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Tom Maayan to return to Israel to join the Israeli Defense Forces

Tom Maayan

Tom Maayan’s career at Seton Hall is over.

The Pirate’s sophomore point guard played his final collegiate game on Tuesday night, going scoreless in 13 minutes in a win over NJIT. Maayan will be returning to his native Israel to fulfill his commitment to the Israeli Defense Forces.

Maayan spent three months this summer training with the IDF, an obligation that must be fulfilled by every young Israeli. Men are required to spend three years in the military and women are required to devote two years. He initially received an exemption that allowed him to return to school, but that exemption was only for 120 days. Seton Hall and Maayan’s family hoped that another exemption would be granted, but that hope ran out.

“It was definitely a shock,” Seton Hall teammate Sterling Gibbs told Brendan Prunty of the Newark Star-Ledger. “A little bit into the season, we kind of figured — but we weren’t sure — that this may be his last year. But we weren’t sure. I’m happy for him because he’s going back to his country, he’s going to see his family and he’s going to live his normal life now.”

Maayan didn’t speak to the media after the game, but he did send out this tweet:

unfortunately It was my last game as a pirate..Love my teamates coaches and the Shu fam! Thanks for all the love! #SHUBB#PIRATE4LIFE

— Tom Maayan (@TomMaayan) December 11, 2013

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