Full Breakdown
Maccabi Tel Aviv Defeats Aris Thessaloniki in Cyprus Preseason Test
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Maccabi Tel Aviv's Preseason Victory in Cyprus
On Friday evening, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s squad, coached by Oded Kattash, faced Greek side Aris Thessaloniki in a friendly match held in Cyprus. The Israeli club secured a 92-87 win, completing the game without several regulars—Jimmy Clark, Daniel Theis, Will Rayman, and Gur Lavy—who were rested ahead of the upcoming season.
Game Flow and Player Contributions
Maccabi opened strongly, building a 15-5 lead within the first minutes. Bonzie Colson sparked the offense, scoring eight of the team’s first 15 points and finishing with 23 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting, plus six rebounds. Oshae Brissett added 19 points, while Roman Sorkin contributed 12, and Jaylen Hoard matched that total. Yam Madar and Iffe Lundberg each posted nine points. The Yellows led 50-37 at halftime. Aris rallied in the third quarter to briefly take a 63-62 edge, but Colson and Sorkin restored the lead to 68-65. Late in the fourth, Maccabi extended the margin to 88-82, and Hoard’s dunk sealed the victory with 49 seconds remaining.
Statistical Snapshot
- Final score: Maccabi Tel Aviv 92, Aris Thessaloniki 87
- Leading scorer: Bonzie Colson, 23 points (4/6 from three)
- Top rebounder: Bonzie Colson, 6 rebounds
- Bench impact: Oshae Brissett (19 points) and T.J. Leaf (4 points) logged minutes after injury recovery.
Official Reactions
The team emphasized the positive response to early-season rotations and the effectiveness of bench contributions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Aris is an excellent team. They pushed us and we responded well. We did a good job,” — Oshae Brissett