Hapoel Holon Secures First Win of Season in Dramatic Fashion

Hapoel Holon achieved their first official victory of the season, defeating Maccabi Ramat Gan 83-80 in a dramatic Winner Cup game on Wednesday. The team, coached by Predrag Krunić, secured the win in the closing moments before a home crowd, ending a two-game losing streak in the tournament. Despite a poor start that saw them trailing 16-6, Holon managed to rally back.

"The game, and especially the beginning, was not easy to watch. We are still in the preseason, so it's logical that games will look like this. But at the start, we just weren't there, not in energy, not in atmosphere, and we were waiting for a run to bring us back," a club source commented. Holon committed 15 turnovers compared to Ramat Gan's 12, with many occurring in the first half, leading to quick points for the opponent.

Claude "CJ" Harris Jr. was instrumental in Holon's victory, scoring 24 points and dishing out 6 assists. He received praise from the club, with sources stating, "CJ gives a lot to the team and has much more to give. He plays with confidence, is present on the court, and you can totally rely on him to do the job. He is a very team-oriented player."

Center Adama Sanogo recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. The team is awaiting an update on Sam Irvin, who sustained a hip/groin injury in the third quarter after a fall. He left the game for treatment and walked with a limp afterward. Irvin will undergo imaging on Thursday to determine the severity of the injury, with the team hoping it is not significant.

In parallel, Holon continues to search for an additional foreign guard. This search is due to Drew Thwell, who tore his hamstring and is not training fully, and the arrival of naturalized guard Skylar Wicks, expected in Israel soon.