Veteran playmaker Joe Ragland's experienced and cool head helped Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv navigate a challenging season that finished with the team celebrating winning the BKT EuroCup. 

Tribute to the Champs: Joe Ragland

Veteran playmaker [Joe Ragland](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/joe-ragland/005181/)'s experienced and cool head helped [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) navigate a challenging season that finished with the team celebrating winning the BKT EuroCup. 

Ragland, who had already played three successful seasons for two different clubs in Israel, was targeted for a starting role when he first joined Hapoel in the summer, but the unexpected signings of first Patrick Beverley and later Yam Madar limited his minutes. 

Nevertheless, Ragland was as effective a ball-handler as could be. He ranked third in the EuroCup in assists on a per-minute basis, as well as in assist-to-turnover ratio.

Ragland averaged 5.7 points, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 16:25 minutes per game. That translated into 9.7 assists prorated over 40 minutes and he dished 3.6 dimes for every turnover. He recorded at least 5 assists nine times despite not playing even 25 minutes in any game after Round 1. 

A back injury sidelined Ragland at the tail of the season; after not missing any time in the regular season, he was unable to suit up in the semifinals or the finals. However, as the lone player with previous EuroCup Finals experience (Ragland was a EuroCup runner-up in 2018 with Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar), he made sure to contribute what he could in the locker room and on the bench to help push Hapoel over the final hurdles to make history. 

Tribute to the Champs

The playmaker's steady hand and cool head helped Hapoel navigate the challenging EuroCup waters


Dreamland Gran Canaria has announced that coach Jaka Lakovic has signed a new contract at the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Gran Canaria extends Coach Lakovic's contract to 2027

[Dreamland Gran Canaria](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/dreamland-gran-canaria/can/) has announced that coach Jaka Lakovic has signed a new contract at the club until the end of the 2026-27 season.

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lakovic2027?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lakovic2027</a> 💛 <a href="https://t.co/vPLwaFZcOv">pic.twitter.com/vPLwaFZcOv</a></p>&mdash; Dreamland Gran Canaria (@GranCanariaCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GranCanariaCB/status/1919327331434344703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lakovic, who was appointed by the club in the summer of 2022, led the club to its first-ever BKT EuroCup title in 2023 and a EuroCup Finals appearance in 2025.

Over the last three seasons, Lakovic has overseen a 47-19 record with Gran Canaria. 

More Gran Canaria News

The Slovenian play-caller has been at the club since 2022

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and team captain Yovel Zoosman agreed on a contract extension that will keep them together through the 2027-28 season

Jerusalem, Yovel Zoosman pen 3-year extension

Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem and team captain [Yovel Zoosman](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yovel-zoosman/006625/) agreed on a contract extension that will keep them together through the 2027-28 season. Zoosman (2.00 meters, 26 years old) averaged 9.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18 games last season, which was his first in the BKT EuroCup. The versatile small forward was [fifth in the competition in steals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/stats/expanded/?size=25&viewType=traditional&seasonCode=U2024&statisticMode=perGame&seasonMode=Single&sortDirection=descending&statistic=steals) with 1.7 per game.

Yovel Zoosman's top plays from the 2024-25 season

A product of the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth team, he made his professional debut as a 17-year-old and would go on to play five EuroLeague seasons with the club. He played two more EuroLeague campaigns with ALBA Berlin. Zoosman’s trophy case includes four Israeli championships and one Israeli Cup with Maccabi, the 2022 German League and Cup double with ALBA and the 2024 Israeli Cup with Jerusalem. A longtime member of the Israeli national team, Zoosman starred on the gold-medal winning squad at the U20 European Championship in 2018.

<center>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJPVgM0N8JY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJPVgM0N8JY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJPVgM0N8JY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Hapoel Jerusalem BC (@jerusalembasket)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>


"I arrived at Hapoel two years ago and found a home here, a united and strong fan community, a club that aims for the highest levels and the best professional situation I have had in my career," Zoosman said after signing. "I heard all the fans who supported me and wanted so much to see me stay and I couldn't be happier to make them happy. When you receive all this love, you can't leave."

