Jerusalem sports team's latest loss

Israel’s Hapoel Jerusalem basketball team is not happy after its latest loss - to a 15-year-old girl.

To be fair, they weren’t shooting hoops, and the girl was Michaela, an Asian elephant from the Jerusalem Zoo.

The team took on Michaela yesterday in a tug-of-war as part of the zoo’s celebration of the lively Jewish festival of Purim.

“She didn’t pull us as far as she is supposed to; I think they [are] cheating. We need a rematch,” demanded team player Kellen McCarthy after losing the first round.

He got his rematch and lost, and then lost again.

Even the cheering crowd and the theme music from Rocky did not help the Jerusalem team.

The three-ton elephant was unfazed and nonchalantly strolled down the path as if oblivious to the 11 burly players trailing on a rope behind her.

“I think we lost to the elephant,” conceded McCarthy’s teammate, Will Solomon.

But, in the team’s defence, he did say they were missing a player.