Hapoel Eilat B.C.

Hapoel Eilat (הפועל אילת), for sponsorship reasons named Hapoel Yossi Avrahami Eilat, is an Israeli basketball club. The team plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, the top tier of Israeli basketball. The team represents the far-South region of the country - the Arabah area, and the Red Sea city of Eilat.

History
The team earned promotion to the First Division (known variously as Ligat HaAl, the Super League, or the Israeli Basketball Premier League) for the first time in the 1990–91 season, while being coached by Arik Shivek.

In the 1996–97 season, the team lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the playoff semi-finals. A year later the team reached the finals, in which it lost 0-3 to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

In early 2000, the team found itself in serious financial difficulties, which resulted in relegation to the Second Division (Liga Leumit, or the National League). Later the team disbanded, and re-established in the lowest league.

In the 2010–11 season, the team won the Association Cup, the cup of the lower leagues, after beating Maccabi Kiryat Bialik in the final.

In June 2012, the team gained the license of Habik'a B.C. to play in the Israeli Basketball Super League, starting with the 2012–13 season.

In June 2015, the team knocked out Israeli basketball powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League semi-finals, winning 3–2 in a best-of-five series. The team faced Hapoel Jerusalem in the finals, but lost.

Season by season
Source: Eurobasket.com

Depth chart
Chealey, Joe	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)		27 – 1 November 1995 PG	5	Israel	Jorno, Koren	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)		24 – 21 November 1998 CG	55	Israel

Domestic competitions

 * Israeli Championship
 * Runners-up: 1998, 2015


 * State Cup
 * Runners-up: 2014


 * League Cup
 * Runners-up: 2015, 2021

Lower division competitions

 * Liga Artzit (2nd)
 * Winners: 1991 (South Division)


 * Association Cup
 * Champions (1): 2011

Notable players
• 🇮🇱 Lior Arditty 2 seasons: '91–'93

• 🇺🇸 Brian Rowsom 4 seasons: '91–'95

• 🇺🇸🇮🇱 Joe Dawson 5 seasons: '91–'94, '96–'98

• 🇺🇸🇮🇱 Willie Sims 4 seasons: '92–'96

• 🇧🇦 Nenad Marković 1 season: '96

• 🇺🇸 Corey Gaines 1 season: '96–'97

• 🇮🇱 Meir Tapiro 2 seasons: '96–'98

• 🇮🇱 Amir Katz 3 seasons: '96–'99

• 🇺🇸 Dennis Hopson 1 season: '97

• 🇺🇸 Ed Elisma 1 season: '97–'98

• 🇺🇸 Derrick Hamilton 1 season: '97–'98

• 🇨🇦 Greg Newton 1 season: '98–'99

• 🇺🇸 Scotty Hopson 1 season: '12–'13

• 🇮🇱 Afik Nissim 6 seasons: '12–'18

• 🇺🇸 Christian Watford 1 season: '13–'14

• 🇺🇸 Yancy Gates 1 season: '13–'14

• 🇮🇱 Niv Berkowitz 3 seasons: '13–'15, '17–'18

• 🇮🇱 Elishay Kadir 3 seasons: '13–'16

• 🇺🇸 Kevin Palmer 3 seasons: '13–'16

• 🇯🇲 Adrian Uter 1 season: '14–'15

• 🇺🇸 Khalif Wyatt 2 seasons: '14–'16

• 🇮🇱 Amit Simhon 3 seasons: '14–'16, '17–'18

• 🇺🇸 DeAndre Kane 1 season: '16

• 🇳🇬 Alade Aminu 1 season: '15–'16

• 🇺🇸 Landon Milbourne 1 season: '16–'17

• 🇺🇸 Pierriá Henry 1 season: '16–'17

• 🇺🇸 Jordan Loyd 1 season: '17–'18

• 🇺🇸 Demetrius Treadwell 1 season: '17–'18

• 🇫🇷🇮🇱 Frédéric Bourdillon 2 seasons: '17–'19

• 🇺🇸 Elijah Bryant 1 season: '18–'19

• 🇺🇸 JP Tokoto 1 season: '18–'19

• 🇳🇬🇺🇸 Suleiman Braimoh 1 season: '18–'19
 * 🇮🇱 Shimon Amsalem
 * 🇮🇱 Ari Rosenberg

Participation in Europe
Even though Eilat has constantly qualified for European basketball they choose not to participate due to financial difficulties.
 * 1993–1994: Korać Cup
 * 1994–1995: Korać Cup
 * 1997–1998: ULEB Eurocup
 * 1998–1999: Saporta Cup

Former managers

 * Israel Lev
 * Ralf Klein
 * Effi Birnbaum
 * Sharon Drucker
 * Arik Shivek
 * Udi Segal
 * Moshe Weinkrantz