Jerusalem eyes EuroCup semis as ‘Triple J’ finds his groove

Josiah-Jordan James has emerged as a key contributor for Hapoel Jerusalem as the Reds chase a EuroCup semifinal berth from their temporary home in Belgrade.

Hapoel Jerusalem gets back to continental competition when it takes on Turk Telekom in EuroCup quarterfinal action on Wednesday night in Belgrade, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.

The Reds departed Israel just a few days after the outbreak of the war with Iran and have been training in Serbia, which has become a second home for the club as it looks to punch its ticket to the EuroLeague by winning the EuroCup competition.

While Hapoel has played some of its home games before in Belgrade, it’s been a bit different this time as the Reds have moved their base of operations, for the time being, to the Serbian capital. The players have had a chance to focus on the task at hand in a fine basketball environment.

One of those players is Jerusalem rookie forward Josiah-Jordan James. “Triple J,” as he is also known, is playing in his first season overseas after having played in the G-League last year with the Indiana Mad Ants. Prior to that, James attended the University of Tennessee, where he graced the floors of Thompson-Boling Arena for five years in Knoxville.

Just ahead of the quarterfinal matchup, James spoke to The Jerusalem Post about his first season abroad, what the Reds will need to do in order to defeat the Turkish club, as well as how he and the team have adjusted to Belgrade in addition to how he experienced the outbreak of the war.

“I’m doing well. It’s going on week three over here in Belgrade, just enjoying my time, ready for the game on Wednesday for sure. It’s been nice, and Belgrade has been very welcoming. This isn’t our first time out here, but this is our first time here for an extended stay, kind of like a training camp type of deal.”

'We wish we were back home in Jerusalem'

“But Belgrade is beautiful. There are a lot of things that are available, a lot of things to do outside of the practices and workouts that we have. My teammates and I have gone to a few Red Star Euroleague games, which has been fun. The food here is great, and the people here are wonderful. So it’s been a great change of scenery. Obviously, we wish we were back home in Jerusalem, but Belgrade is a great place to be for sure.”

As James went to bed on Friday night back on February 27, the last thing on his mind was what was about to take place on Saturday morning, with phone alerts going off as well as the sound of piercing sirens in the air.

“Definitely going to sleep that night, I didn’t have any inkling about anything popping off over in Israel and woke up to a dozen missed calls, a lot of just noise and ruckus and things going on outside my apartment.

I talked to Dan Shamir, the general manager, and Coach Yonatan Alon and got an idea as to what was happening. They wanted to make sure that everything was okay with me, that I was fine and safe, and let me know that if I needed anything, I could seek refuge at their house. But it never got too scary for me.

It was definitely a circumstance that was new for me, but obviously I felt pretty safe in my apartment in Jerusalem. I have a safe room and I was able to bunker down there. But it was definitely kind of like a rude awakening, waking up to just a lot of noise and everything going on.”

From there, Hapoel Jerusalem, along with other teams and the Israel Basketball League, put a plan into action so that the players would be able to leave Israel and head to Belgrade for the time being.

“We left on Monday, so we were just on standby for a couple of days, trying to figure everything out. We went through Egypt with about 120-150 people from other teams, other Americans, other Israelis. Everybody just trying to get somewhere safe. We drove four hours into Egypt and then flew from there to Belgrade. So it was a crazy travel day. We had a long 24 hours, but thankfully, we had a great plan. Guys knew the plan and executed it perfectly, and we were able to make it here safely.”

Now in Belgrade for a couple of weeks, Jerusalem has been able to focus on the task at hand with a tough matchup against Turk Telekom, a team with a veteran coach and many solid players who will no doubt be looking to advance to the next round as well.

“Definitely looking forward to the matchup,” James commented. “It won’t be easy. It’s going to be a 40-minute dogfight, for sure. I feel like both teams are very talented, but the team that wants to win more, makes more of the 50-50 plays, and wins the rebound battle – I think that’s what it will ultimately come down to. The team that wants to win it more will ultimately win it.”

“They’re a really, really talented team, but we’ve watched film on them extensively. One through five, they’ve got a really, really deep roster – guys coming off the bench who contribute and play like starters. Their coach trusts them a lot. It’s going to be great. I’m excited. I know we’re itching to finally play against somebody else. Obviously, in a win-or-go-home type of matchup, there’s nothing better you can ask for than playing against a really, really good team.”

