Nili Natkho
Encyclopedia
Nili Natkho was a Circassian Israeli
basketball player who played for Maccabi Raanana and Elitzur Ramla
. Natkho died in a car accident
at the age of 22.
Natkho was the cousin of the prominent Circassian Israeli footballer Bibras Natkho.
village of Kfar Kama in northern Israel.
During her childhood Natkho played in a junior Futsal
team in the village of Kfar Tavor
where she was identified as having great potential. As a result she was referred to a training camp at the Wingate Institute
. Natkho's family, whom acknowledged her great potential, took a decision to support their daughter as much as they can. As a result, when Natkho reached 14 her family moved with her to Even Yehuda so that she would be able to practice and play in the Even Yehuda women's high school basketball team. In her first season in the team, Natkho led the team to its first title in the history of the team - the State Cup. Following her success in the Even Yehuda team in the following year she joined the team of the Ostrovsky High School in Ra'anana, where she studied and played for three years. During her last season in high school, in 2000, her team won the national high school basketball championship.
During that season Natkho began playing in the Premier League
team Maccabi Raanana. Her breakthrough season came a year later, in which she was selected as the discovery of the season. During her first two seasons in Maccabi Raanana, the team won the State Cup. During her third season in Maccabi Raanana (the 2001/02 season) Natkho scored an average of 13.7 points per game, making her Israel's best Shooting guard
of that season.
In 2003, after four seasons in Maccabi Raanana Natkho was transferred, along with her coach Tal Nathan, to the Elitzur Ramla
basketball team. During her first season with the team, the team won the national cup.
In 2002 Natkho was invited for the first time to the adult basketball teams, and later on she took part in the European Women Basketball Championship
held in Greece
during 2003.
Two months prior to Natkho's death, after many years of living outside of the village of Kfar Kama, the family returned to reside in the village.
Natkho only got to play in two games during her second season with the Elitzur Ramla
basketball team before she died.
vehicle along with four other people. While driving on Highway 767, in near proximity to her parents' house in the village of Kfar Kama, for an unknown reason her vehicle lost control, swerved into the opposite lane and collided with a Jeep
.
Both Nili Natkho (aged 22) and her sister Diana (aged 19) were killed instantly, while their cousin Raja Tlash (aged 24) died short after of her injury while being operated in the hospital. The two additional passengers in the car, whom were relatives of Natkho, were severely injured in the accident.
Circassians in Israel
The Circassians in Israel refers to the Adyghe community who live in Israel.The Circassians in Israel are moderate Sunni Muslims, they tend to put an emphasis on the separation between their religion and their nationality...
basketball player who played for Maccabi Raanana and Elitzur Ramla
Elitzur Ramla (women's basketball)
-History:In March 2011, Elitzur Ramla won the EuroCup Women, after a 61-53 triumph against ASPTT Arras from France. It is considered the best team in the history of Israeli women's basketball...
. Natkho died in a car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
at the age of 22.
Natkho was the cousin of the prominent Circassian Israeli footballer Bibras Natkho.
Biography
Natkho was born in 1982 in the CircassianAdyghe people
The Adyghe or Adygs , also often known as Circassians or Cherkess, are in origin a North Caucasian ethnic groupwho were displaced in the course of the Russian conquest of the Caucasus in the 19th century, especially after the Russian–Circassian War of 1862.Adyghe people mostly speak Adyghe and most...
village of Kfar Kama in northern Israel.
During her childhood Natkho played in a junior Futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
team in the village of Kfar Tavor
Kfar Tavor
-External links:*...
where she was identified as having great potential. As a result she was referred to a training camp at the Wingate Institute
Wingate Institute
The Wingate Institute is a sports training facility located south of Netanya, Israel, established in 1957. Named after Orde Wingate, the facility serves as the host facility for numerous Israeli national teams as well as a military training base....
. Natkho's family, whom acknowledged her great potential, took a decision to support their daughter as much as they can. As a result, when Natkho reached 14 her family moved with her to Even Yehuda so that she would be able to practice and play in the Even Yehuda women's high school basketball team. In her first season in the team, Natkho led the team to its first title in the history of the team - the State Cup. Following her success in the Even Yehuda team in the following year she joined the team of the Ostrovsky High School in Ra'anana, where she studied and played for three years. During her last season in high school, in 2000, her team won the national high school basketball championship.
During that season Natkho began playing in the Premier League
Israeli Female Basketball Premier League
The Israeli Female Basketball Premier League or Ligat ha'Al , is a women's professional basketball league in Israel. It is currently composed of eleven teams.The league was founded in 1957...
team Maccabi Raanana. Her breakthrough season came a year later, in which she was selected as the discovery of the season. During her first two seasons in Maccabi Raanana, the team won the State Cup. During her third season in Maccabi Raanana (the 2001/02 season) Natkho scored an average of 13.7 points per game, making her Israel's best Shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
of that season.
In 2003, after four seasons in Maccabi Raanana Natkho was transferred, along with her coach Tal Nathan, to the Elitzur Ramla
Elitzur Ramla (women's basketball)
-History:In March 2011, Elitzur Ramla won the EuroCup Women, after a 61-53 triumph against ASPTT Arras from France. It is considered the best team in the history of Israeli women's basketball...
basketball team. During her first season with the team, the team won the national cup.
In 2002 Natkho was invited for the first time to the adult basketball teams, and later on she took part in the European Women Basketball Championship
EuroBasket 2003 Women
The 2003 European Women Basketball Championship, commonly called EuroBasket Women 2003, was the 29th regional championship held by FIBA Europe. The competition was held in Greece and took place from September 19 to September 28, 2003. Russia won the gold medal and Czech Republic the silver medal...
held in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
during 2003.
Two months prior to Natkho's death, after many years of living outside of the village of Kfar Kama, the family returned to reside in the village.
Natkho only got to play in two games during her second season with the Elitzur Ramla
Elitzur Ramla (women's basketball)
-History:In March 2011, Elitzur Ramla won the EuroCup Women, after a 61-53 triumph against ASPTT Arras from France. It is considered the best team in the history of Israeli women's basketball...
basketball team before she died.
Death
In the evening of November 5, 2004 Natkho was driving her Ford FocusFord Focus
The Ford Focus is a compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1998. Ford began sales of the Focus to Europe in July 1998 and in North America during 1999 for the 2000 model year....
vehicle along with four other people. While driving on Highway 767, in near proximity to her parents' house in the village of Kfar Kama, for an unknown reason her vehicle lost control, swerved into the opposite lane and collided with a Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
.
Both Nili Natkho (aged 22) and her sister Diana (aged 19) were killed instantly, while their cousin Raja Tlash (aged 24) died short after of her injury while being operated in the hospital. The two additional passengers in the car, whom were relatives of Natkho, were severely injured in the accident.
External links
- "The best shooting guard in the country" was killed in a car accident - published on ynetYnetYnet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
on November 6, 2004 (Hebrew) - Six years without Nili Natkho: "She is in our hearts" - published on ynetYnetYnet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
on November 6, 2010 (Hebrew) - Bibras Natkho talks about the late Nili Natkho (Hebrew)