Maccabi Tel Aviv Seeks First EuroLeague Win Against Besiktas

Maccabi Tel Aviv is hosting Besiktas in Belgrade for their second EuroLeague game of the season, aiming for their first European victory after an opening loss to Villeurbanne. The team is playing without John DiBartolomeo, who is attending his brother's wedding, and the injured Gor Lavi. Maccabi enters the game on a high note, having recently dominated Ironi Kiryat Ata 109-61 in the Winner Cup quarterfinals, with Daniel Theis leading the scoring with 15 points, followed by Bonzie Colson with 14, and John DiBartolomeo with 13.

In their EuroLeague opener, Maccabi rallied from a 15-point deficit against Villeurbanne but ultimately fell short, losing 84-74. Jaylen Hoard was the top scorer in that game with 15 points, supported by Roman Sorkin and Yovel Zoosman, each with 13. Besiktas, on the other hand, is still seeking their first win of the season across all competitions. They lost to Fenerbahce in the Turkish Supercup, Valencia in their EuroLeague opener (96-94), and Anadolu Efes in the Turkish league (95-81).

The Turkish team features several former Maccabi players, including Scottie Wilbekin, Ante Žižić, Jaron Blossomgame, and David Dudzinski. In their loss to Valencia, Jalen Nuel and Yigitcan Saylar each scored 17 points. This marks the third EuroLeague encounter between the two clubs, with Maccabi winning both previous matchups in the 2012-13 Top 16 stage. The teams are meeting for the first time in over 13 years, with both eager to rebound from their opening-week losses.

As of the second quarter, Besiktas held a 50-42 lead. The first quarter ended with Besiktas ahead 27-19. Maccabi's starting lineup included Lorenzo Brown, Jalen Adams, Bonzie Colson, Jaylen Hoard, and Daniel Theis, while Besiktas started with Devon Dotson, Jalen Nuel, Anthony Nwakaeme, Conner Morgan, and Ante Žižić. Besiktas established an early 10-4 lead, extending it to 18-10 with a three-pointer from Scottie Wilbekin. The quarter was marked by frequent referee whistles and free throws, disrupting the game's flow. Besiktas maintained a double-digit lead, which was narrowed to 27-19 by Kithon Wallace at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Besiktas continued their strong offensive performance against a lax Maccabi defense, hitting multiple three-pointers to build a 39-25 lead, prompting a Maccabi timeout. Besiktas consistently responded to Maccabi's attempts to close the gap by re-establishing significant double-digit leads.