Hapoel Jerusalem looking to test their strengths on an international stage
Meet the first team participating in the first edition of the Youth Basketball Champions League 2023!
JERUSALEM (Israel) - Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem are playing their fifth season in the Basketball Champions League and have twice reached the top eight. The two-time Israeli league champions rely on players from Jerusalem and have been able to produce a couple of national team players. Now they are looking to see where they stand in the Youth Basketball Champions League.
"It’s a great opportunity for us to gain some international experience. For the players it’s a great chance to play against European players to get to know how they are in relation to European basketball. So for them it’s going to be a very good experience. And also for us as a club to see how we stand against top European clubs and to see what we do well and what we need to do better. So it’s an excellent opportunity for both the players and us as a club."
- Daniel Shashar, Hapoel Jerusalem CEO and Professional Development Director, and U18 head coach
History of the Program | Domestic Success
U18
Israeli Cup Champions 2012
U16
Champions 2012, 2019
Recent Youth Developments
Jerusalem three years ago hired a full-time strength and conditioning coach to work exclusively with the youth teams. The Italian Andrea Cavallari has since left the club and works with Hapoel Tel Aviv’s pro team, while the club continued the existing foundation and replaced him with another strength and conditioning coach. In addition, the Jerusalem general manager Yonathan Alon was a long time youth coach in the club and that has helped the cooperation between the pro side and youth ranks.
YBCL Player to Watch
Rom Hitkes | 2005 | G
Hitkes forms a three-headed monster with Roi Avneri and Yonatan Abouloff. The 1.90 meter guard is fun to watch as a creator who does great things with the ball. Hitkes can blow by his defender and get to the rim, but is also a very good passer. He is the team’s main creator as he averages 16 points per game and more than 6 assists in the Israeli U18 league while shooting 33 percent on three-pointers.
Program Alumni
Rafi Menco | Adam Ariel | Miron Ruina | Yuval Sznajderman
Jerusalem native Adam Ariel came up with the Reds and helped the club win the U18 title in 2012. He turned pro with the club, left for Germany for a season and came back to Israel before re-joining Hapoel Jerusalem in 2020. The Israeli national team player left this offseason for Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Adam Ariel suiting up for Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem in the 2021-2022 Basketball Champions League edition.