Maccabi Ramat Gan Basketball Coach Pleased With Team Chemistry

Maccabi Ramat Gan will begin their 2026-2027 basketball season on Wednesday evening against Hapoel HaEmek in Kiryat Ata, as part of the Winner Cup tournament. The team has undergone significant changes, with only three players from the previous season returning: Gil Benny, Yoni Attias, and Elai Gabay.

Several experienced Israeli players have joined, including Joaquin Schochman, Lior Carara, and Roi Pritzk, all with multiple seasons in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. American-Israeli player Justin Allen, who played in the NCAA, also joins the roster. The team has also recruited four new foreign players: Bryce Washington, entering his fourth season in Israel, A.J. Figueroa, in his second season, and newcomers Justin Lewis and Amhed Kayber.

Coach Elad Hassin views the Winner Cup as a valuable opportunity to integrate new players and practice team strategies ahead of the league games next month. "We want to use this game to practice the things we are working on for the league games," Hassin stated. He also expressed satisfaction with the team's progress, particularly the integration of new player Lior Carara, a member of the Israeli national team. "I am certainly pleased at this stage with the connection between the players, both professionally and socially, and we all hope for a successful season," Hassin added.

While the primary goal is to prepare for the league, Hassin emphasized the team's competitive spirit: "Of course, we want to win, because anyone involved in sports wants to win first and foremost."