ISR - Gershon back at Maccabi Tel Aviv

TEL AVIV (Euroleague) - It was only a matter of time before Pini Gershon returned to club coaching.

The veteran Israeli, who this summer guided Bulgaria into next year's EuroBasket, has returned to former team Maccabi Tel Aviv and replaced coach Efy Birenboim.

Gershon will coach the team through the 2010-11 campaign.

Maccabi confirmed Gershon's return on the club's official website.

Zvi Sherf, the national team boss of Israel, had led Maccabi last season after taking over for the sacked Oded Katash but he was not retained despite firing the team to a runners-up finish in the Euroleague.

Following his summer appointment, Birenboim presided over two wins and two defeats in this season's Euroleague but was shown the door.

This is the third time that Gershon has led Maccabi in the past decade.

He has guided the club to a handful of European and domestic titles, including the 2001 FIBA SuproLeague crown.

His last club coaching job was with Greek giants Olympiacos, but the Reds decided to part with him midway through the 2007-08 campaign and replace him with Panagiotis Yannakis.

FIBA