Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C.

Local rivalries

For years Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv were considered the top two clubs of Israeli basketball. The Local derby matches between the two teams were always considered to be the most prestigious games in Israeli sports, and ones which led to a bitter and hateful atmosphere between fans of both clubs, often resulting in acts of mutual violence and hooliganism. The tension between both clubs reached its peak in the 1980s. During this era they met for several times in the league's play-off finals and state cup finals. Probably the most famous meeting came in the best-of-three League Championship Finals in April, 1985. Behind the outstanding play of Mike Largey, Hapoel Tel Aviv won the first game in convincing fashion, leading by as much as 25 points late in the second half. Largey always played well against Maccabi Tel Aviv, having beaten them five times in the four years that he played for Hapoel Tel Aviv. Prior to his arrival, Hapoel Tel Aviv had not beaten Maccabi Tel Aviv in 17 straight games. Needless to say, the Hapoel Tel Aviv fans were very confident that this was their year to win the League Championship. The second game started with Largey picking up where he left off from the first game. Then towards the beginning of the second half, after play had stopped for a loose ball foul, Maccabi Tel Aviv's Motti Aroesti shoved his hand into the face of Largey. Largey responded immediately and threw Aroesti to the ground. Afterwards, both players were ejected from the game and were automatically suspended from playing in Game 3. Largey was far more valuable to Hapoel Tel Aviv then Aroesti was to Maccabi Tel Aviv and, not surprisingly, Maccabi Tel Aviv went on to win Games 2 and 3. To this day, most Hapoel Tel Aviv fans are convinced that Maccabi Tel Aviv planned this provocation as a way to deal with its nemesis. These matches are still regarded as of the most exciting and attractive in Israeli basketball history.

During the years as Maccabi Tel Aviv strengthened its dominance in Israeli basketball and its status as the almost-eternal champions, "Hapoel" fans accused their rival's management of various wrongful doing, including offering bribes to referees, signing contracts with rival players during the regular season and playoff series, and receiving exaggerated funds from state television for broadcasting rights. These accusations have never been proven true. With the decline of "Hapoel" in recent years the matches between both clubs became somewhat one-sided. This of course only led to the strengthening of hatred and repeated violent acts between the fans.

2005–06 season

In a controversial decision, Hapoel Tel Aviv decided to hold its home matches at Yad Eliyahu Arena. With its current 11,000 seats capacity it is recognized for years to be the home of rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv. This decision follows a statement by the club's owner Shaul Eizenberg which stated "Hapoel" must move to a larger arena in order to repeat its past glory days. Also contributed to this decision were a change in policy of local police and municipal authorities. These declared the Ussishkin Arena to be unsafe and declared plans for demolishing it and building a boardwalk in place of the arena. The arena was demolished in 2007, despite a campaign by fans to preserve it.^[3]

This move is extremely opposed by the club's fans. After years of blaming the club's owner with its continuing deterioration, this move which is considered by most fans as treason of the club's legacy, caused them to announce they will not support the club in the new arena and under the current owners. The owner in return announced the club's fans to be "Hooligans who oppose progress" and announced the club will now try and seek new fans.

Despite the fact that the team has managed to stay in the Israeli first league, it played the 2006–07 season in the second league due to lack of funds. The lack of funds and managerial disorders, as well as a completely new team based on youth players, led to dismay and the team finished last in the second league and was relegated to the third division at the end of that season.

Hapoel Usishkin Period (2007–2010)

Hapoel Usishkin logo

Hapoel Ussishkin, The new fan owned and run team was founded in July 2007 and registered in the Israeli Liga Bet Dan District (5th tier),^[4] by supporters of Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. following the club's relegation to the Israeli 3rd tier, and after years characterized by the lack of financial support by the club's owner Shaul Eizenberg and poor management, which led it to bankruptcy, and finally relegation to the 4th tier, and most notably for the demolition of the historic Ussishkin Arena. The demolition was only made possible after a settlement between city officials and Eizenberg which went ahead and signed the agreement against the will of the majority of supporters and for a small compensation fee. This was the trigger for the foundation of the new club. In December 2009 the original men's senior team announced its disbandment^[5] followed by the fans team's trust buying the rights to the Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. brand thorgh a third party. The name change was approved by the supporter trust in the following months,^[6] with the team promotion for the 2010-11 national league season.

