Zvi Sherf (Hebrew: צבי שרף; born December 18, 1951, in Tel Aviv, Israel), known almost universally by his nickname Zvika (Hebrew: צביקה), is an Israeli former basketball player and professional basketball coach.

Zvi Sherf
Sherf, in 2011.
Personal information
Born (1951-12-18) December 18, 1951 (age 72)
Tel Aviv, Israel
PositionHead coach
Career history
As player:
1967–1970Maccabi Tel Aviv
As coach:
1976–1978Maccabi Darom Tel Aviv
1978–1980Beitar Jerusalem
1981–1983Hapoel Ramat Gan
1983–1987Maccabi Tel Aviv
1986–1987Israel
1987–1988Maccabi Elitzur Netanya
1988–1989Maccabi Tel Aviv
1989–1990Maccabi Rishon LeZion
1990–1992Maccabi Tel Aviv
1992Hapoel Jerusalem
1992–1993Aris
1993–1997Israel
1993–1995Hapoel Tel Aviv
1995–1996CSP Limoges
1996–1997Maccabi Tel Aviv
1997–1999PAOK Thessaloniki
1999–2001Hapoel Jerusalem
2001–2002Śląsk Wrocław
2002Makedonikos
2002–2003Hapoel Galil-Elyon
2003–2005Dynamo Moscow
2005–2009Israel
2007–2008Maccabi Tel Aviv
2009–2011Spartak Saint Petersburg
2013–2014Maccabi Rishon LeZion
2015–2016Maccabi Ashdod
2018Maccabi Rishon LeZion
Career highlights and awards
As head coach:

Coaching career

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Sherf played basketball with the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth teams, starting at age 12. By age 16, Sherf was playing for Maccabi South Tel Aviv (the club's second side), and was sent to a coaching course, along with fellow future Israeli basketball coach Pini Gershon. By age 20, Sherf was coaching the Maccabi Tel Aviv youth teams, and by age 25, he was coaching Maccabi South Tel Aviv, leading it to his first championship.

In the 1980–81 season, when Maccabi Tel Aviv won the EuroLeague, the Israeli League and the Israeli State Cup titles, Sherf was an assistant coach to Rudy D'Amico. Sherf became Maccabi Tel Aviv's head coach in the 1983–84 season, and stayed in that role through the 1985–86 season. In 1984, (at the age of 33), he became the senior men's Israeli national basketball team head coach.

His first Israeli national team coaching tenure (which lasted three years), saw two EuroBasket appearances (1985, 1987) and Israel's historic 7th place finish at the 1986 FIBA World Basketball Championship. Sherf's tenure as national team head coach ended after what was perceived as a poor performance at EuroBasket 1987 (11th position), but Sherf later returned as the team's head coach for the years 1991-97. In 2005, Sherf was again appointed head coach of the Israeli national basketball team, and on January 1, 2008, he was appointed head coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Sherf's coaching career includes a Saporta Cup title with Aris Thessaloniki (1992–93), three EuroLeague Finals appearances, 10 Israeli League championships, and six Israeli State Cup titles (all with Maccabi Tel Aviv).

On April 10, 2018, Sherf returned to Maccabi Rishon LeZion for a third stint, replacing Shmulik Brener.[1] On November 26, 2018, Sherf parted ways with Rishon LeZion.[2]

Honors and awards

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Israeli titles

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European honors and titles

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References

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  1. ^ שרף חוזר לקדנציה שלישית בעיר היין. basket.co.il (in Hebrew). April 10, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  2. ^ זעזוע במכבי ראשל"צ: צביקה שרף עוזב. basket.co.il (in Hebrew). November 26, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
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