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Maccabi Tel Aviv to Play Bklyn Nets at Barclays Center

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Sylven Landesberg hoists CHSAA championship trophy after leading Holy Cross to city title.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is the reigning Euro league champion, having defeated Real Madrid under the leadership of current Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach David Blatt. With six European Championships, one Adriatic Championship, 51 Israeli Championships, 41 Israeli Cups, and five League Cups, Maccabi Tel Aviv is one of the most successful teams in the history of European basketball. Maccabi Tel Aviv has played 20 games against NBA teams and was the first European club to compete against an NBA team, defeating the 1978 NBA champion Washington Bullets in Tel Aviv.

They will be making a visit to the Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn to play the Nets on Tuesday, October 7th. The Brooklyn Nets coming off a decent season after losing in the second round of the playoffs to the Miami Heat. The Nets experienced a change in coaches during the offseason, and saw several player movements as well. The Nets announced this past summer, their plans to build a new practice facility just miles from their home, the Barclays Center.

As part of the on-court game festivities, Nets players will wear Hello Brooklyn warm-up shirts in Hebrew lettering.  The game also offers Nets swingman Alan Anderson the opportunity to face his former team, which he played for during the 2009-10 Euroleague season.

The Maccabi roster currently consists of 7 Israeli’s and 5 American players. The team is lead by captain 6’7 forward Guy Pninni, who’s entering his 6th season with the team.

Of particular interest is that one of Maccabi’s star Israeli-American players, Sylven Landsberg, is no stranger to the New York basketball scene. A Brooklyn native, Sylven was born to a Jewish father and Trinidadian mother. Sylven was a star NYC high school player at Holy Cross, leading him to be awarded 2008 New York State Mr. Basketball, and named a 2008 McDonald’s High School All American. Landsberg who is in his 3rd season with the ball club went undrafted after two seasons at the University of Virginia.

He was also a second-team Parade Magazine All-American, first-team All-State, New York Gatorade Player of the Year, New York Post Player of the Year, and a U.S. All Star in the 2008 Capital Classic. He is 6′ 6″, 205 lbs and considered one of Maccabi’s best players and was a key part of last seasons’ fairytale Euroleague championship run. Since moving to Israel, Sylven has been inducted into the IDF and has seen the ties to his Jewish identity grow dramatically, learning Hebrew and experiencing what it means to be an Israeli.

The last time the Maccabi Tel Aviv was in town was at Madison Square Garden to play the New York Knicks. The Knicks beat them 106-91 on October 18, 2009 in the sold out World’s Most Famous Arena. The team will also make a quick stop to play Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers the 2 nights prior.

During the 2013-14 regular season, the NBA featured a record 92 international players from 39 countries and territories on official rosters (active and inactive).

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