Ironi Kiryat Ata B.C.

Kiryat Ata finished sixth in the 2023/24 league campaign before sweeping Maccabi Ramat Gan in the playoff quarterfinals, combining young Israeli players with veteran foreign players under coach Sharon Avrahami.[4] Its home venue is Remes Hall in Kiryat Ata.[2]

Limited financial resources have been a feature of its top-flight participation: the club only just met the league’s $1 million minimum budget before the 2008/09 season, and its 2023/24 team operated with the smallest budget in the league.[5][4] Alongside its competitive results, the development of young Israeli players became an explicit priority under Eldad Bentov, who was appointed head coach in June 2024.[6]

Founded in 1974, the team registered in Liga Gimel, then the fifth tier of Israeli basketball, and spent its first two years there.[1] Its earliest games were played on an outdoor court at a school in Kiryat Ata.[1] In 1976, Naftali Bentov began managing the team after retiring from playing for the association.[1]

The club played in Liga Bet from 1976 to 1980 and reached Liga Alef, then the third tier, in the early 1980s.[1] During that period, it held home games on the outdoor court at Beit Hapoel.[1] It reached the National League at the end of the 1998/99 season and secured its first promotion to the Premier League at the end of 1999/2000.[1] That top-division spell lasted three seasons before relegation.[1] In 2000, the team merged with Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin; the merger was dissolved three years later.[1]

Kiryat Ata returned to the Premier League after defeating Barak Netanya 3–1 in a promotion series at the end of 2007/08.[1] It had finished third in the National League that season, and a late three-pointer helped secure its top-flight place.[5] Meir Kaminski coached the team entering the 2008/09 season, with Brandon McKnight identified as a player to watch.[5] The club was relegated after one season, dropped to the third-tier Arzit League at the end of 2009/10, and returned to the National League after the 2010/11 season.[1]

In 2021/22, Kiryat Ata finished fourth in the National League regular season before advancing through the playoffs.[1][7] Avrahami’s team eliminated Ramat Hasharon and promotion favorite Ironi Nahariya despite losing one of its two foreign players, Kenny Penderborck, to an injury that sidelined him for an extended period.[7] It then swept Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan 3–0 in the final to return to the Premier League.[1] Official clearance to participate in the 2022/23 season followed a budget increase for league teams that enabled the club to pass the financial control process.[8]

Before the 2022/23 season, Avrahami described promotion as something of a surprise and made remaining in the Premier League the principal objective.[9] He stated that “the main goal is definitely to stay in the league; anything after that would be great.”[9]

Ben Saraf joined Kiryat Ata in the Premier League after beginning his professional career at age 16 with Elitzur Netanya in Israel’s second division.[3] He earned Rookie of the Year honors for 2023/24 while part of Kiryat Ata’s combination of young Israeli talent and experienced foreign players.[3][4]

In June 2024, following Avrahami’s departure for Gilboa/Galil, the club appointed Eldad Bentov as head coach.[6] Bentov, the son of chairman Naftali Bentov, had served as an assistant coach for the preceding four years.[6] The club emphasized his familiarity with its “DNA,” while Bentov stated that he wanted to establish Kiryat Ata as “a home for the young Israeli player” and build continuity and stability in the league.[6]

By January 2024, Kiryat Ata had a 5–2 Premier League record and had recorded victories over Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Holon.[10] The team managed uncertainty over which foreign players would remain, leave, or return following the October 7 attacks and the resulting disruption to the season.[10] Its lineup combined Israeli players with returning guard James Batemon and forward Amin Stevens; Batemon was averaging 18.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds at the time.[10]

By February, the club had won four of its previous five games against leading teams, with victories over Hapoel Holon, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Hapoel Jerusalem.[11] After 16 games, it stood seventh with a 7–9 record.[11] Avrahami credited the players’ connection and hunger, highlighting Raz Adam, Guy Palatin, Tomer Porat, and Ben Saraf.[11]

In April, Kiryat Ata defeated Ness Ziona 84–80 in a State Cup quarterfinal to reach the semifinals.[12] Stevens led the scoring with 33 points, followed by Adam with 14 and Akia Pruitt with 12.[12] Palatin and Adam also made important defensive contributions.[12]

The club finished sixth in the league and swept Maccabi Ramat Gan 3–0 in the playoff quarterfinals.[4] The sweep included a 74–72 overtime victory in which Batemon scored 23 points and JJ Kaplan added 14.[13] Two crucial Batemon free throws helped bring the score to 65–65 at the end of regulation, and a Pruitt three-pointer put Kiryat Ata ahead for good in overtime.[13] Batemon later recalled that the crowd’s jumping and rocking made the basket appear to shake as he stood at the foul line, reminding him of a junior-college overtime playoff game.[4] Avrahami said the team had played most of the season with only three import players.[13]

Kiryat Ata advanced to the league playoff semifinals, where it faced Hapoel Tel Aviv.[4] Hapoel’s 70–62 victory in Game 2 tied the series at 1–1.[14] Avrahami praised his team’s defense in that loss but said its offense had not been good enough, while expressing pride in the run.[14] Hapoel ultimately won the series 2–1.[6]

The 2023/24 season brought together two significant cup and league achievements: the club’s first State Cup semifinal appearance and a league playoff semifinal appearance.[2] Those results were achieved by a sixth-place team operating with the league’s smallest budget.[4] Saraf’s Rookie of the Year award also marked an individual achievement for one of its young Israeli players.[3]

In September 2026, Kiryat Ata faced Maccabi Tel Aviv in a Winner Cup quarterfinal in Hadera.[15] Maccabi won 109–61 and advanced to the competition’s final four.[15]

During the 2022 promotion campaign, sponsor Tomer Haim objected to a reported requirement that Premier League venues have 2,500 seats, arguing that Remes Hall lacked the required capacity and that promotion should be decided on the court.[7] He said the club would seek a court ruling if necessary.[7] Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan also appealed and sought promotion in Kiryat Ata’s place after finishing second.[8] Kiryat Ata ultimately received official clearance to compete in the 2022/23 Premier League after passing the financial control process.[8]