Hapoel Tel Aviv Secures Close Victory Over Rome in Preseason Tournament

Hapoel Tel Aviv edged out Maximа Roma with a narrow 80-78 victory in a tense preseason game held in Italy on Saturday. The Israeli team, preparing for the 2026-2027 season, secured the win under coach Dimitris Itoudis after a back-and-forth contest.

Hapoel Tel Aviv started strong, establishing a double-digit lead in the first quarter, ending it at 21-10, thanks to solid play from Dan Othuro and Ish Wainright. Despite a strong defensive effort early on, Hapoel's intensity waned in the second quarter, allowing Rome to close the gap. However, crucial three-pointers from Zach LeDay and Tomas Satoransky helped Hapoel regain a 45-38 lead by halftime.

The third quarter saw Hapoel extend their advantage to 64-54, but Rome once again mounted a comeback. With two minutes remaining, John Brown stole the ball and assisted a layup that tied the game at 75. Ish Wainright then scored a difficult basket to put Hapoel back in front. After Rome briefly took the lead, LeDay made two free throws with ten seconds left, giving Hapoel a two-point lead.

In the final possession, Rome had a clear opportunity to force overtime, but Brown missed an easy layup at the buzzer, sealing the win for Hapoel Tel Aviv. Ish Wainright led Hapoel in scoring with 14 points, followed by Antonio Blakeney and Dan Othuro with 10 points each. Zach LeDay contributed 9 points.