Former Israeli National Basketball Player and Coach Shimon 'Chinga' Shlach Dies at 94

Shimon "Chinga" Shlach, a former player and coach of the Israeli national basketball team and one of the most decorated coaches in Israeli basketball history, passed away at the age of 94. Born in Vilna and immigrating to Israel in 1937, Shlach had a distinguished career spanning several decades, deeply intertwined with key periods in Israeli basketball.

As a player, Shlach began with Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth team and later played four years with Hapoel Maayan Baruch. He competed in Israel's top league for four seasons, scoring 356 points, and represented Israel in three major international tournaments: the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, the 1953 European Championship in Moscow, and the 1954 World Championship in Rio de Janeiro. He was part of the first generation to bring Israeli basketball to the global stage.

Transitioning to coaching in 1959, Shlach led several top-tier teams including Hapoel Maayan Baruch, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Ashdot Yaakov, and Hapoel Haifa. His most notable coaching tenure was with Hapoel Tel Aviv from 1960 to 1969, during which he secured four Israeli championships and two State Cups. He was also a pioneering coach of the Israeli national team, taking over in 1965 and guiding them to four European Championships. Among his greatest achievements was leading Israel to sixth place at the 1965 European Championship and winning gold at the 1966 Asian Games and silver at the 1970 Asian Games.

After concluding his coaching career in 1978, Shlach remained active in basketball, serving as the basketball coordinator for the Israeli Disabled Sports Association from 1994. The Israeli Basketball Association mourned his passing, highlighting his contributions as a player and coach and honoring his legacy in Israeli sports.