ISR - Rising star Eliyahu finds his feet at Maccabi Tel Aviv

ROMA (Euroleague) - Lior Eliyahu is the biggest basketball prospect in Israel since Oded Katash, but that doesn’t keep Maccabi Tel Aviv from telling their youngster to carry the team’s bag of dirty laundry after games.

That was the case on Thursday night after Maccabi’s 88-81 overtime defeat at Lottomatica Roma in the Euroleague. The 21-year-old kindly stopped to answer some questions by PA Sport's Cindy Garcia-Bennett for FIBA.com.

FIBA: Lior, your team lost a very close game tonight but overall, the season seems to be going well for Maccabi Tel Aviv both domestically and in the Euroleague. What’s it been like playing for one of the true giants of European basketball?

Eliyahu: "I grew up in Tel Aviv and to arrive to Maccabi's first team is great. This is my first season and I am enjoying every minute. I play with joy and I hope everything will go okay for the team.”


FIBA: Wherever Maccabi play, fans in yellow t-shirts turn out to give you remarkable support. But clearly there is pressure at Maccabi like no other place since the club has a winning tradition at home and abroad?

Eliyahu: "There's always pressure in any team and for sure, Maccabi is no exception. We are a team that wants to win each game regardless of the opponent we face and there is a lot of expectation. What we have to do is play smart and try to always play the way we know."


FIBA: What about you, Lior? You were at Hapoel Galil Elyon last year and made the EuroCup All-Star team, and this year you are third in the team in scoring and logging about 22 minutes per game in Europe.

Eliyahu: "I have a lot to improve in my game. I have to become more physical and I have worked a lot on my defensive play this summer, but I have to continue to work hard on a day-to-day basis.”


FIBA: Neven Spahija came into a difficult situation at Maccabi after the departure of Pini Gershon, and great players like Anthony Parker and Maceo Baston. What are you thoughts?

Eliyahu: "Neven Spahija is a great coach but he treats every player the same. I am just one player in the team and whatever he says I will do.”


FIBA: Israel’s Oded Katash was supposed to play in the NBA with the New York Knicks but the lockout led to his decision to remain at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Last summer, you were selected 44th in the NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. How does that make you feel?

Eliyahu: "My aim since I was a child has been to succeed in basketball and right now, I want to be successful in Europe and play well for Maccabi. I always want to bring new things into my life, of course, and the NBA is a dream for any player, to be able to play against the best players in the world. I don't know how long it will take for me to get there and one day it may come. I now want to establish myself in Europe and we will see what happens."


FIBA: You played for Israel at the 2005 FIBA U21 World Championship in Argentina, a tournament that gave us a glimpse of some of the rising stars in the game. How would you rate that experience?

Eliyahu: "I made very good friends with some of the players in my team. It was my last championship with the junior team and it was very special. We played against great teams and we almost got to the final. I remember that in the last offense I missed a shot but I played a good tournament overall."


FIBA: Now you play with Israel’s senior team?

Eliyahu: "I played last summer for the national team and I got injured in the last practice. I hope that this summer, I will have a chance to play and to prove myself with the national team.”


FIBA: Israel are facing a very difficult task. They must win this year’s additional qualifying tournament just to play at EuroBasket 2007. However, Tal Burstein, who missed last year’s qualifying games with an Achilles injury, is playing again with Maccabi so you must fancy your chances, right?

Eliyahu: "It's going to be hard to qualify for the EuroBasket, it's our last opportunity, but we have to remain positive. We have a good team, stars are coming back and hopefully it will go okay for us."

PA Sport