With the game being played in Belgrade, Jerusalem won’t have their fans with them at the Arena, which would have been packed to the rafters with over 11,000 supporters in the stands. While there will be some fans at the game, it won’t be the same type of environment that it would have been in the capital city.

“Obviously, not being able to play in the Arena is definitely kind of a disadvantage for us because when it’s rocking and at full force, we don’t think we’re ever going to lose there. Going into any matchup, we don’t think we’re ever going to lose, and having our fans on our side is definitely a big bonus. But the fact that we’ve played the majority of our EuroCup games here in Belgrade before, I think definitely plays a big part in it.”
“It’s not our first rodeo. It’s not our first time playing in a smaller gym, not a packed house with our fans, and I think we’re ready for it. We’ve experienced it in the past and we know how it’s going to go. We have to bring our own energy and I think we’ll do a great job of that. But I definitely do think it evens the playing field for sure, not being able to play in Jerusalem.”
James is in his first year abroad and so far it’s been a terrific one, as he has been able to really become an integral part of the team, which isn’t something that can be taken for granted.

“I give a lot of credit to the organization and my teammates because I remember I woke up the first day and I’m like six hours ahead from the United States and I was like, did I make the right decision? I quickly realized that I did just because of the people that I get to interact with every day. My teammates, the Americans, Israelis included, have really taken me under their wing. I’m the only rookie American out here, so guys have definitely extended a helping hand from the jump until today.”

“I definitely give them a lot of credit for the seamless transition because they’ve shown me the ropes within the game of basketball and also outside of the game of basketball and just made everything easy for me. It’s been a great experience so far. Obviously, the work is far from finished. Up to this point, it’s just really been a dream come true.

I’ve been able to experience so much, travel the world, and be around great people and the guys, some that I played against in college and others that I saw play in college. So it’s just been a great overall experience. I’m so thankful for the opportunity that Jerusalem has given me.”

While James credits each and every one of his teammates for being a big part in his acclimation to European hoops, one that stands out is Cassius Winston because of the university he attended.

“If I had to choose one, if you’re going to force me to choose one, I’d definitely say Cash. He’s been awesome for me. My dad actually went to Michigan State. He’s always been a big Michigan State fan. Once he saw I was playing with Cash, he’s like, you got to lock in with him and make sure that you use him as a big brother, and he’s been awesome for me. Honestly, if I didn’t have to pick one, I couldn’t because all of my teammates have been great.”

Unfinished business

The Israeli league is currently on hold due to the war, and it’s unclear when the teams will be getting back onto the courts across the Holy Land.

But Jerusalem has some unfinished business to attend to after the outbreak of the last war with Iran back in June 2025, when the final series with Maccabi Tel Aviv was all knotted up at one game apiece.
For James, completing the mission for this season is of the utmost importance, and he is well aware of how much playing in front of the fans means.

“It’d be huge. Right now we are at a standstill, just waiting for the higher-ups to make a decision. Obviously, we want to come back. Our goal was to win three championships. We missed out on the State Cup and we have to win this game on Wednesday to keep advancing in the EuroCup. The Israeli league, the fans there, the atmosphere. They deserve it.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get back sooner rather than later, and we’ll embark on our journey to finish the league and become champions. Any time you get to play great basketball against a great team, you don’t take it for granted. The league is the best of the best, and hopefully decisions get made soon, and we’ll be able to come back and finish the season out strong.”

Last but certainly not least, the most important question for James is how his alma mater, Tennessee, will fare in the NCAA Tournament.

“Obviously, I’m very biased. I haven’t made my bracket yet, but every year since I’ve left, Tennessee has been my champion. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve got to pick them to be the national champions as well this year. I don’t care who they play, but I just know head coach Rick Barnes is going to have those guys ready.”

“The tournament is so up in the air. It’s really whoever plays better, and it’s not the better team who wins – it’s whoever plays better for 40 minutes. Hopefully, they can win six in a row and play better than the other team for 40 minutes. They’ll be my national champions in my bracket for sure.”