Hapoel Tel Aviv Secures First EuroLeague Win Against Crvena Zvezda

Hapoel Tel Aviv achieved their first EuroLeague victory of the season, narrowly defeating Crvena Zvezda Belgrade 81-80 on Tuesday. The win brings Hapoel's record to 1-1 in the competition. Despite shooting struggles, with 44% for two-pointers, 30% for three-pointers, and 73% from the free-throw line, Hapoel largely controlled the game, leading for nearly 40 minutes. Crvena Zvezda managed to briefly take the lead in the second quarter, but Hapoel re-established control, building a 10-point lead late in the game.

Elijah Bryant was instrumental for Hapoel, particularly in the second quarter, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. This performance marked a significant return to form after a less impressive outing the previous week. "For those who forgot what he is capable of, he showed it from the first moment," one observer noted. Bryant is expected to play significant minutes in their next game.

Other notable performances included Zach LeDay, who contributed 12 points and 4 rebounds in 22 minutes, and Tomas Satoransky, who overcame a slow start to score 8 points, grab 3 rebounds, and dish out 3 assists. Vasilije Micić, despite poor shooting percentages, hit two crucial consecutive three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the win.

Coach Dimitris Itoudis utilized a short rotation, with only eight players seeing significant court time. The team is expected to adjust its rotation for their upcoming game. Hapoel will host Real Madrid on Thursday in Sofia, looking to build on their recent success against a Real Madrid team that has lost its first two EuroLeague games.

Jacob Toppin did not play in the Crvena Zvezda game due to a leg injury and will undergo further evaluation in Sofia to determine his return to play.