The team captain has spent the past two seasons in the Israeli capital

He might go under the radar somewhat, but Tomer Ginat was an integral part of Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv becoming the BKT EuroCup champion in the 2024-25 season.

Tribute to the Champs: Tomer Ginat

He might go under the radar somewhat, but [Tomer Ginat](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/tomer-ginat/010550/) was an integral part of [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) becoming the BKT EuroCup champion in the 2024-25 season.

The 30-year-old Israeli forward was one of three players, together with Marcus Foster and Ish Wainright, to play in all 24 games for Hapoel during its championship-winning campaign, while his 19 starts were the second most, just behind Wainright and Johnathan Motley, who started 20 times.

What's more, Ginat and Bar Timor are the only players on the roster to have been at Hapoel since its first EuroCup season in 2022-23.

For the season, Ginat impressed with averages of 8.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.7 steals. Notably, Hapoel’s do-it-all forward really came to the fore in the latter stages of the postseason, posting 12 points and 8 rebounds in Game 2 of the semifinals against Valencia Basket as his team tied the series, before finishing with 11 points and 7 boards in 35:01 minutes – the second most minutes played behind Antonio Blakeney (35:43) – in a closeout Game 3 win at La Fonteta.

In the EuroCup Finals, Ginat had less joy on offense in Game 1, scoring 4 points, but he pulled down 8 rebounds, dished 2 assists and made 1 steal as his team protected their (temporary) home court. On the road at Dreamland Gran Canaria for Game 2, Ginat was efficient with his shots – going 4 for 5 from the field – on his way to 10 points as Hapoel won 94-103 to take home the EuroCup title.

Ginat’s production and team-first mentality – scoring points, grabbing rebounds, finding teammates – made him a key part of Hapoel’s success this year. He’ll now be looking to continue the same as he prepares for his – and the club’s – debut season in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.

Only Ginat and Bar Timor remain from Hapoel's first year in the EuroCup

It was a season of ups and downs for Noam Yaacov where he gained valuable experience, came up big when needed, and finished as a EuroCup champion. 

Tribute to the Champs: Noam Yaacov

It was an eventful first season in the BKT EuroCup for [Noam Yaacov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/noam-yaacov/011386/). One of the top young guards on the continent, Yaacov joined Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv over the summer from LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne, where made his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague debut – and played in 26 games – the season before.

The expectations were for Yaacov to take on a major role with Hapoel, but the unexpected signing of Patrick Beverley changed the rotation. Then Yam Madar signed in November and then a quadriceps muscle injury in December sidelined Yaacov. He did not play at all in the EuroCup from Round 9 until the semifinals, though he returned to fitness in the Israeli League after the injury.

By the EuroCup Semifinals, things had changed. Beverley was long gone and Joe Ragland was dealing with a back injury. Yaacov was called into duty and did not disappoint. He dished 4 assists in less than 10 minutes in Game 1 of the series against Valencia Basket and tallied 3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 8 minutes in Game 3, running the offense effectively and giving Yam Madar just enough time to rest.

Yaacov again stepped in again to spell Madar when needed in Game 2 of the EuroCup Finals against Gran Canaria and delivered with a dish to Marcus Bingham for a slam and then a side-step three-pointer to establish a double-digit margin in the second quarter. In the end, it was a season of ups and downs for Yaacov where he gained valuable experience, came up big when needed, and finished as a EuroCup champion.

The youngest player on the roster, Yaacov came up big when needed for Hapoel

Dimitris Itoudis: 'We kept believing we can do it'

In this exclusive interview that took place minutes after lifting the trophy at Gran Canaria Arena, Dimitris Itoudis spoke about many topics, including the challenges him and his team overcame an route to claiming a historic BKT EuroCup trophy, and securing a ticket for the 2025-26 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague season.

By leading Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv to this title, Itoudis joined Dusan Ivkovic, David Blatt and Ergin Ataman as the only coaches to win both the EuroLeague and EuroCup.

