Maccabi Tel Aviv Dominates Kiryat Ata to Reach Winner Cup Semifinals

Maccabi Tel Aviv bounced back from their EuroLeague opening loss with a decisive 109-61 victory over Ironi Kiryat Ata, advancing to the Winner Cup semifinals where they will face Hapoel Jerusalem. The win came just before a demanding double-week schedule in the European competition.

Despite the lopsided score, head coach Oded Katash expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance, particularly in the first quarter, which he described as having too many turnovers, a continuation of issues from their previous game. "There are many things I expected us to already be doing at a higher level of execution," Katash stated. He noted that the team played more simply and effectively in the second quarter, not forcing plays against the opponent's pressure.

Katash also highlighted the need to better integrate new players like Keith Sconiers and Daniel Theis, suggesting they need to be placed in more suitable situations. He contrasted this with Bonzie Colson, whose familiarity with his role made his integration smoother. The coach emphasized that even their best performances are currently at only 50-60% of their desired capacity, and the execution of basic elements needs significant improvement.

Daniel Theis, who led Maccabi with 15 points, acknowledged the win as a positive step towards finding their rhythm. "I need to find my place and my rhythm, this is a new system for me," he said, adding that his role is to do what the team needs, whether blocking, scoring, or being aggressive. Reflecting on their EuroLeague loss to Villeurbanne, Theis admitted the team was not prepared and stressed the need for stronger, immediate play against tough European competition.