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.
Coaching career
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.
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.
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]
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