Yam Madar: 'To bring Hapoel to the EuroLeague is a special feeling'

Yam Madar was the driving force for Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv in the latest stages of the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup Finals. Despite playing in pain for the playoffs due to a knee injury, Madar was still able to deliver. 

He was named the EuroCup Semifinals MVP after Hapoel knocked off Valencia Basket without the home-court advantage and had 16 points and 6 assists in Game 2 of the Finals against Dreamland Gran Canaria. 

In this exclusive interview that took place minutes after lifting the trophy at Gran Canaria Arena, Madar spoke about his commitment, what it meant for him to lead Hapoel to a European title and the importance of winning the EuroCup. 

 

Ish Wainright's first season in the EuroCup would be one to remember and it finished with him holding the trophy – for the first championship of his professional career. 

Tribute to the champs: Ish Wainright

No player on the freshly-crowned BKT EuroCup champs has a greater discrepancy between his value and his stats than [Ish Wainright](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/ishmail-carzell-wainright/013284/). The forward was among the Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv leaders in appearances and minutes, though he did little to stand out in the box score.

What he did, however, was play rugged defense, make clever plays at both ends, stretch the floor with his outside shooting and serve as the ultimate glue-guy on a winning team. Whenever there was a charge to be taken or a loose ball to dive for, Wainright was at the heart of the action.

For the season, Wainright averaged 5.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals over 24 games – including 20 in the starting lineup. His best offensive game came in his second appearance when Wainright totaled 13 points on 3-of-7 three-point shooting and 4 assists against Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius. In the penultimate regular-season game, Wainright posted 8 points and a season-high 8 rebounds against Trefl Sopot for a personal-best PIR of 15.

In the postseason, Wainright had a positive plus/minus rating in five of Hapoel's six games, including both games in the finals against Dreamland Gran Canaria. Wainright's first season in the EuroCup would be one to remember and it finished with him holding the trophy – for the first championship of his professional career.

Hapoel's glue guy won the first championship of his career

With Hapoel Tel Aviv BC having hoisted the EuroCup trophy, it’s hard to imagine the team’s championship run without the mid-season addition of Yam Madar.

Tribute to the Champs: Yam Madar

When [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) brought [Yam Madar](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/yam-madar/011052/) back to the club from [FC Bayern Munich](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-bayern-munich/mun/) in early December, the team likely had high hopes for the impact the young point guard – a former EuroLeague Rising Star winner – could make. Now, with Hapoel having hoisted the BKT EuroCup trophy, it’s hard to imagine the team’s championship run without the mid-season addition of Madar.

It didn't take long for Madar to start shining. He had a career game already in just his second appearance since returning to the club, posting career highs in scoring and index rating with 28 points and a 41 PIR during a Round 11 road loss at Wolves Twinsbet Vilnius. But the very next week Hapoel was already on a run of six wins in seven games, which propelled the team to second place in its group.

Madar averaged 14.3 points on 56.5% three-point shooting, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in the second half of the regular season, but he might have displayed his best basketball in the best-of-three semifinal series against Valencia Basket, a series that [saw him named the Semifinals MVP](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/semifinals-mvp-yam-madar-hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/).

In the first two games of the series, Madar posted 20.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals, then overcame an injury to play 29 minutes in the deciding Game 3 and help Hapoel reach the EuroCup Finals.

Madar continued playing despite a knee injury, sacrificing for a team that had the chance to make history, and in a 2-0 series sweep against Dreamland Gran Canaria he averaged 13.0 points, making a total of 6 triples on 8 attempts, while posting 5.5 assists as Hapoel climbed the throne.

The math is quite simple. Before Madar’s arrival, Hapoel scored more than 82 points in four of its nine games. With Madar in the lineup, Hapoel scored more than 82 points in 11 of its 13 games. And now, both the club and the player can proudly carry the title of being a EuroCup champion.

More Hapoel Tel Aviv News

A mid-season signing, he lifted Hapoel’s offense and played arguably the best basketball of his career