#1. This week’s number one is former U18 international forward TJ Leaf (208-97, college: UCLA, currently plays in China). He could not help Long-Lions (17-10) in their last game. Despite Leaf’s very good performance Long-Lions lost 111-119 on the road to the lower-ranked (#11) Royal Fighters.
He had a double-double by scoring 47 points and getting 17 rebounds. Leaf also added 5 blocks and 3 steals in 55 minutes on the court.
His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical.
Leaf has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 27.0ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.0apg, 2.5bpg, 2.5spg, 2FGP: 66.7%(60-90), 3FGP: 33.3% and FT: 83.3% in six games he played so far.
Leaf is a naturalized American.
Despite he played previously for the USA U19 national team, Leaf played also for the Israeli U18 national team in 2015.
Strangely he has never played in Israel.
#2. Second place goes to an experienced former international center Alex Tyus (203-88, college: Florida, currently plays in Turkey). Tyus was the major contributor in a Pinar Karsiyaka‘s victory against the closely-ranked Efes (13-4) 78-73 in the Turkish BSL last Sunday.
He scored 17 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir (9-6) is placed fourth in the BSL.
Tyus’ team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And now that game is very crucial.
It’s Tyus’ first season with the team.
His overall stats this year are: 7.5ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.6apg, 2FGP: 56.9%(37-65) and FT: 57.1%.
Tyus is a naturalized American.
He played for the Israeli national team in 2013.
Tyus used to play for Maccabi Ashdod in Israeli league.
#3. The Israeli player who performed third best last week abroad was an international power forward Tomer Ginat (202-94, agency: Avi Zilberman, currently plays in EuroCup). He led his French team Metropolitans to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Turk Telekom (6-5) 99-82 in the Eurocup on Wednesday night.
Ginat recorded 13 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in 29 minutes.
Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans (6-5) is placed fifth in the Eurocup.
This year Ginat’s overall stats are: 9.0ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.9apg, 2FGP: 54.4%, 3FGP: 16.7% and FT: 76.5% in nine games.
He is also a member of the Israeli senior national team.
#4. Shooting guard Deni Avdija (206-1, currently plays in NBA) was not able to help the Washington Wizards (23-25) in their last game. Despite his good performance the Washington Wizards (23-25) were edged 119-118 in Brooklyn by the Nets.
Avdija recorded 13 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 23 minutes.
It was Wizards’ fourth consecutive loss in a row.
Avdija has relatively good stats this year: 7.4ppg, 4.7rpg and 1.6apg in 48 games.
He used to play for the Israeli national team
back in 2020.
#5. Former international small forward Yovel Zoosman (198-98, currently plays in Euroleague) was not able to secure a victory for ALBA Berlin (6-14) in their game against Maccabi Tel-Aviv (9-11) in the Euroleague. Despite his good performance on Tuesday night Zoosman scored 10 points and added 3 assists.
Zoosman’s total stats this season are: 6.2ppg, 2.7rpg and 1.1apg.
He has a dual citizenship: Polish and Israeli.
Zoosman used to play for the Israeli national team
three years ago.
#6. Point guard Yam Madar (190-0, agency: Octagon Europe, currently plays in ABA League) couldn’t help Partizan NiS (13-3) in their game against Mega BG (7-8) in the ABA League.
He scored 6 points and added 3 assists in only 9 minutes.
Partizan NiS was edged 93-90 in a derby game by the lower-ranked (#8) Mega BG.
They ended the series of four consecutive victories.
This year Madar’s total stats are: 7.1ppg, 2.4rpg and 1.9apg in 15 games.
He is an international player who is currently on the senior Israeli National Team roster.
#7. International point guard Tamir Blatt (184-97, currently plays in Germany) is a teammate of previously mentioned Yovel Zoosman. But that was another game of his team in German BBL which we would like to mention.
Blatt couldn’t help ALBA Berlin in their game against EnBW Ludwigsburg. He cannot count Saturday’s game as one of the best ones.
Blatt scored only 3 points in 14 minutes.
The league leader ALBA Berlin was edged 76-75 in Ludwigsburg by the much lower-ranked (#14) EnBW.
Blatt has averaged so far 4.2ppg, 1.5rpg and 4.5apg in 13 games.
He is also Israeli national team player.
#8. Swingman Michael Moshkovitz (201-98, currently plays college basketball in the States) managed to help University of Pennsylvania in a victory against the Yale University (3-1) 76-68 in the NCAA last Saturday.
He scored only 4 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 33 minutes.
The University of Pennsylvania has a solid 4-2 conference record this season.
Moshkovitz has averaged so far 4.7ppg, 3.7rpg and 2.5apg in 19 games.
He used to play for the Israeli U20 national team
back in 2018.
