It will go down as one of the biggest shots in BKT EuroCup history - and certainly the shot that wrote a golden chapter in the annals of [Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/) history. In Game 3 of the best-of-three semifinals, on the road against Valencia Basket, [Marcus Foster](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/marcus-foster/010386/) pulled up from mid-range and nailed the go-ahead jumper with 2.7 seconds remaining to lift Hapoel to [a 92-94 win](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-upsets-valencia-to-reach-the-finals-92-94/) that sent the team to the EuroCup Finals.

Even though there were two games remaining, both of which Hapoel won in convincing fashion to win the trophy, Foster’s shot was the cherry on top of a series of masterful performances in the quarterfinals and semifinals that made all the difference for Hapoel.

After averaging 13.2 points in the regular season, Foster scored 21 points in the one-and-done [quarterfinals against Turk Telekom](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/hapoel-fights-off-turk-telekom-moves-into-semifinals/) and then 20 points in [the opening game of the semifinals](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/news/valencia-outlasts-hapoel-at-home-91-82/) and 22 points in Game 3. He is one of three Hapoel players who played in each of the team's 24 games this season and he led the team in [total minutes with 577](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/statistics/hta/?season=2024-25&phase=All%20phases&statistic=minutesPlayed&sortDirection=descending#accumulated). Foster finished the season ranked third on the team in scoring (13.6 ppg.) and shot 42.6% from three-point range.

Foster was a key cog in Hapoel’s EuroCup journey and now can be proud to be known as a EuroCup champion.

No one played more minutes this season for Hapoel than Foster, who was third on the team in scoring

Tribute to the Champs: Marcus Foster

Valencia Basket has confirmed that captain Josep Puerto has renewed his contract at the club for a further two years, taking his deal up until the summer of 2027.

Josep Puerto renews at Valencia until 2027

[Valencia Basket](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/valencia-basket/pam/) has confirmed that captain [Josep Puerto](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/josep-puerto/006643/) has renewed his contract at the club for a further two years, taking his deal up until the summer of 2027.

Puerto is currently in his ninth season in Valencia's first team and this is his first campaign as captain.

During the 2024-25 season, the 26-year-old posted 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and a 7.8 PIR as his side reached the BKT EuroCup Semifinals.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="ca" dir="ltr">🥖 Continuarem tenint l&#39;Almussafes en carta fins a 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣7⃣<br><br>🔐🧡 Josep Puerto<br> <br>Cas 👉 Josep Puerto prolonga su vinculación con Valencia Basket hasta 2027<a href="https://t.co/AexMZ4Y15a">https://t.co/AexMZ4Y15a</a><br><br>Val 👉 Josep Puerto prolonga la seua vinculació amb Valencia Basket fins a 2027… <a href="https://t.co/imBjzomjWe">pic.twitter.com/imBjzomjWe</a></p>&mdash; Valencia Basket Club (@valenciabasket) <a href="https://twitter.com/valenciabasket/status/1922233632711987659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

To date, Puerto has spent four years in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (2017-18, 2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24) and four seasons in the EuroCup (2015-16, 2016-17, 2021-22, 2024-25), although he only made one appearance in each of the 2015-16 and 2016-17 campaigns.

More Valencia News

He is currently in his ninth season in Las Taronjas' first team

A simple peak at the 2024-25 statistics might suggest that veteran forward Oz Blayzer had a sporadic and a minimal role in Hapoel Shlomo’s Tel Aviv's BKT EuroCup-winning season. 

Tribute to the Champs: Oz Blayzer

A simple peak at the 2024-25 statistics might suggest that veteran forward [Oz Blayzer](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/oz-blayzer/009877/) had a sporadic and a minimal role in [Hapoel Shlomo’s Tel Aviv](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/teams/hapoel-shlomo-tel-aviv/hta/)'s BKT EuroCup-winning season. And his 16 appearances off the bench might strongly suggest so. Blayzer averaged 7:12 minutes per game this season, totaling 24 points and 19 rebounds. However, little do we know that without Blayzer, Hapoel might not have gone all the way.

Starting with Round 6, Blayzer appeared in all but one of the remaining regular-season games, and his most productive appearance was during 18 minutes in a 23-point road win against eventual EuroCup finalist Dreamland Gran Canaria. He had season highs with 5 points and 4 rebounds that night. Blayzer was a dependant role player for coach Dimitris Itoudis, happy to fill in any minutes and seconds needed.

