Maccabi Tel Aviv Opens Season with Preseason Victory Over Aris Thessaloniki

Maccabi Tel Aviv secured a 92-87 win against Greek team Aris Thessaloniki in a preseason tournament game in Nicosia, Cyprus, on Friday. The victory, played on the eve of the Jewish New Year, marked the team's first game outside of Israel this season and offered encouraging signs despite ongoing management issues and the absence of several players, including Daniel Teyrs, Will Rayman, Gur Lavi, and J.J. Clark.

Maccabi established an early lead, driven by Bonzie Colson's strong offensive performance. T.J. Leaf made a significant return to the court, contributing dominantly after a long absence. Other key contributors included J. P. Lorbeck, who managed the game effectively on both ends, and Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Hudson, who provided crucial scoring and defensive plays, with Hudson sealing the win with a late steal and dunk.

Aris Thessaloniki demonstrated resilience, mounting a comeback in the second half led by players like Thanasis Antetokounmpo, A.J. Lawson, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. They managed to take the lead briefly, fueled by smart playmaking from Nemanja Dangubic and Elijah Mitrou-Long, and accurate three-point shooting from Vasilis Toliopoulos.

In the final quarter, Maccabi's Colson and Dieng made key shots, but Aris fought back to tie the game. Ultimately, a decisive defensive steal and dunk by Hudson secured the victory for Maccabi Tel Aviv. The team's next preseason challenge is against Olympiacos on Sunday, followed by the highly anticipated Tel Aviv derby against Hapoel Tel Aviv upon their return to Israel.

Ousmane Dieng commented on the team's performance, stating, "Great team, no doubt. I feel like they brought what we needed for the season. We know there will be tough games ahead, so hats off to these guys for pushing us and for us responding the way we needed to. I feel like we did a good job today, considering all circumstances, especially being a new team with new players."