Maccabi Tel Aviv Defeats Maccabi Rishon LeZion in Preseason Tune-Up

Maccabi Tel Aviv continued its preseason preparations for the upcoming 2026-27 season with a 95-81 victory over Maccabi Rishon LeZion in a friendly match on Tuesday. The game, held at Hadar Yosef, saw new signings Yam Madar and Daniel Tyes make their debut for the yellow-and-blue squad. Madar contributed 7 points and 4 assists, while Tyes added 4 points.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, coming off a close loss to Bnei Herzliya in their first exhibition game with a depleted roster, fielded a full squad this time, with the exception of injured players J.J. Clark and T.J. Leaf, and Will Rayman. The team opened with a lineup of Keeton Wallace, Madar, Bonzie Colson, Jalen Hurd, and Roman Sorkin, showing an early advantage led by the Israeli center.

Despite Maccabi Tel Aviv's strong start, Rishon LeZion, bolstered by Chauncey Jenkins and Quayvon Grant, kept the game close for the first two and a half quarters. Roman Sorkin was a dominant force throughout the game, scoring 19 points on perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field, and extended Maccabi's lead to double digits by the end of the third quarter, a deficit Rishon LeZion could not overcome.

Other notable scorers for Maccabi Tel Aviv included Hurd and Oushe Brissett with 12 points each, Keeton Wallace and Shane Hunter with 10 points each, and Bonzie Colson with 8 points. Madar and Tyes showed flashes of potential but also areas needing improvement. For Rishon LeZion, Jenkins led with 16 points, followed by Quayvon Grant and Ron Zipor with 13 points each.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is scheduled to participate in a preparation tournament in Cyprus, facing Aris Thessaloniki on Friday and EuroLeague champions Olympiacos on Sunday. Rishon LeZion will begin their season in the Winner Cup next week against Eilat.