Safar, Yoav

The starting power forward for Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israel, Safar is a solid defensive player with good rebounding skills and a suprisingly accurate outside shot (for a big guy). He faces the unenviable task of replacing Nadav Henefeld for both club and country.

Yoav started every game in the 2003 European Championships held in Sweden and was the only consistent player in the squad. In the opening match against Germany he scored 11 points, but Israel lost the match, 86-81. The national team fared even worse against Lithuania as they were clobbered, 94-62. Safar was among the better players that day with 9 points and stood apart from his peers by playing a good defensive game. In the September 7, 2003 clash with Latvia, Yoav scored 16 points (4 out of 5 3-point shots made) and led Israel to a 91-75 victory. The Israeli team then played the Slovenian favorites in the second round. Safar scored 8 points and dished out 4 assists. His successful three-pointer 20 seconds from time helped Israel come back from a 3-18 start to win the game, 78-76. Yoav was injured during a four-point performance in the quarterfinals against Spain on September 10, 2003. He was sorely missed in the final stages of the game, as Israel lost the match, 78-64. Israel placed seventh in Europe.

The 2003 competition was not Yoav's first outstanding European Championship tournament. In the 2001 event he averaged 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Sept. 30, 1975

Career Highlights:
Safar is a product of the successful Hapoel Holon youth program. He first played for that team in 1992-93. In his first full season, 1994-95, Yoav was named "rookie of the year" for his defensive excellence and 7.8 point per game average. He improved this performance during the 1995-96 season by scoring 8.7 points per game and bagging 4.0 rebounds. By 1997-98, Safar was among the cream of the Israeli crop, averaging 9.8 points, and 6.0 rebounds a game, and thus grew too big for the Holon market.

Safar played for Maccabi Ra'anana in the 1998-99 season but didn't fit in at the ambitious club and left for Galil Elyon. Like most former Galil Elyon players, the forward had his best years in the nurturing atmosphere of the Galilee. Yoav's 2000-01 performance achieved a personal peak. He scored 16.1 points and took 6.8 rebounds and the club made the playoffs. The career year generated interest all over Europe and Safar was grabbed by Maccabi Tel Aviv.

The first year in Maccabi was somewhat traumatic for Safar. Henefeld was still playing and Yoav saw his minutes cut from 30.5 in 2000-01 to 15.7 in 2001-02. That year, Maccabi won the league and cup "double" and reached the European final four. In 2002-03, Tel Aviv won the "double" yet again. Safar averaged 10 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game, although his minutes remained low, at 15.0 in Israel and 11.6 in European per game competition.

Origin:
Jaffa, Israel

Career Dates:
Player: 1993-present

Position:
Power forward

Physical description:
6"8

Career Statistics:
56 games for the national team scoring 434 points

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