Hapoel Tel Aviv Secures First Win, Advances to Premier League Cup Semifinals

Hapoel Tel Aviv basketball club achieved its first victory of the season, defeating Hapoel Be'er Sheva Dimona 85-67 to advance to the Premier League Cup semifinals. The win, which took place on Saturday, eased pressure on the team after two prior losses to start the 2026-27 season.

The game was played in Hadera, with Hapoel Tel Aviv fielding five foreign players who had not participated in the Super Cup. These included Thomas Satoransky and Eugene German, making their Israeli debuts, alongside Bruno Caboclo, who was returning to the team. J'Covan Brown and Tai Odiase completed the roster.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva Dimona, playing with only three foreign players and missing the injured Golan Gutt, struggled to match Hapoel Tel Aviv's performance. Odiase dominated the paint early on, while Hapoel Tel Aviv's defense limited Be'er Sheva to just 29 points by halftime. Despite some momentum shifts in the second quarter, Hapoel Tel Aviv extended their lead to 15 points by halftime, aided by successful three-point shots from Jarell White and strong play from Carrington and Caboclo.

In the second half, Hapoel Tel Aviv quickly built on their lead, going on a 14-2 run early in the third quarter, largely driven by Odiase's continued dominance in the paint and on offensive rebounds. Although Be'er Sheva's Coleman and Kabil showed flashes of scoring, they couldn't overcome the deficit. Hapoel Tel Aviv maintained a comfortable lead throughout the final quarter, with Carrington and Platin contributing to the scoring, allowing Eugene German to find his rhythm in the closing minutes.