Hapoel Ironi Eilat (), is an Israeli professional basketball club. The team plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, the top tier of professional basketball in Israel, following their recent promotion from the Liga Leumit at the end of the 2025–26 season. The team represents the far-South region of the country - the Arabah area, and the Red Sea city of Eilat.
History The team earned promotion to the First Division (known variously as Ligat HaAl, the Super League, or the Israeli Basketball Premier League) for the first time in the 1990–91 season, while being coached by Arik Shivek.
In the 1996–97 season, the team lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the playoff semi-finals. The following season, the team reached the finals, in which it lost 0-3 to Maccabi Tel Aviv for the second consecutive year.
In early 2000, the team found itself in serious financial difficulties, which resulted in relegation to the Second Division (Liga Leumit, or the National League). Later the team disbanded, and re-established in the lowest league.
In the 2010–11 season, the team won the Association Cup, the cup of the lower leagues, after beating Maccabi Kiryat Bialik in the final.
In June 2012, the team gained the license of Habik'a B.C. to play in the Israeli Basketball Super League, starting with the 2012–13 season.
In June 2015, the team knocked out Israeli basketball powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Premier League semi-finals, winning 3–2 in a best-of-five series. The team faced Hapoel Jerusalem in the finals, but lost.
At the end of the 2023–24 season, Hapoel Eilat were relegated to the Liga Leumit.
In August 2024, Hapoel Eilat merged with Maccabi Eilat into a joint team called Hapoel Ironi Eilat.
In the 2025–26 season, Eilat finished with a record of 29–1 in Liga Leumit, earning promotion back to the top division.
Season by season
Season Tier League Postseason State Cup League Cup European competitions 2010–11 3 Liga Artzit 4th colspan=2 2011–12 3rd colspan=2 2012–13 1 Premier League 3rd Semifinalist Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2013–14 5th Semifinalist Runners-up Semifinalist colspan=2 2014–15 4th Runners-up Semifinalist Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2015–16 4th Semifinalist Round of 16 Runners-up colspan=2 2016–17 2nd Quarterfinalist Round of 16 Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2017–18 7th Quarterfinalist Quarterfinalist Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2018–19 4th Semifinalist Quarterfinalist Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2019–20 10th Round of 16 Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2020–21 4th Semifinalist Round of 16 Quarterfinalist Balkan League 2021–22 9th rowspan=2 rowspan=2 Runners-up Champions League Qualifying rounds Europe Cup Regular season 2022–23 11th — Quarterfinalist colspan=2 2023–24 13th First round First round colspan=2 Source: Eurobasket.com
Players Current roster
Depth chart
Honours Domestic competitions
Israeli Championship Runners-up: 1998, 2015 State Cup Runners-up: 2014 League Cup Runners-up: 2015, 2021
Lower division competitions Liga Artzit Winners: 1991 Association Cup Champions (1): 2011
Notable players
Shimon Amsalem Ari Rosenberg
Participation in Europe
1993–1994: Korać Cup 1994–1995: Korać Cup 1997–1998: ULEB Eurocup 1998–1999: Saporta Cup Even though Eilat has constantly qualified for European basketball, they choose not to participate due to financial difficulties.
Former managers
Israel Lev Ralf Klein Effi Birnbaum Sharon Drucker Arik Shivek Udi Segal Moshe Weinkrantz
References
External links Official Facebook page