Hapoel Tel Aviv Extends Final After Win, as Owner Cuts Off Itoudis Interview

Hapoel Tel Aviv stayed alive in the Israeli Basketball Premier League final on Sunday night, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 80-74 and forcing a fourth game in the series. Hapoel will host that game at Menora Mivtachim Arena. The article was published on June 21, 2026 at 23:25.

The win was followed by an unusual scene when coach Dimitris Itoudis began his postgame interview, only for owner Ofer Yanai to stop him and tell him they had met the club’s media policy and did not need to continue. Before being interrupted, Itoudis said the fans’ support was very important, credited the team’s defense, low turnovers and defensive rebounding, and noted that Vasilije Micic can deliver under pressure because of his mental strength.

Micic, the game’s standout performer, said the victory felt good after a very difficult game against a strong opponent. He added that he gives everything in every match, that some games look better than others, and that “today it looked great” because he made the right decisions. “We believe we can win the championship,” he said, adding that the team will give everything again in the next game.

Yam Madar said the main thing was the win and that the team showed a lot of character. He also hoped the crowd would come to the next game, saying the defense was excellent and helped secure the result. Tomer Ginat called the win “very sweet,” said the team knows it is good, and stressed that continuing to play this way makes the title possible.