Maccabi Tel Aviv took a 1-0 lead in the Israeli championship final on Tuesday night, overpowering Hapoel Tel Aviv 96-75 at Yad Eliyahu in Game 1. The win came after a dominant home performance and drew quick reactions from coach Oded Katash and captain John Dibartolomeo.
Katash said the team could not have scripted the outing in advance. “I liked the energy and body language,” he said, adding that the crowd pushed the players and that the team “enjoyed the event” and “earned it.” He praised the defensive stops and said he was “very proud,” but warned that this was only the first game and that the series would change. “Sometimes you need a little luck,” he said, noting that Hapoel missed shots and will make adjustments. Katash added that Maccabi must stay focused, maintain the same energy, and keep its communication level high.
Dibartolomeo said he was happy with the way the series began, but stressed that “we have a long way to go” and that the team must recover quickly for Game 2. He said Maccabi feeds off its home crowd, which he credited as one of the reasons for the large margin.
The captain also cautioned that the first game means little by itself. “It is not about who won Game 1, but who improves more from game to game,” he said, calling it more special because “these are two EuroLeague teams” playing for the title. Asked about his future, Dibartolomeo said he loves being in Maccabi, feels at home after many years with the club, and will discuss the matter in the summer. “It would obviously be very hard to part from Maccabi,” he said.
