Hapoel Tel Aviv Ready for Maccabi Derby After Perfect Preseason

Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball club has returned to Israel following a flawless preseason, winning all six of their exhibition games. The team is preparing for the upcoming Super Cup clash against rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday.

Point guard Thomas Satoransky expressed satisfaction with the team's preparation, highlighting the value of each game in building cohesion and understanding. "The preparation helped us, each game gave us something different," Satoransky stated. "The last two games were at a high level, against good teams. It showed us many things." He emphasized the importance of defense and ball-sharing for success, noting the team's talent and the difficulty opponents faced against them last season.

Satoransky acknowledged the experience within the team, mentioning Vasilije Micić's two EuroLeague titles, and stressed the need to integrate the players, stay healthy, and build momentum for both the EuroLeague and domestic league competitions. "We need to connect the pieces, be healthy, and build something," he said.

Looking ahead to the derby, Satoransky described it as a "final" for Hapoel Tel Aviv against Maccabi. "Every derby against Maccabi is a final for Hapoel," he explained. "It will be a good test for us to see where we are right now." He anticipates a challenging game against a Maccabi team that has also undergone significant changes, but believes Hapoel is ready to compete and aims for a victory.

Forward Oz Blayzer also commented on the team's strong month of preparation, focusing on developing chemistry among the numerous new players. "We had a good month of preparation. We won the games, the goal is to create chemistry especially with many new players who need to integrate," Blayzer said. "We feel good, good guys and connected. Waiting to start the season."