Maccabi Tel Aviv opened the Israeli championship final by crushing Hapoel Tel Aviv, and the column argues the game looked like a return to the old 1980s script in which Maccabi is simply better prepared, sharper and more ruthless when a domestic title is on the line. The match was played on June 17, 2026, and the writer says it exposed how little Hapoel’s recent momentum, including its EuroLeague success, mattered once the playoff final began.
The main tactical story was that Oded Katash’s short rotation and game plan overwhelmed Dimitris Itoudis. Maccabi managed without Lonnie Walker, while Hapoel remained without key offensive pieces, including Bryant, Otoru and Blakeney. Katash, the article says, turned a limited roster into a near-perfect collective, while Itoudis tried to play his usual style with less talent and ran out of answers before halftime. By the third quarter, the game was effectively over.
Maccabi’s offense was built on clear, consistent inside pressure. The team took 7 of its first 10 shots from the paint, treated three-pointers as a secondary option, and repeatedly attacked the lane with smart passing from players like Lonnie Londonberg, Sorkin and Reiman. Hord finished 10 of 13 from two-point range, while Brest went 6 of 8, Londonberg and Clark each 3 of 5, and Dibartolomeo 3 of 4. Hapoel’s 19 turnovers, many leading directly to transition chances, and Maccabi’s 16 offensive rebounds created a decisive advantage.
Defensively, Maccabi pressured the ball and clogged driving lanes, while Hapoel was described as soft, rarely using fouls to stop momentum. Londonberg posted 9 points, 8 assists, 5 steals and a plus-18 rating, while Vasilije Micić had 7 points, 8 turnovers and a minus-24 rating. Hapoel’s guards Yam Madar and Micić were held to 2 combined points in the first half. The piece says Hapoel still has the talent to answer in Game 2, especially if Madar, Micić, Jones, Ginat, Blayzer and Motley step up, but insists Game 1 was a warning that Maccabi’s identity remains intact.
