Yiftach Ziv Returns to Enjoy Basketball with Maccabi Rishon LeZion

Guard Yiftach Ziv made his debut for Maccabi Rishon LeZion on Monday, two days after joining the team. Ziv, who had previously played significant minutes and was considered one of the league's top players, had a challenging period after joining Hapoel Tel Aviv in the summer of 2025 without receiving substantial playing time. In his first game with Rishon LeZion, Ziv scored 14 points and provided six assists, demonstrating his capability at a high level. "I missed it a lot. Especially enjoying, enjoying basketball," Ziv stated. "This is what I was looking for and what I wanted, and I'm happy for myself first and foremost that I enjoyed it, and of course that we won." He added that the team's players, both foreign and Israeli, have helped him adjust quickly, mentioning his familiarity with Guy Kaplan, Idan Zalmanson, and Justin Tillman. "It's fun when they suddenly sing your name, I'm happy for them, the most important thing for me is to win and enjoy for the soul," he said. Coach Guy Kaplan commented on the team's performance, noting their good spirit and ability to make adjustments during the game. He expressed satisfaction with Ziv's integration, stating, "It's fun that Yiftach is getting into things and also that we are connecting." Kaplan acknowledged Ziv's hunger and importance to the team's success, hoping for more consistent play moving forward. Ziv had only trained twice with the team before his debut.