Maccabi Tel Aviv narrowly defeated Ness Ziona 85-81 in their season opener on Sunday night. Due to a penalty, the game was held in Beersheba instead of their home arena. Team members Tamir Blatt and Levi Randolph made crucial plays, helping Maccabi win.
Maccabi took an early lead with strong performances from Blatt, who excelled at shooting from long range, and Randolph, along with Roman Sorkin, contributed additional points.
However, Ness Ziona fought back with players Darnell Edge, Ricky Lindo, and Itay Segev leading the charge, reducing Maccabi's halftime score to 46-38.
By the end of the third quarter, Ness Ziona tied the game at 60-60, thanks to Yair Kravits and Bryce Brown.
In the final moments, Maccabi pulled ahead once again with crucial throws by Randolph, John, and Dibartolomeo. Finally, a game-changing three-pointer by Blatt helped them secure the win.
Maccabi will next play against Anadolu EFES and Partizan Belgrade in a Euroleague double-header.
Tel Aviv recently added Saben Lee to their team after releasing Jordan Loyd due to the security situation in Israel. Lee had impressive performances in the Basketball Champions League and signed a two-year deal with Maccabi.
“I’m happy we found a way to win with a short squad,” said Maccabi Head Coach Oded Katash.
“It wasn’t easy to bring energy here, but we played well for most of the game, and finishing healthy is the most important thing. We have a tough week ahead, and we’re missing two guards, but I’m content with the win.”
Ness Ziona's coach, Amit Sherf, reflected on the loss, noting that their slow start hurt them, even though they improved in the second half. He believed they had a chance to win but made a few mistakes that cost them the game.
Hapoel Tel Aviv
In another game, Hapoel Tel Aviv mounted a second-half comeback to defeat Hapoel Jerusalem 85-72. After trailing at halftime, Tel Aviv's players, including Patrick Beverley and Marcus Foster, turned things around in the second half to secure the win.
Elsewhere, Bnei Herzliya defeated Hapoel Beersheba 87-81. Although Beersheba made it a close game by halftime, Herzliya's Chris Silva dominated the third quarter, helping his team pull away for the victory.
Herzliya Coach Yehu Orland commented on the win. “When Beersheba was running, we didn’t shoot well, but we showed character and made the plays we needed to take the win.”