held on March 2, 2018, at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv.[21]

The International team won the game 137–122. The MVP of the game was Pierre Jackson who scored 18 points along with 6 assists.[22]

Corey Webster won the Three-Point Shootout [23] and Jaron Johnson won the Slam Dunk Contest.[24]

Rosters

Game

March 2, 2018Israeli All-Stars122–137International All-StarsTel Aviv
14:00Scoring by quarter: 27-34, 28-41, 36-20, 31-42
Sport 5Pts: Kadir 26
Rebs: Tyus & Kadir 9
Asts: Blatt & Ben Chimol 8
PIR: Kadir 31
Box Score
Report
Pts: LeDay 19
Rebs: Gaffney & Dyson 8
Asts: Jackson 6
PIR: Gaffney 24
Arena: Menora Mivtachim Arena
Attendance: 11,000
Referees: Eyal Porhiles, Lior Beinish, Rotem Koza

Three-point shootout

Contestants
Pos.PlayerTeam1st roundFinal round
G Corey WebsterIroni Nahariya1622
F Guy PniniHapoel Holon2015
G Tamir Blatt REPHapoel Holon1715
G John DiBartolomeoMaccabi Tel Aviv15-
F Amit SimhonHapoel Eilat14-
G Jerome DysonHapoel Jerusalem8-
G Khalif WyattIroni Nes Ziona8-
G Or CohenHapoel Jerusalem (Youth)8-
F Jonathan Skjöldebrand INJIroni Nahariya--

Source: Basket.co.il

Slam Dunk Contest

Contestants
Pos.PlayerTeam1st round2nd roundFinal round
F Jaron JohnsonIroni Nes Ziona404039
G Adrian BanksHapoel Tel Aviv404036
G Sek HenryMaccabi Ashdod37--
F/C Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil34--

Source: Basket.co.il

Statistical leaders

Points

PosPlayerClubPPG
1 Glen Rice Jr.Hapoel Holon24.3
2 Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil19.5
3 Jordan LoydHapoel Eilat17.4
4 Sek HenryMaccabi Ashdod17.3
5 Jeff AdrienBnei Herzliya17.2

Assists

PosPlayerClubAPG
1 Avi Ben-ChimolMaccabi Rishon LeZion7.2
2 Sek HenryMaccabi Ashdod6.2
3 J'Covan BrownHapoel Gilboa Galil5.9
4 Pierre JacksonMaccabi Tel Aviv5.3
5 Ángel RodríguezMaccabi Haifa4.7

Rebounds

PosPlayerClubRPG
1 Demetrius TreadwellHapoel Eilat9.2
2 Talib ZannaIroni Nes Ziona8.9
3 Jeff AdrienBnei Herzliya8.8
4 Murphy HollowayMaccabi Rishon LeZion8.5
5 Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil8.2

Efficiency

PosPlayerClubPIR
1 Glen Rice Jr.Hapoel Holon29.9
2 Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil23.0
3 Jeff AdrienBnei Herzliya21.2
4 Murphy HollowayMaccabi Rishon LeZion20.1
5 Jordan LoydHapoel Eilat20.0

Other statistics

CategoryPlayerTeamAverage
Steals Ángel RodríguezMaccabi Haifa2.4
Blocks Reginald BucknerMaccabi Haifa1.5
Turnovers Ángel RodríguezMaccabi Haifa3.3
Minutes Amit SimhonHapoel Eilat34:20
2P% Ronald RobertsHapoel Jerusalem76.9%
3P% Yotam HalperinHapoel Jerusalem48.5%
FT% Corey WaldenHapoel Holon92.0%

Source: Basket.co.il

Individual game highs

CategoryPlayerTeamTotalOpponent
Points Glen Rice Jr.Hapoel Holon43Maccabi Ashdod (Nov 18, 17)
Rebounds Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil20Hapoel Jerusalem (Dec 10, 17)
Assists Avi Ben-ChimolMaccabi Rishon LeZion16Hapoel Tel Aviv (Apr 9, 18)
Steals Pierre JacksonMaccabi Tel Aviv7Ironi Nahariya (Dec 12, 17)
Blocks Joe AlexanderHapoel Holon6Hapoel Jerusalem (Mar 24, 18)
Three Pointers Jerome DysonHapoel Jerusalem8Maccabi Rishon LeZion (Jan 15, 18)

Source: RealGM

Awards

Yearly awards

Regular season MVP

Pos.PlayerTeam
SG Sek HenryMaccabi Ashdod

Source: basket.co.il

Finals MVP

Pos.PlayerTeam
C Alex TyusMaccabi Tel Aviv

Source: basket.co.il

All-Israeli League Teams

First TeamSecond Team
PlayerTeamPlayerTeam
Jerome DysonHapoel Jerusalem John DiBartolomeoMaccabi Tel Aviv
Sek HenryMaccabi Ashdod Joaquin SzuchmanHapoel Gilboa Galil
Amit SimhonHapoel Eilat Jordan LoydHapoel Eilat
Joe AlexanderHapoel Holon Tomer GinatHapoel Tel Aviv
Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil Alex TyusMaccabi Tel Aviv