Ownership and legal status

In June 2007 the new team was founded and registered in the Israeli 5th tier (Dan District). The club is owned and run by a supporters' trust with 1800 registered paying members as of May 2011. The admission fee to the trust is 300 NIS as of May 2011. Besides voting rights in the trust's general assemblies, it also provides a discount prices of club services such as a season ticket. The club is owned and run by a supporters' trust with 1800 registered paying members as of May 2011. The admission fee to the trust is 300 NIS as of September 2010.

The club holds elections for club's board every two years. In the second elections in history on June 11, 549 voters decided to keep four of the current board members in place for another term, while electing as a fifth member Gilad Simchoni, the team's captain in recent years.

Hapoel Tel Aviv (2011–present)

At the end of 2009/10 season, Following the closing of the original Hapoel Tel Aviv club, The rights to the club name were purchased by an anonymous business man, and were given to the Hapoel Ussishkin Management. The Management of Hapoel Ussishkin, following a member wide voting process, decided to rename the club name back to its original name, Hapoel Tel Aviv. In the 2010/11 season, the club reached the semi finals of the state cup, before being knocked off by Elitzur Netanya. The Club Failed to achieve promotion to the first division at the end of the 2010-11 season following a loss in the playoffs finals to B.C. Ha-Bika'a.

In the 2011-12 season the club finally Achieved promotion to the First Division, following a playoff win over Maccabi Beér Yaacov, thefore returning to the top tier after six years, and being the first fan-owned club in Israel to participate in a top tier league.

Hapoel Tel Aviv has become the first fans sports team ever in the Israeli sports generally and basketball particularly, which plays at the Israeli Super League.

In March 2016, NBA star Nate Robinson signed with Hapoel for the remainder of the season.^[7] Robinson led Hapoel to the 8 seed and qualification for the Playoffs. On May 19, Robinson scored 46 points in a Quarter-final game against Hapoel Jerusalem. It was the highest points scored in a Playoff game since 1985.^[8]

Current roster

Hapoel Tel Aviv roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age G 7000100000000000000♠1 Shuler, Jamal 7000191000000000000♠1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 32 – (1986-01-11)11 January 1986 PG 7000300000000000000♠3 Moore, Dallas 7000185000000000000♠1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 23 – (1994-10-27)27 October 1994 C 7000400000000000000♠4 Aminu, Alade 7000210000000000000♠2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) 31 – (1987-09-14)14 September 1987 F/C 7000500000000000000♠5 Holmes, Jonathan 7000206000000000000♠2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 25 – (1992-12-09)9 December 1992 PF 7000700000000000000♠7 Sasson, Daniel 7000204999999999999♠2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 26 – (1992-01-12)12 January 1992 G 7001110000000000000♠11 Madar, Yam 7000190000000000000♠1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 17 – (2000-12-21)21 December 2000 F 7001120000000000000♠12 Menco, Rafi 7000200000000000000♠2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) 24 – (1994-03-05)5 March 1994 G 7001140000000000000♠14 Limonad, Raviv  (C) 7000191000000000000♠1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 34 – (1984-08-26)26 August 1984 G/F 7001150000000000000♠15 Ben-Moshe, Tzuf 7000194000000000000♠1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 21 – (1997-07-31)31 July 1997 PG 7001210000000000000♠21 Harel, Omer 7000185000000000000♠1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 18 – (2000-09-25)25 September 2000 F 7001300000000000000♠30 Aloush, Guy 7000196000000000000♠1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 18 – (2000-02-14)14 February 2000 G 7001310000000000000♠31 Douglass, Stu 7000191000000000000♠1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 28 – (1990-03-31)31 March 1990 PF 7001410000000000000♠41 Ginat, Tomer 7000202000000000000♠2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) 23 – (1994-11-07)7 November 1994	Head coach Danny Franco Assistant coach(es) Amit Ben-David Barak Lederer Legend (C) Team captain Injured Roster Updated: October 5, 2018

Depth chart

Pos.	Starting 5	Bench 1	Bench 2	Bench 3
C	Alade Aminu	Daniel Sasson
PF	Tomer Ginat	Jonathan Holmes
G/F	Rafi Menco	Stu Douglass	Guy Aloush
SG	Jamal Shuler	Tzuf Ben-Moshe		Raviv Limonad
PG	Dallas Moore	Yam Madar	Omer Harel

Players of the Year

The HUTA player of the year award is voted for by fans in time for the final home game of the season. Previous winners have been:

Year Winner 2007-08 Tohar Haimovic 2008-09 Tohar Haimovic 2009-10 Matan Naor

Notable players

Domestic

Israeli League

• Winners (5): 1959-60, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1968–69

Israeli Cup

• Winners (4): 1961-62, 1968–69, 1983–84, 1992–93