Hapoel Jerusalem Dominates Maccabi Ashdod in Season Opener
Hapoel Jerusalem launched their 2026/27 basketball season with a commanding 110-77 victory over newly promoted Maccabi Ashdod in the Winner's Cup. While the reigning champions struggled against Ashdod for the first half, they decisively shifted gears after halftime, transforming a close contest into a one-sided affair.
Ashdod initially held the advantage, capitalizing on high shooting percentages and strong performances from Augustine Rubit and Robert Turner, leading for most of the first half. Jerusalem stayed close thanks to contributions from J'Covan Brown, Roey Huber, and Kenny Lofton Jr., ultimately taking a narrow 51-50 lead into halftime.
The game's dynamic changed dramatically in the third quarter. Coach Aleksandar Obradović's squad intensified their play, limiting Ashdod to just 10 points while scoring 33 in a dominant run. Lofton Jr. was instrumental in this breakaway, with Jalen Smith adding aggressive play on both ends, extending the lead to 84-60 by the end of the quarter.
The final quarter devolved into garbage time as Jerusalem maintained their dominance, with David Roddy and Lofton Jr. adding to their tallies. Lofton Jr. finished as Jerusalem's top scorer with 23 points, followed by Roddy with 17 and Brown with 14. For Ashdod, Rubit led with 19 points, but he and his teammates faded in the second half.
This decisive win marks a strong start for Obradović's new project with Hapoel Jerusalem.
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