8 Friday, July 20, 1919
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Israeli Team Surprises Europe
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EIGHT NINE ONE EIGHTEEN EIGHTEEN
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(Continued from Page 1)
became a bit demoralizing."
"They're just bigger and
better than we are," said
another star, Barry
Leibowitz. "We can beat
ahem maybe once or twice in
10 games. If we had con-
trolled Tkachenko (the 7'4"
center), it might have been
a different story."
Coach Ralph Klein be-
lieves that the "breaking
point" was not the game
itself, the hectic schedule
(eight games in 12 days),
nor even the powerful
Russian opposition.
Rather, it was the two
days off prior to the
match. The media in Is-
rael and abroad billed it
as a time for the players
to rest, shop and sightsee.
Coach Klein billed it as
the time the players lost
their momentum.
"We "could have played
another eight games in, 12
days," the coach said. "Our -
physical condition was
great. But the two days off
— well, we lost our concen-
tration."
The coach noted that the
stakes were higher for
Russia than for Israel.
Aside from prestige, the
Jewish coach of the Rus-
sians_ would possible have
joined the ranks of the un-
employed had his team
bowed to "little Israel."
Winning was an ego trip,
too, as they lost the Euro-
pean championship three
times in six years to Yugos-
lavia. It was a "must" win
for Russia.
There were compensa-
tions, for Israel as well, de-
spite the loss, for to reach
second place in Europe
against such fine teams was
universally acclaimed as
the outstanding surprise of
the year. For Minkin, how-
ever, the biggest thrill was
"representing Israel as a
Jew against the big Russian
team, and to know that as a
small country, we were face
to face with one of the great
powers in sports. Win or
lose, we accomplished some-
thing."
Minkin and Leibowitz
themselves were among
the surprises of the game,
and in fact of the entire
season. Both emigrated
to Israel from the U.S. —
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and completely by
chance. (Minkin is shown
in the Page 1 photograph
standing at right.
Leibowitz is kneeling,
second from left.) _
Minkin's career became a
reality when, at the age of
five, he realized that he was
taller than his kindergarten
teacher. • He received bas-
ketball instruction in
elementary and high school
in Pennsylvania, and was
very successful.
Upon graduating from
college in North Carolina,
Minkin played for four
years for the now-defunct
American Basketball Asso ;
ciation. Minkin original
intended to play in Europe
for a year, then return to the
U.S. But "the Jewish
Thing" led him to Israel,
and one year in Europe has
become seven years in Is-
rael.
Leibowitz completed col-
lege in 1968 and played a
year of professional basket-
ball in his native New York.
After a hectic season, he and
a friend decided to vacation
in Greece. His friend, how-
ever, received an invitation
to play basketball in Israel,
and he coaxed the unwilling
Leibowitz — who "had no
Zionist tendencies," and
who couldn't stand the sight
of a basketball during his
vacation anyway — to come
along and practice. Now, 11
years later, Leibowitz is
playing for the Tel Aviv
Hapoel team.
Coach Klein also
boasts of an impressive
record on the Israeli bas-
ketball circuit. His play-
ing career began on Is-
rael's national team in
1951, and lasted until he
began coaching in 1964.
He worked with smaller
teams before moving up
to coach Maccabi Tel
Aviv during the 1970-1972
and 1977-1979 seasons.
In addition, at Wingate
Teachers College near
Natanya, he "teaches the
teachers" how to teach their
students basketball.
The players and their
coach are looking forward to
the 1980 Moscow Olympics
— if Israel qualifies. After
that, Leibowitz and Minkin
hope to see themselves
again on . the international
team.
If certain problems can be
overcome, there would be a
bright future for basketball
in Israel. The coach believes
that professional basketball
in Israel is still in its in-
fancy, and not on par with
professional teams in other
countries. He suggests that
some donations from abroac
and money from the Israeli
government — notably the
Ministry of-Education — be
channeled to purchase bas-
ketball equipment and
facilities for Israel's high
schools.
"Now's the time to do it,"
the coach added, now that
our remarkable second
place finish is still fresh on
everybody's mind."
Work in excess is a detri-
ment; in moderation, a
benefit.