#9. Former University international power forward Anton Kazarnovski (206-85, currently plays in Kosovo) couldn’t help Bashkimi (7-4) in their game against Prishtina (8-8) in the Kosovan Superliga.
He scored 9 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 25 minutes.
But Bashkimi was badly defeated 81-62 at home by the lower-ranked (#5) Prishtina.
This year Kazarnovski has relatively solid stats: 13.4ppg, 7.3rpg and 2.1apg in 16 games.
He used to play for the Israeli university national team
fifteen years ago.
#10. Center Yarden Willis (213, currently studies in the States) couldn’t help the Binghamton (5-3) in their game against the Stony Brook University (4-2) in the NCAA.
Willis scored only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
The Binghamton was edged 74-71 in Stony Brook by the University.
Willis has averaged so far 2.7ppg and 1.9rpg.
He is a former U18 international player as five years ago he still played for the Israeli national team.
The list of other players, who all have Israeli passport but never been selected to any of Israeli national teams:
#1. Experienced Adrian Banks (191-SG-86, college: Arkansas St., currently plays in Italy) led Trieste to a victory against the fourth-ranked Pesaro 89-78 in the Italian Serie A in Sunday night’s game.
Banks scored 11 points and added 6 assists.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Allianz Pallacanestro Triesteis placed in the Serie A.
Banks has relatively good stats this season: 14.9ppg, 4.5rpg and 3.5apg.
He is a naturalized American.
Banks used to play for Elitzur Netanya in Israeli league.
#2. Max Heidegger (191-G-97, college: UCSB, currently plays in Germany) could not help EWE Baskets (4-6) in their last game on Saturday. Despite Heidegger’s good performance EWE Baskets was defeated 97-86 on the road by the lower-ranked Hakro Merlins (#8).
He scored 13 points.
Heidegger has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 15.6ppg, 1.2rpg and 2.2apg.
Heidegger is a naturalized American.
He used to play for Maccabi Playtika Tel-Aviv in Israeli league.
#3. Maxim Romanov (203-G, currently plays in NCAA2) contributed to a 1-point Rockhurst University‘s victory against the Maryville University (3-6) 61-60 in the NCAA2 in Thursday night’s game.
Romanov scored 14 points, made 3 passes and 3 steals.
It was the game of the round between two top 2 ranked teams. The Rockhurst University has rather weak 2-6 record this season.
This year Romanov has relatively solid stats: 12.3ppg, 6.0rpg, 2.0apg and 1.5spg.
#4. Jovan Zelenbaba (193-G, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to help the NSU in their game against the University of New Orleans (6-1) in the NCAA.
Zelenbaba scored 7 points.
The NSU was defeated 85-77 at home by the University of.
Zelenbaba has averaged so far 4.6ppg, 2.4rpg and 1.3apg.
#5. Leo Cizmic (205-F-98, currently plays in Spain) contributed to Cantabria‘s victory against the 11th-ranked Navarra (4-9) 87-78 in the Spanish LEB Silver (third division) on Saturday night.
Cizmic scored 8 points, had 8 rebounds and dished 3 assists in 33 minutes.
Grupo Alega Cantabria Torrelavega (9-3) is placed third in West group.
It was his team’s fourth consecutive victory in a row.
Cizmic has reliable stats this year: 11.7ppg, 6.7rpg and 1.5apg in 12 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Croatian and Israeli.
Despite Cizmic’s Israeli passport, he previously played for the Croatian U20 national team and is probably not eligible to play for the Israeli team.
#6. Joshua Djanogly (207-F/C-98, college: McGill, currently plays in Germany) contributed to an easy victory against the 14th-ranked Bramsche 82-67 in the German Regionalliga (fourth division) in Saturday night’s game.
Djanogly scored 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
Djanogly has reliable stats this season: 13.5ppg, 6.5rpg and 2.5apg.
He is another player who holds two passports: British and Israeli.
#7. Segev Grylak (185-G-98, currently plays in NAIA) was not able to secure a victory for the Judson College in their game against the Indiana University – South Bend in the NAIA.
Grylak recorded 7 points in 19 minutes.
His team was crushed by 32 points 82-50 in the NAIA.
Grylak has averaged so far 4.0ppg, 1.5rpg and 1.7apg in 13 games.
#8. Elias Akale (196-G, currently plays in NAIA) managed to help University of Saint Mary to win against the Sterling College 90-74 in the NAIA on Monday night.
He scored only 3 points.
This season Akale averages just 2.0ppg.
#9. Nadav Gerner (190-G, currently plays in NAIA) contributed to an University of Saint Francis (IL)‘s victory against the Governors State University 91-86 in the NAIA in Monday night’s game.
He scored 5 points in 13 minutes.
Gerner has averaged so far 1.6ppg, 1.5rpg and 1.2apg in 15 games.
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