Maccabi Tel Aviv Suffers Frustrating EuroLeague Opening Loss to ASVEL

Maccabi Tel Aviv began their EuroLeague campaign with a disappointing 84-74 road loss to French side ASVEL Villeurbanne on Thursday. This defeat marked Maccabi's fourth consecutive away loss in opening EuroLeague games and ended a ten-game winning streak against ASVEL. The Israeli team had entered the game confident of victory against an opponent considered weaker on paper, provided they could replicate their preseason form.

Things began to unravel before tip-off when Bonzie Colson felt unwell but insisted on playing, leading to TJ Leaf being sidelined and Will Rayman starting. Colson played less than nine minutes and was ineffective in the second half. ASVEL dictated the pace for much of the game, and Maccabi's significant runs in the first and third quarters failed to sustain momentum.

Post-game analysis from Maccabi's staff pointed to 20 turnovers and poor outside shooting as critical factors. Key players like Keenan Evans had a particularly rough outing, being on the court for 12 minutes with a -17 plus/minus. Other players, including Colson, Armando Bacot, and John DiBartolomeo, also struggled when they played. Despite Ousmane Balce scoring 8 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, he missed all six three-point attempts. Only Yiftach Mader, who contributed 13 points and 8 assists, had a relatively good shooting night, though he also made some poor decisions during a third-quarter collapse.

One Maccabi official described the loss as "very frustrating" and expressed hope they wouldn't "cry over it later in the season," emphasizing the need to avoid dropping unnecessary games in a tight schedule. The club dismissed suggestions of complacency after their Super Cup win, acknowledging ASVEL's strong offensive and defensive performance. "We had too many players having a weak day," a source stated, adding that while Keenan Evans's first EuroLeague game was tough, he knows he needs to improve.

Maccabi Tel Aviv returns to Israel for a domestic cup game against Elitzur Kiryat Ata, where several players are expected to rest, and TJ Leaf will likely see playing time. The team aims to secure the win and manage player minutes ahead of a demanding EuroLeague schedule. Meanwhile, Roman Sorkin, who performed adequately in the loss, is reportedly close to finalizing a contract extension until 2030, worth $1.5 million per season.