From Rishon LeZion to Cintas Center: Hila Karsh Recruited to Xavier Basketball Team
Just a month into her new life in Cincinnati, Hila Karsh is still navigating the rhythms of Cincinnati life. She’s already tackled a few local rites of passage – including the Eden Park overlook and a scoop of Graeter’s.
“Yes, Graeters’ is really great!” Karsh said, though with a smile and a touch of hometown nostalgia, she admits that it doesn’t quite top Golda, the popular Israeli gelateria franchise.
Karsh arrived at Xavier University this summer by way of Purdue, where she proved her mettle in the world of Big Ten basketball. As a freshman at Purdue, Karsh appeared in all 30 games, starting 15 and averaging 6.9 points per contest while knocking down 33 three-pointers. She etched her name in the Boilermaker record books early, dropping 24 points against Eastern Illinois and earning co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors in her opening weekend.
Now, the 22-year-old sophomore brings that sharp perimeter shooting and elite international experience to the Musketeers.
“We have the opportunity to do something great here this year,” Karsh said. “We have so many talented players from around the world, including Portugal, New Zealand, France, Spain, and more. The coaches are great. I love this place.”
A Familial Basketball Heritage
Karsh’s path to Cintas Center was practically encoded in her DNA. Raised in Rishon LeZion, Israel, she grew up surrounded by elite athletic talent. Her father, Sharon Karsh, played professionally for Maccabi Rishon LeZion alongside Israeli basketball legend Mikki Berkovich before transitioning into a coaching role for the franchise. Her mother, Idit, is a physical education teacher. Her uncles played professional basketball, and all three of her siblings – Daniel, Maya, and Itay – are competitive athletes.
While she played tennis, chess, and swam, basketball became her calling after looking up to her older sister, Danielle, who played.
In her early years, Karsh honed her tough, competitive edge by training alongside the boys – a necessary routine until Ziv Erez, the longtime head coach of women’s power Hapoel Rishon LeZion, opened a dedicated youth league designed to nurture elite female basketball talent in Israel. Erez, renowned for developing top Israeli talent including NBA veteran Omri Casspi during six of his formative years, provided Karsh with the ideal environment to refine her game.
The sisterly bond and elite training eventually took the Karsh sisters all the way to the top of Israeli sports, where they had the rare privilege of sharing the court as teammates on the Senior National Team.
Before bringing her game to the United States, Karsh built an impressive résumé at home. She spent five seasons with Hapoel Rishon LeZion in the Israeli National League, earning Eurobasket.com All-Israeli League Honorable Mention honors in both 2024 and 2025. On the international stage, she represented Israel across five Youth European Championships and stepped up for the Senior National Team during the 2023 and 2025 FIBA EuroBasket Qualifiers.
Israel’s basketball community is tight-knit – Karsh grew up attending the same school as NBA draft pick Yam Madar and Miami Hurricanes star guard Noam Dovrat. Having sharpened her game against top-tier talent her entire life, she is ready to bring that edge to Xavier.
Service, Perspective, and Maturity
In Israel, military service is compulsory, and Karsh’s athletic excellence earned her a spot in the Atlet Mitztayen (Outstanding Athlete) program. The military program allows elite athletes to fulfill their national duty while maintaining rigorous training schedules.
It was during her military service that Karsh met her boyfriend, Elad Bakshi, a fellow Israeli basketball player who currently plays for the University of Indianapolis.
Her time with the national team and her home country’s reality provided her with a starkly unique worldview compared to the average college student. While traveling abroad to represent Israel, the team operated under strict security protocols. Unlike other nations, they were forbidden from wearing their national jerseys in public to avoid becoming targets. Some countries refused to host them altogether; some opposing teams refused to shake their hands. “I’m a proud Israeli, but that’s the reality of our world,” she acknowledged.
Looking Ahead: Data and Dreams
Off the court, Karsh keeps kosher and works steadily toward a clear future. She is studying data science, aiming to complete her undergraduate degree in three years before pursuing a master’s degree with a focus on health data.
Her long-term plan blends her love for the game with a practical eye on the future. She hopes to play professional basketball in Europe, travel the world, and eventually settle down to raise a family.
For now, her focus remains locked on the upcoming season in Cincinnati. With her signature court vision, sharp perspective, and a global cast of teammates beside her, Karsh is poised to make her mark on the Big East – one game at a time.
“Basketball is my first priority and my dream. I’d like to play basketball in Europe and travel the world. But you have to have a backup plan,” said Karsh.
Sidebar: HILA KARSH: FRESHMAN STATS (PURDUE)
- Games Played (Starts): 30 (15)
- Minutes per Game: 26
- Points per game: 6.9
- 3-Pointers Made: 33
- Single-Game High: 24 points
