Briann January - Ramat Hasharon
January was a consistent, solid performer for the Fever during their WNBA title run this season. After an injury stopped her from playing overseas last season, January will be back in Israel where she played for Ranana Hertzeliya during 2010-2011. This time, she'll be suiting up for Ramat Hasharon.
Karima Christmas - Maccabi Ramat Hen
Christmas, a second-year player who was originally drafted by Washingon, began this season with Tulsa before being signed by Indiana part-way through the season. She came off the bench in 16 games and averaged 2.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. This is her first time playing basketball overseas.
January 24, 2013: Maccabi Ramat Hen and Ramat Hasharon both were upset on their home courts Monday night. Already tied for third place in the Israeli League, both teams fell to 6-7 to join Hapoel Petah Tikva in a three-way deadlock. For Ramat Hen, Karima Christmas contributed nine points and five rebounds during a 75-71 loss to Elitzur Netanya. In 13 appearances, Christmas is her team’s top scorer and rebounder with 16.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She ranks fourth in the league in rebounds. For Hasharon, Briann January returned to play after missing a game on Jan. 14. January shot just 2-of-10 from the floor and contributed six points with three rebounds and two assists as Hasharon fell 76-54 to Elitzur Holon. In 11 games, she averages 10.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists which ranks third in the Israeli League.
January 17, 2013Maccabi Ramat Hen lost twice last week and Ramat Hasharon lost its only game of the week on Jan. 10 as Karima Christmas and Briann January remained in a third-place deadlock with their respective teams in the Israeli League. January did not play in Ramat Hasharon’s four-point loss to last-place Hapoel Rishon Le-Zion last Thursday. Christmas, meanwhile, scored 19 points with 12 rebounds in a 76-75 loss to Elitzur Holon. Against Elitzur Ramla on Monday, Christmas totaled 11 points and eight boards in a 68-63 defeat. Four regular season games remain prior to Israel’s postseason tournament.
December 12, 2012: Briann January and Karima Christmas are sharing second-place in the Israeli League with their respective teams. Both Ramat Hasharon and Maccabi Ramat Hen got wins this week.
Five Ramat Hasharon players finished in double-figures to defeat Elitzur Holon 108-64 on Dec. 10. January finished the game with a double-double recording 10 points and 17 assists. She was two rebounds away from a triple-double, with eight rebounds.
Christmas finished with a team-high 19 points to help lead her team to an 81-74 win over Elitzur Netanya. She finished shooting 8-for-12, including 1-for-2 from behind the arc. Christmas added six rebounds and two assists.
Both teams are 3-2 on the season and will back in action on Monday, Dec. 17.
December 7, 2012: Despite solid performances from Briann January and Karima Christmas, both of their respective teams fell last week in the Israeli League.
Christmas’ team, Maccabi Ramat Hen, fell 79-69 to Elitzur Ramala. Maccabi Ramat Hen had a slow start and could never fully recover, despite cutting the deficit to three points in the second quarter. Christmas led her team with 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting and added a team-high eight rebounds.
January played 34 minutes in Ramat Hasharon’s 75-66 loss to Hapoel Petah Tikva on Nov. 29. January scored a season-high 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting. She added five rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Maccabi Ramat Hen and Ramat Hasharon are both tied for fourth place in the Israeli League.
November 23, 2012: Fever stars Karima Christmas and Briann January battled head-to-head on Monday evening in Israel, despite the threat of war looming between Israel and neighboring Gaza. What’s more, the player of the game and the Israeli player of the week, Jenna Smith, was in the Fever’s training camp last spring. Smith tallied 21 points with 20 rebounds to outshine her Maccabi teammate and Fever star Christmas who finished with 20 points and nine boards. It was January, though, with nine points, five boards and five assists, who sparked Ramat Hasharon to an 86-83 victory over Maccabi Ramat Hen. Each team now is 1-1.
November 16, 2012: Karima Christmas and Briann January are both playing in Israel. Christmas has played in one game for Maccabi Ramat Hen. She finished with eight points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes of play. January’s team, Ramat Hasharon has had one game, but no stats are yet available.