But in a one-and-done quarterfinal tie against a dangerous Turk Telekom Ankara, Blayzer was asked to do something he has not done during the entire season – to step up in a close game. With a first-half injury to team captain Tomer Ginat, it was Blayzer’s number that was called. He spent 17 minutes on the floor, including seven minutes in the fourth quarter, and had a significant defensive contribution. It is hard to imagine how Hapoel, without the help of Blayzer, could have held Turk Telekom to just 5 points in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, build a double-digit lead and hold on to it until the end.

Blayzer became an unsung hero, and a shining example of Hapoel’s team unity and the importance of a 12-man roster. Thanks to that, the 32-year-old Blayzer and Hapoel can call themselves EuroCup champions.

Tribute to the Champs

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. 

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.

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<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.

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"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

Antonio Blakeney is set to keep playing for Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv until the end of the 2026-27 season, the club announced Tuesday. Blakeney (1.93 meters, 28 years old) played a key role for Hapoel in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup, averaging 13.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and a PIR of 12.2 in 17 games, to help the team lift win EuroCup trophy.

Hapoel, Blakeney agree to contract extension

[Antonio Blakeney](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/eurocup/players/antonio-blakeney/013402/) is set to keep playing for Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv until the end of the 2026-27 season, the club announced Tuesday. Blakeney (1.93 meters, 28 years old) played a key role for Hapoel in the 2024-25 BKT EuroCup, averaging 13.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and a PIR of 12.2 in 17 games, to help the team lift win EuroCup trophy.

The first-year guard played a critical role in Hapoel's most important games. Blakeney had 32 points and 9 rebounds in Game 3 of the semifinals on the road against Valencia Basket, hitting five three-pointers in the fourth quarter to lead Hapoel to a go-ahead 92-94 win. He also shined in the 2025 EuroCup Finals against Dreamland Gran Canaria, averaging 22.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and a PIR of 23.5 in two games.

Antonio Blakeney's best plays from semifinals Game 3 against Valencia, and from the EuroCup Finals against Dreamland Gran Canaria

Blakeney shined in the final three playoff games

Blakeney started his professional career with Chicago of the NBA, and also played for Windy City and Canton of the G League, Jiangsu Nangang Dragons Nanjing and Nanjing Tongxi Monkey Kings of China, Al-Ahli Manama of Bahrein, and Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Beer Shave of Israel before joining Hapoel.

"I am very happy and grateful for the opportunity to sign with Hapoel Tel Aviv for two more seasons. I would like to thank the team's owner Ofer Yannay, the management and the professional team for their trust and support in me," Blakeney say after the agreement. "I feel at home here in Tel Aviv. I look forward to continuing to help the team reach great achievements. I am aware that there is still a lot of work ahead of us – both this season and the seasons to come – and I will give it my all, together with my teammates and the professional team. A huge thank you to all the fans for your incredible support!"

<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="iw" dir="rtl">מועדון הכדורסל הפועל &quot;שלמה&quot; תל אביב גאה להודיע על הארכת חוזהו של הגארד אנטוניו בלייקני בשנתיים נוספות, עד לסוף עונת 2026/27.<br> <br>בלייקני הינו אחד מהשחקנים המרכזיים שהובילו את הקבוצה לזכייה ההיסטורית ביורוקאפ, ואף הצטיין במיוחד בשלבים המכריעים, כאשר קבע ממוצע של 21.6 נקודות למשחק –… <a href="https://t.co/Iac0kK7uPj">pic.twitter.com/Iac0kK7uPj</a></p>&mdash; Hapoel Tel Aviv BC (@HapoelTLVBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/HapoelTLVBC/status/1917163308546928649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"We are very happy, both personally and as the Hapoel Tel Aviv club, that Antonio is continuing with us. In my opinion, AB is a symbol of shared growth - both of the club and of him as a player. Antonio joined us with little experience in European basketball, and since then he has developed and become one of the team's important players - just as Hapoel Tel Aviv as a club is growing and growing among the prominent clubs in the Euroleague", Hapoel head coach Dimitris Itoudis said. "We hope that he will continue to remain healthy, determined and focused, with the goal of continuing to improve and display high and consistent ability."

Blakeney penned a new deal until the end of the 2026-27 season