Karim Ashkenazi Returns to Upper Galilee Basketball Team After Family Evacuation

Karim Ashkenazi, an 18-year-old guard and former youth player for Hapoel Upper Galilee, has signed with the club's senior team, marking a poignant return. Ashkenazi began his basketball career in the club's youth department and first wore the team's red uniform there. In the summer of 2023, he signed a long-term contract with Hapoel Upper Galilee and was expected to continue with the team. However, due to his family's evacuation from the Galilee region amid the war, he spent the past two years playing in the youth division of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Earlier this summer, Ashkenazi also played with the national youth team. Last season, while with Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth squad, he averaged 8.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game in the youth premier league. His return to Hapoel Upper Galilee's senior team completes an emotional full circle for the young player and adds a new piece to the club's roster for the upcoming season.