Source: basket.co.il

Coach of the Year

Dan Shamir
CoachTeam
Dan ShamirHapoel Holon

Source: basket.co.il

Quarterfinals MVP

Pos.PlayerTeam
PG Jeremy PargoMaccabi Tel Aviv

Source: basket.co.il

Best Defender

Pos.PlayerTeam
SG Joaquin SzuchmanHapoel Gilboa Galil

Source: basket.co.il

Most Improved Player

Pos.PlayerTeam
PF Nimrod LeviMaccabi Ashdod

Source: basket.co.il

Sixth Man of the Year

Pos.PlayerTeam
SG Adrian BanksHapoel Tel Aviv

Source: basket.co.il

Rising Star

Pos.PlayerTeam
SG Yovel ZoosmanMaccabi Tel Aviv

Source: basket.co.il

Monthly Awards

Player of the Month

MonthRoundsPlayerTeamEFFRef
October1–4 Alex YoungIroni Nahariya21.0[25]
November5–7 Glen Rice Jr. (1/2)Hapoel Holon28.0[26]
December8–10 Zach LeDay (1/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil30.7[27]
January11–15 Sek HenryMaccabi Ashdod25.8[28]
February16–17 Glen Rice Jr. (2/2)Hapoel Holon44.0[29]
March18–21 Jeff AdrienBnei Herzliya33.0[30]
April22–27 Zach LeDay (2/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil27.8[31]

Israeli Player of the Month

MonthRoundsPlayerTeamEFFRef
October1–4 Tomer Ginat (1/2)Hapoel Tel Aviv16.3[32]
November5–7 Joe AlexanderHapoel Holon23.3[33]
December8–10 Joaquin SzuchmanHapoel Gilboa Galil16.6[34]
January11–15 Nimrod LeviMaccabi Ashdod16.4[35]
February16–17 Guy PniniHapoel Holon9.3[36]
March18–21 Amit SimhonHapoel Eilat14.8[37]
April22–27 Tomer Ginat (2/2)Hapoel Tel Aviv18.5[38]

Coach of the Month

MonthRoundsCoachTeamW-LRef
October1–4 Eric AlfasiIroni Nahariya3–1[39]
November5–7 Dan Shamir (1/2)Hapoel Holon3–0[40]
December8–10 Ariel Beit-Halahmy (1/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil3–0[41]
January11–15 Brad GreenbergMaccabi Ashdod5–0[42]
February16–17 Dan Shamir (2/2)Hapoel Holon2–0[43]
March18–21 Nadav ZilbersteinIroni Nes Ziona3–1[44]
April22–27 Ariel Beit-Halahmy (2/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil6–0[45]

MVP of the Round

Brandon Bowman
RoundPlayerTeamEFFRef.
October
1 Tomer GinatHapoel Tel Aviv18[46]
2 Alex YoungIroni Nahariya22[47]
3 Brandon BowmanMaccabi Haifa26[48]
4 David LauryMaccabi Ashdod32[49]
Sek Henry26
November
5 Tyler StoneHapoel Gilboa Galil40[50]
6 J'Covan Brown (1/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil42[51]
7 Glen Rice Jr. (1/4)Hapoel Holon43[52]
December
8 Tony GaffneyHapoel Tel Aviv36[53]
9 Zach LeDayHapoel Gilboa Galil33[54]
10 Jerome Dyson (1/3)Hapoel Jerusalem29[55]
January
11 Jordan LoydHapoel Eilat43[56]
12 Taurean GreenBnei Herzliya31[57]
13 Jerome Dyson (2/3)Hapoel Jerusalem27[58]
14 D'Angelo Harrison (1/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil41[59]
15 Murphy Holloway (1/2)Maccabi Rishon LeZion35[60]
February
16 Glen Rice Jr. (2/4)Hapoel Holon42[61]
17 Glen Rice Jr. (3/4)Hapoel Holon46[62]
March
18 Khalif WyattIroni Nes Ziona26[63]
19 Glen Rice Jr. (4/4)Hapoel Holon46[64]
20 Tu HollowayHapoel Holon28[65]
21 Oz BlayzerMaccabi Haifa34[66]
April
22 Joaquin SzuchmanHapoel Gilboa Galil24[67]
23 J'Covan Brown (2/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil38[68]
24 Murphy Holloway (2/2)Maccabi Rishon LeZion34[69]
25 Amit SimhonHapoel Eilat24[70]
26 Jerome Dyson (3/3)Hapoel Jerusalem21[71]
May
27 D'Angelo Harrison (2/2)Hapoel Gilboa Galil39[72]
28 Joe AlexanderHapoel Holon41[73]
29 Cameron LongMaccabi Ashdod28[74]
30 Lior EliyahuHapoel Jerusalem26[75]
31 Shawn DawsonBnei Herzliya28[76]
32 Jeremy PargoMaccabi Tel Aviv30[77]
33 Richard HowellHapoel Jerusalem25[78]

Average attendances

Included playoffs games.

PosTeamTotalHighLowAverageChange
1Hapoel Jerusalem105,76310,8023,7745,876−9.2%
2Maccabi Tel Aviv86,6508,0002,2054,814−4.2%
3Hapoel Holon64,0005,1002,5003,556+8.9%
4Hapoel Tel Aviv51,4223,5369002,857−3.6%
5Maccabi Haifa32,0093,4875002,001−4.3%
6Ironi Nahariya31,3502,5001,6001,959+2.9%
7Maccabi Rishon LeZion24,5002,2006001,531−15.1%
8Hapoel Gilboa Galil22,3002,1008501,312+23.2%
9Bnei Herzliya18,1001,4007001,131−4.0%
10Ironi Nes Ziona19,6501,3006501,092−7.1%
11Hapoel Eilat16,4001,300550965−10.1%
12Maccabi Ashdod16,6042,000500922+6.5%
League total488,74810,8025002,373−7.9%

Updated to games played on 1 June 2018
Source: Israeli Basketball Super League

See also

References