Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv signed Yiftach Ziv
The Israeli player of the season in the league, who led Gilboa-Galil to the finals, joins the tean on a two years contract with an option for another season
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv signed Yiftach Ziv (26, 1.91 m) for two years with an option for another season. The leading Israeli point guard – a member of last season’s first team and the Israeli Player of the Season – is also well known to fans in yellow and blue from the last playoff final series, in which he faced the champions as a player of Gilboa-Galil.
Yiftach Ziv is a big and strong point guard with extraordinary daring, a huge hunger to succeed, the ability to dictate the pace of the game, guard players in a variety of positions, he has 7 seasons experience in the Israeli Premier League, good shooting and rebounding skills.
“The signing of Yiftach Ziv is very important for us because we add a very good Israeli player to our squad that will help us in all competitions that we will participate in”, coach Giannis Sfairopoulos told maccabi.co.il. “YIftach has many qualities and I want to welcome him to the family of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv”.
“I am happy to start a new chapter in my career at a big, glorious and exciting home like Maccabi Tel Aviv”, Yiftach Ziv told the club’s official website after the signing, adding: “As a player who experienced the crazy power of this arena packed with amazing fans, I’m happy and wating to experience it again – Only this time from the other side when I play for them”.
During the previous finals series, Ziv scored 12 points per evening in an average of 30 minutes on the floor. He delivered nearly 4 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds per game. During the regular season he provided 12.5 points with 37.1% of 3pts range alongside 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
One of his highlights games last season was in a 107:91 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv, then scoring 27 points (11 of 11 from the line), adding 5 assists, picking up 5 rebounds and scoring 39 PIR.
Yiftach Ziv began his professional basketball career at Kiryat Ata in the national league in the 2013/14 season. Since then he has played for Maccabi Haifa, Bnei Herzliya, Maccabi Ashdod, two seasons at Nahariya and in the previous two years at Hapoel Gilboa-Galil.
The point guard is a member of the Israel national team and received his first summons to the senior staff during 2016, having previously played for the youth and U20 teams.