Maccabi Tel Aviv won the Israeli championship for the 58th time in its history on Tuesday night, beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 76:83 in Game 4 of the best-of-five final and clinching the series 3:1. In a tense derby played at Hapoel’s loud home arena, the yellow-clad side of coach Oded Katash stayed composed in the closing minutes to secure another title.
The game opened at a fast pace. John DiBartolomeo hit an early three, but Hapoel, led by Yam Madar and Tomer Ginat, kept responding and even took the lead at times. After a balanced first quarter, Maccabi led 20:22. Hapoel then controlled stretches of the second quarter behind Tai Odiase and Dan Oturu, before Iffe Lundberg sparked Maccabi with outside shooting. The teams went to halftime with Hapoel ahead 42:43.
The third quarter remained tight and high-level. Jalen Hoard and Lundberg fueled a Maccabi run that created a meaningful lead, but Madar and Ginat answered again, and Madar scored at the buzzer to send Hapoel into the final period up 62:64. The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth finish, with Oshae Brissett making big plays at both ends, Roman Sorkin adding key points in the paint, and Lundberg continuing to lead Maccabi’s offense.
In the decisive moments, Maccabi produced crucial defensive stops and made the most important baskets, while Hapoel could not complete another comeback. The final score was reported as 76:79 in the article’s closing sentence, though the match summary said Maccabi won 76:83. For Katash, it was his fourth championship as a head coach, and he joined the most decorated coaches in Israeli basketball. Hapoel Tel Aviv ended a season that began with huge expectations without the title.
