Hapoel Jerusalem will open the Upper House games tonight (Monday) at 18:30 when it hosts Hapoel Galil Elyon, knowing that a victory will return it to first place – just one week after losing it. This will be the Reds’ first home game after three weeks, during which the team held, among other things, a training camp in Kfar Blum.
“It really was a long period of playing outside the home,” said Yotam Halperin. “We are in the last line and playing in the arena in front of a nice amount of crowd always makes me happy on a personal level. When I come out of the tunnel and feel that support and I know the players feel it too.”
Noam Dovrat, who recovered from the palm injury, also commented on the importance of the arena: “It’s fun to come home. We really missed coming to a home game with our crowd, with the atmosphere, and the task is to bring victory. Upper Galilee is a great team, DJ Kennedy added. “A lot and made them a better team. We have to come prepared as we came in the previous game against them in the arena.”
Jerusalem, as mentioned, lost in the last round to the top of the table Maccabi Rishon Lezion, but in light of Hapoel Holon’s victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv it will be able to return to the top – a significant goal in light of the fact that first place gives the home team advantage throughout the playoffs. Tonight, too, as throughout the recent period, Kaiser Gates will be the stranger to stay out of the game form.
“Now begins a round that will bring us together against the best teams in the league, but we are currently only looking at the Upper Galilee and not the entire upper house as one piece,” Halperin added. “We are playing against a team that has gained confidence from the game that secured it a place in the top 6, and we have already learned in our flesh that there are no more easy games in this league. Upper Galilee is an excellent rebounding team and that is always an important key against any team.”
Galil Elyon is in good momentum with four victories in all competitions, including a performance against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the last round of the regular season, but its last away victory in Jerusalem was in February 2005 – 65:67 in Malcha. Since then, Hapoel Jerusalem has won all six games between the teams in the capital, including 65:81 in the last round.