Maccabi Haifa B.C.

Maccabi Heat Haifa ( _he. חיפה כדורסל HEAT מכבי) is a professional Israeli basketball club that belongs to the Maccabi Haifa association. After a 10-year absence, the team will play in the top division in 2008-09.

History

The club is one of the oldest in the country and it is one of the original eight teams that formed the top division in 1953. [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/985069.html U.S. billionaire aims to turn pet team into a powerhouse] Haaretz, 21 May 2008] In 1971 and 1985, the club qualified for the State Cup finals losing to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The club was relegated to the second division in 1993, and dropped into the third tier in 1995. Although they returned to Ligat HaAl in 1999, the following year Haifa mayor Amram Mitzna merged the club with Hapoel Haifa to form BC Haifa.

Although the club qualified for the playoffs twice, they began to experience financial difficulties. Upon relegation the club folded and sold its rights to Bnei HaSharon.

In 2004 Maccabi Haifa officials changed the name of the second team under its control, Maccabi Bat Galim, to Maccabi Haifa in an effort to restore the club's glory days. [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/884099.html Basketball / American billionaire buys Maccabi Haifa] Haaretz, 21 July 2007]

The following season, the club was promoted to the northern division. In 2007 they were promoted to Liga Leumit under the leadership of the coach Tobi Slilat. After the club was promoted, Avi Ashkenazi (who had coached the team in 1995) was reappointed.

The team was purchased by Jeffrey Rosen (who had previously tried to buy Hapoel Tel Aviv) [ [http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/885356.html Rosen hops on the nostalgia train, but how long will he stay?] Haaretz, 25 July 2007] in July 2007. Rosen pledged that the club would be promoted to Ligat HaAl in his first year of ownership. Deon Thomas, a former player at Maccabi Tel Aviv, was signed to play for the club, which team changed its name to "Maccabi Haifa Heat".

In the 2007-08 season they finished in fourth place in Liga Leumit, and earned promotion after winning the best-of-five semi-finals 3-1 against first seed Barak Netanya.

Current staff

Owner: Jeffrey Rosen

Vice president: Joe Almodovar

Union chairman: Yochanan Vollach

Team manager: Avi Sigler

Team Coach: Avi Ashkenazi

Assistant Coaches: Elad Hasin and Mikey Gorka

Interviews and Media

* [http://www.trianglefs.com/ssp/news?news_id=63 Preseason Interviews with Players and Head Coach]

References

External links

* [http://www.mhbasket.co.il/default.asp?lang=en Official website]