Zacharia (Zekaarya) Ofri (זכריה עופרי) A(7 August 1932 – 9 March 2018) was an Israeli basketball player. He was captain of the Israeli National team that competed in the men's tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics[3] as well as in the 1953 European Cup in Moscow (name transliterated as Afari)[4] and the 1954 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro (name transliterated as Afri)[5]
![]() Zacharia Ofri (captain of Israeli National Basketball Team) at Helsinki Olympics 1952 | |
Personal information | |
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Nationality | Israeli |
Born | (1932-08-07)7 August 1932 |
Died | 9 March 2018(2018-03-09) (aged 85)[1] |
Sport | |
Sport | Basketball[2] |
Ofri was also captain of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team in Israel.[6][7]
The Israeli national team was unable to play in the 1956 Olympics because of the Sinai War [8] (Ofri served in the Tank Corps). In 1957, as a compensation for missing the Olympic games, the team went on an exhibition tour in the United States.[9] [10] Ofri was offered a scholarship to play on the NYU basketball[11] (and soccer) teams, and completed his degree in education at NYU.
Ofri taught mathematics at Lincoln High School in Yonkers, New York, until 1983 when he moved back to Israel.[12] In 2013 he was inducted into the Israeli Basketball Hall of Fame.[13]
His daughter is the physician and writer Danielle Ofri.
Israel squad – 1952 Summer Olympics | ||
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