Hapoel Galil Upper Galilee clinched its place in the Israeli Premier League with a 65-76 win over Ironi Ness Ziona, ending a turbulent season marked by challenges on and off the court. The club said the achievement carried deep emotional weight after one of the hardest campaigns in its history.
General manager Nir Wasserman, who has held the role for 11 years, said the club had gone through extraordinary hardship. “What we went through was enough to destroy clubs,” he said, adding that the team faced “the death of a key player, wars, injuries, and the team’s displacement.” He said, “Nobody wanted us to stay in Kfar Blum, everything happened to us, and in the end we did it.”
The season was also overshadowed by the death of Raz Adam, a significant figure in the club and local community. Wasserman said, “We did it for him,” and added that the accomplishment belongs first to Adam, his family, and his partner. He said the club’s strength came from its tradition, community, and staff, and credited its commitment to Israeli players for preserving the team in the league.
Wasserman acknowledged that mistakes were made during the year, but said the group stayed together through bad luck and repeated crises. “I would give up everything for Raz to be alive,” he said, noting that in a few days it will mark 30 days since Adam’s death. Looking ahead, he said the club will now focus on rebuilding and returning to the top of Israeli basketball, promising, “From today we are already building next season. Galil will be at the top.”
