Alex Sobel (basketball)

Alex Sobel
No. 31 – Hapoel Haifa
PositionPower forward
LeagueIsraeli Basketball Premier League
Personal information
Born (2000-02-08) February 8, 2000 (age 24)
Setauket, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High schoolWard Melville (East Setauket, New York)
College
NBA draft2024: undrafted
Playing career2024–present
Career history
2024–presentHapoel Haifa
Career highlights and awards
  • Second-team All-NEC (2024)
  • D3hoops.com National Player of the Year (2023)

Alex Sobel (born February 8, 2000) is an American professional basketball player who plays the forward position for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League (ISBL).[1] He attended Middlebury College, where in 2022-23 he was second in the nation in blocks and blocks per game, led the New England Small College Athletic Conference in points and rebounds per game, and was named the D3hoops.com National Player of the Year. The following season, he attended Sacred Heart University and played in the Northeast Conference, and led the conference in blocks (as he was sixth in the NCAA) per game and two-point field-goal percentage, and was fourth in the conference in rebounds per game.

Early life and high school career

Sobel's hometown is Setauket, New York.[1] He attended Ward Melville High School, where he played for the basketball team and was named a Suffolk County All Star.[1][2][3] He is 6-8 (203 cm) tall, and weighs 230 pounds (104kg).[1]

College career

Middlebury College

Sobel first attended Middlebury College, studying for a double major in computer science and American studies.[4][5] There, playing for the Middlebury College Panthers in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, in 2018-19 he averaged 13.9 minutes, 6.1 points, 5.5 rebounds per game (leading the conference in blocks), and had a field goal percentage of .564.[6][4][7] In 2019-20, he averaged 19.5 minutes, 11.4 points, and 6.8 rebounds per game.[7] Between 2020 and 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sobel took a year and a half off from school.[4]

In 2021-22, he averaged 28.8 minutes, 18.3 points, 12.1 rebounds per game, and was captain of the team.[6][7] In 2021-22, Sobel was named First-Team All-NESCAC, D3hoops.com First-Team All-Region 1, NABC[disambiguation needed] First-Team All-District I, and D3hoops.com Fourth-Team All-American.[5]

In 2022-23, Sobel was 2nd in the nation in blocks (101) and blocks per game (3.88), and led the NESCAC in points (19.4), rebounds (11.8), and blocks per game (3.88).[5][7]> He was named a Small College Basketball's Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award Finalist, the D3hoops.com National Player of the Year, a D3hoops.com First-Team All-American, a NABC[disambiguation needed] First-Team All-American, to the D3hoops.com First-Team All-Region 1, the D3hoops.com Region 1 Most Outstanding Player, to the NABC First-Team All-District I, the NABC District I Player of the Year the NESCAC Player & Defensive Player of the Year, to the First-Team All-NESCAC, and a 2x USBWA National Player of the Week.[5][8][9][10][11] He was also a finalist for the Bevo Francis Award, which recognizes the top small college basketball player in the United States for a given season.[12][13]

Sacred Heart University

Sobel then attended Sacred Heart University, and played basketball for the Sacred Heart Pioneers in the Northeast Conference.[1] In 2023-24 he played 31 games (30 starts), and averaged 12.3 points and 7.4 rebounds (4th in the conference), 1.2 steals, and 2.8 blocks (leading the conference, and 6th in the NCAA) per game, as he had a .591 two-point field goal percentage (leading the conference).[1][14] He was named to the All-NEC Second Team.[1] He scored a season high 23 points in a loss against Albany on December 19, 2023.[15]

Professional career

Hapoel Haifa (2024–present)

On September 19, 2024, he signed with Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League (ISBL).[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Alex Sobel," sports-reference.com.
  2. ^ "Suffolk County All-Stars," Three Village Central School District.
  3. ^ "Sobel, back at full strength, takes first-round win home for Ward Melville," TBR News Media.
  4. ^ a b c "Old Field resident scores big during college basketball career," TBR News Media.
  5. ^ a b c d "Alex Sobel," Sacred Heart University Pioneers.
  6. ^ a b "Junior forward powers Panther men's hoop," Addison Independent.
  7. ^ a b c d "Alex Sobel," middlebury.edu.
  8. ^ "Sobel Named D3hoops.com National Player of the Year & Earns Pair of All-American Nods," middlebury.edu.
  9. ^ "PFL Weekly S.3 Ep.3: Profile on Men's Basketball star Alex Sobel ’23," The Middlebury Campus.
  10. ^ "Middlebury basketball's Alex Sobel wins D3hoops.com Player of the Year," My Champlain Valley.
  11. ^ "Panther is national basketball player of the year," Addison County Independent.
  12. ^ "Alex Sobel Named Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award Finalist," Middlebury.
  13. ^ "Sobel Named NESCAC Player & Defensive Player Of The Year," March 2, 2023.
  14. ^ "Sobel Named NEC Co-Player of the Week; Alex Sobel brings in his first NEC weekly award," SHU.
  15. ^ "UAlbany 93-79 Sacred Heart (Dec 19, 2023) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  16. ^ "H.Haifa inks Alex Sobel". Eurobasket. September 19, 2024. Retrieved October 2, 2024.