Hapoel Jerusalem Advances in Winner Cup, Topping Bnei Herzliya

Hapoel Jerusalem continued its defense of the Winner Cup basketball title on Friday, defeating Bnei Herzliya 88-68 in the quarterfinals. The team, coached by Sasa Obradovic, advanced to the tournament semifinals, where they will face the winner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv versus Ironi Kiryat Ata game. This marks a repeat of last season's quarterfinal matchup, which Hapoel Jerusalem also won en route to claiming the cup.

Key player for Hapoel Jerusalem was Kenny Boynton Jr., who recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double. Other notable scorers included Shayok Miltion with 11 points, and Nimrod Levi, Yuval Sussman, Jalen Smith, Eitan Burg, and Gabby Chachashvili, each adding 9 points.

Coach Obradovic praised Boynton Jr., calling him "one of the best players I've coached at his position" and highlighting his versatility and understanding of his game. Boynton Jr. expressed his satisfaction with the team's collective effort and his personal performance, stating his ambition to achieve a triple-double this season and his confidence in the team's potential to reach the EuroLeague.

The team is also set to welcome new acquisition Lorenzo Brown, who was scheduled to arrive on Saturday morning and join the team's practice that night. Hapoel Jerusalem is preparing for its first EuroCup game against Rostock on Tuesday, with Obradovic identifying the team as a favorite to win the competition and emphasizing the importance of a strong start.