By Amy Samin
The Final Four of 2011 got underway Thursday night off the basketball court, with the Israeli Basketball League Administration holding its traditional Gala in the V.I.P. tent outside of Nokia Arena. In attendance were the four teams who will play in the semi-final games on Tuesday, as well as many people from the worlds of basketball and business.
The biggest headline of the evening was the selection of forward Lior Eliyahu and guard Jeremy Pargo to the Top Five players of the 2010 – 2011 Lotto League season. Eliyahu, who returned to Maccabi this season after a year away, posted averages of 13.6 points and 4.8 rebounds, providing a rating of 17.7 index points per game. Pargo, who was also named to the second All-Euroleague team this season, averaged 9.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, giving him an average of 12 index points per game.
One other player worthy of mention is Doron Perkins, who was named the league’s Best Defensive Player of the 2010 – 2011 season. His averages this season included 14.2 points, 5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game, which gave him an average of 21.7 index points per game in 22 games. One of Perkins’ best games of the season was against Hapoel Jerusalem, in which he earned an impressive triple-double that featured 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists.