Itoudis says Hapoel Tel Aviv must fight to extend the finals series

Hapoel Tel Aviv is one loss away from losing its championship hopes after falling behind 2-0 to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League finals. The third game of the playoff series is set for Sunday at 8:50 p.m., with live coverage on 5SPORT, and it is effectively a must-win for the Reds.

Ahead of the decisive matchup, head coach Dimitris Itoudis said his team must show more consistency, character and defense after the first two defeats. “We were there in the second game, but the result was not what we wanted,” he said. “Now we are with our backs to the wall, we need character, consistency, continuity in what we do well and better defense.”

Itoudis said the team did not manage to close out the game earlier in the series. “We did not try to finish the game, it is not over after five minutes, but after 40,” he said. He added that the opening minutes reveal a team’s strategy and approach, something he said was missing in Game 1, and while they worked on it for Game 2, it still was not enough because “during the game many things happen that make you change approach and plans.”

Asked about his mindset with the series one defeat from ending, Itoudis said his goal is to force a fourth game. “I did not come here to think about a vacation, otherwise I would already be on vacation,” he said. “I am thinking about how to do my job the best way, and everyone wants to be in that same mindset.” He also declined to reveal the roster for Sunday, saying only, “I cannot say.”