Full Breakdown
Israeli Basketball Teams Face Mixed Results in European Competitions
1/22/2026, 8:53:40 AM
Overview of Recent Performances
Israeli basketball teams have experienced a challenging week in European competitions, with mixed outcomes across various leagues. Hapoel Tel Aviv emerged as a standout, securing a hard-fought victory against Anadolu Efes with a score of 71-66, while Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem faced defeats in their respective matches.
Hapoel Tel Aviv's Victory
Hapoel Tel Aviv's win against Anadolu Efes was marked by a strong second-half performance, led by Chris Jones, who scored 16 points and was named the game's MVP. The team, coached by Dimitrios Itoudis, improved its record to 16-6, positioning itself at the top of the Euroleague standings. Jones acknowledged the team's defensive struggles in the first half but emphasized their belief in each other and the importance of winning tough games. The team is set to face Partizan Belgrade next in Munich.
Maccabi Tel Aviv's Struggles
In contrast, Maccabi Tel Aviv suffered a 100-93 defeat to Olympiacos, with Sasha Vezenkov leading the hosts with 28 points. Despite an early lead, Maccabi faltered in the second quarter, which coach Oded Katash attributed to a loss of focus on both ends of the court. Players like Roman Sorkin and Jimmy Clark contributed significantly, but the team ultimately fell short. Katash noted the need for consistency throughout the game to compete effectively against top teams.
Hapoel Jerusalem's Setback
Hapoel Jerusalem also faced disappointment, losing 94-82 to Rytas Batchesehir, ending their 11-game EuroCup winning streak. Coach Yonatan Alon pointed to defensive lapses and missed opportunities as critical factors in the loss. Despite the setback, players like Khadeen Carrington, who scored 25 points, showed resilience, and Alon expressed the need for the team to bounce back.
Hapoel Holon's Defeat
Hapoel Holon experienced a significant loss against Rytas, with a final score of 106-81. Coach Yoav Shamir highlighted the team's struggle to find rhythm and credited Rytas for their physical play. Despite the defeat, players like Jalen Munford remained optimistic about future improvements.
Official Statements & Responses
Hapoel Tel Aviv's coach Dimitrios Itoudis remarked, “We had to change things drastically at halftime... The team reacted, and I appreciate that.” Maccabi's coach Oded Katash reflected on the need for better execution, stating, “We lost our minds on both ends of the court... we need to learn from this.” Hapoel Jerusalem's coach Yonatan Alon emphasized the importance of learning from losses, saying, “Now we have to bounce back.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “We believed in each other and I made a tough shot at the end, it went through and I am happy we won. The first half we were horrible defensively as a team and individually. We have to be better but we will learn from this and move forward. It was an ugly win, but at the end we want to be at the top of the standings and in order for that to happen you need to win these types of games.” — Chris Jones, Hapoel Tel Aviv MVP
- “We didn’t make shots and we fell into their aggressiveness, we gave them some open looks that shouldn’t happen and we played against a very good team.” — Yonatan Alon, Hapoel Jerusalem Coach
What's Next
Looking ahead, Hapoel Tel Aviv will prepare for its matchup against Partizan Belgrade, while Maccabi Tel Aviv aims to regroup against Panathinaikos. Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Holon will also seek to bounce back in their upcoming games as they continue their European campaigns.
