Maccabi Haifa Basketball Club () known for sponsorship reasons as Maccabi Next Urban Haifa () is a professional basketball club based in the city of Haifa in Israel. It is the basketball section of the Maccabi Haifa association. The team plays in the Liga Leumit (the second tier of Israeli basketball) and internationally in the Balkan International Basketball League. The team currently plays in the Romema Arena, which is home to 5,000 spectators, the club plays in the arena alongside fellow rivals Hapoel Haifa.
Maccabi Haifa would win its first ever Premier League title in 2013 season as they would go on and defeat perennial champions Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Premier League final.
History
1950s
Maccabi Haifa basketball Club was established in 1954 in the port city of Haifa in the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem Maccabi Haifa, known as "The Greens," is one of the oldest basketball teams in Israel, and is one of the original eight teams that formed the top division in 1953. The club would struggle its first years of existence as they would fail to achieve a winning record in its first five seasons in the league and eventually were relegated in 1960.
1960s
Maccabi Haifa would make their return to the Premier League in 1961 as they would stay in the Premier League for the majority of the decade, though the club would undergo many ups and downs through the 1960s. The team would finish the 1967 season with a winning record, their first in club history.
1970s
The 1970s would see Maccabi Haifa struggle again in the Premier League. In 1971, the club would reach the Israeli Basketball State Cup finals were they would lose to champions Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi Haifa would qualify for international competition for the first time in club history in the form of the 1971–72 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup, the team would be eliminated in the first round by French side Denain Voltaire. Maccabi Haifa would once again suffer relegation in 1974, however, this would be short lived as the club would return to the Premier League the following season. Maccabi Haifa wouldn’t escape relegation for long, however, as the club would yet again suffer relegation in 1978.
1980s
The 1980s would be a much more stable decade for Maccabi Haifa basketball. After a two year absence, the club made their return to the Premier League in 1980, were they would maintain form and stay altogether in the Premier League for the entire decade. Maccabi Haifa would qualify for the Premier League playoffs for the first time in 1984. In 1985, the club would once again reach the finals of the State Cup, before losing once again to Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi Haifa made their return back to international competition participating in the 1985–86 FIBA European Cup Winners' Cup, the team would defeat Cypriot side ENAD in the first round before falling to Yugoslav side Jugoplastika. Maccabi Haifa would qualify for the 1987–88 FIBA Korać Cup were the club would defeat Cypriot side Achilleas Kaimakli in the first round before being eliminated by French side ASVEL in the second round. Koren Amisha would be named the winner of the 1990 Israeli League Rising Star.
1990s
Despite optimism from the 1980s, the 1990s would prove to be a disastrous era for Maccabi Haifa. The team would qualify for the 1992–93 FIBA Korać Cup were they were eliminated in the second round by French side Gravelines. Maccabi Haifa tenure in the Premier League would come to an end in 1993, as the club would end up facing relegation. Despite this, Gary Alexander would lead the league in total rebounds per game. The misfortunes kept continuing as the club would last three seasons in the National League before being relegated yet again to the third tier. The club would be able to achieve back-to-back promotions to the National League and the Premier League. The club returned to international competition in the form of the 1999–2000 FIBA Korać Cup were the club would defeat Cypriot side Keravnos Keo in the first round, the club would also top their group in the second round and advance to the playoffs were they would be eliminated by Italian side Pepsi Rimini.
2000s
The 2000s would see drastic changes to Maccabi Haifa. In 2000, Haifa mayor Amram Mitzna merged Maccabi Haifa with Hapoel Haifa to form a new club called B.C. Haifa. The 2000–01 Premier League season would see the team finish the season in fourth place in the league table, qualifying for the playoffs where they would be defeated in the semifinals by Maccabi Tel Aviv. B.C. Haifa’s Stanley Brundy lead the league in rebounds per game and Corey Gaines would lead the league in assists per game.