{{Short description|Israeli basketball player and coach (1972–2021)}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Eric Alfasi<br>אריק אלפסי | image = | caption = | height_ft = | height_in = | weight_lb = | league = Israeli Premier League | team = | number = | position = Head coach | nationality = Israeli | birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1972|7|1}} | birth_place = Netanya, Israel | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|9|22|1972|7|1}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-22|title=Basketball coach Eric Alfasi has passed away|url=https://middleeast.in-24.com/News/249015.html|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Middle East in 24 English|language=en-us}}</ref> | death_place = Tel Aviv, Israel | coach_start = 2008 | coach_end = 2021 | cyears1 = 2008 | cteam1 = Ironi Ashkelon | cyears2 = 2008–2011 | cteam2 = Maccabi Netanya | cyears3 = 2011–2012 | cteam3 = Ironi Ashkelon | cyears4 = 2013–2014 | cteam4 = Maccabi Ashdod | cyears5 = 2015–2018 | cteam5 = Ironi Nahariya | cyears6 = 2018–2019 | cteam6 = Ironi Nahariya | cyears7 = 2019–2020 | cteam7 = Hapoel Eilat | cyears8 = 2021 | cteam8 = Elitzur Ashkelon | highlights = '''As head coach:''' * Israeli League Coach of the Year (2010) }}
'''Eric Alfasi''' ({{langx|he|אריק אלפסי}}; July 1, 1972 – September 22, 2021) was an Israeli professional basketball coach and a professional basketball player. He was the head coach of Hapoel Eilat of the Israeli Premier League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://basket.co.il/StatsPage_Coaches.asp?CoachId=161|title=מנהלת ליגת העל בכדורסל {{!}} היסטוריה {{!}} מאמני כל הזמנים {{!}} אריק אלפסי|last=LTD|first=Art-Up|website=basket.co.il|access-date=2018-07-18}}</ref>
==Biography==
===As a basketball player=== In his youth he was a basketball player. He played for the team Maccabi Netanya. He also played a number of seasons in the senior side of the team. He retired in his late 20s.
===As a coach=== In 2002 he began to coach the youth team of Maccabi Netanya and in 2008 he made his debut as a senior coach as Ironi Ashkelon appointed him as their head coach.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.walla.co.il/?w=/21/365469 |title=וואלה! |publisher=Sports.walla.co.il |accessdate=2012-01-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001083623/http://sports.walla.co.il/?w=%2F21%2F365469 |archivedate=2011-10-01 }}</ref>
After an unsuccessful season with Ashkelon he made his return to Netanya, this time coaching the senior local team. In his first season with the team he won the Liga Leumit with a record of 33 wins and only 1 defeat. In his second season with the team he led them to the 2009–10 Israeli Final Four where they lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv and finished 4th. In his third season he led the team to the Israeli Basketball State Cup 2010–11 finals where they again lost to Tel Aviv.
In July 2011 he made his way back to Ironi Ashkelon as he signed a contract for one season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/3/ART2/260/038.html |title=ספורט - כדורסל ישראלי nrg - ...אשקלון: אריק אלפסי מאמן |publisher=Nrg.co.il |date= |accessdate=2012-01-29}}</ref> On December 23, 2013, it was announced that he would replace Nati Cohen.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Sports/Jlem-Haifa-aim-to-end-regular-season-on-a-high-335336|title=J'lem, Haifa aim to end regular season on a high|work=The Jerusalem Post|access-date=2018-07-18 |issn=0792-822X}}</ref> After one season he signed on to coach Ironi Nahariya.
On June 21, 2019, Alfasi was named Hapoel Eilat head coach, signing a two-year deal.<ref>{{cite news|title=אלפסי יאמן את אילת|url=http://basket.co.il/news.asp?id=21331|date=June 21, 2019|work=basket.co.il|accessdate=June 21, 2019|language=he}}</ref>
==Death== Alfasi died after being hospitalized with COVID-19 on September 22, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel. He was 49 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-09-22|title=Basketball coach Eric Alfasi has passed away|url=https://middleeast.in-24.com/News/249015.html|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Middle East in 24 English|language=en-us}}</ref>
==Honours== *'''Domestic Cup:''' **'''Runner-up (1):''' 2010-11 *'''Liga Leumit:''' **'''Champion (1):''' 2008-09 **'''Regular season champion (1):''' 2008-09 *'''Israeli Basketball Super League Manager of the Month (1):''' **October 2011<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.basket.co.il/News.Asp?id=3951 |title=מאמן החודש - אריק אלפסי |publisher=Basket.co.il |date=2011-11-03 |accessdate=2012-01-29}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Israeli Basketball Super League coach of the season}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfasi, Eric}} Category:1972 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Israeli men's basketball players Category:Barak Netanya B.C. players Category:Jewish Israeli sportspeople Category:Israeli basketball coaches Category:Ironi Ashkelon coaches Category:Barak Netanya B.C. coaches Category:Maccabi Ashdod B.C. coaches Category:Ironi Nahariya coaches Category:Hapoel Eilat B.C. coaches Category:Elitzur Eito Ashkelon coaches Category:Jewish basketball players Category:Men's basketball players Category:Sportspeople from Netanya Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel