Maccabi Tel Aviv Defeats Hapoel Jerusalem in Winner Cup Semifinal

Maccabi Tel Aviv secured a convincing 88-71 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem in the Winner Cup semifinals, advancing to face Hapoel Tel Aviv in the final on November 9. Hapoel Jerusalem had held a double-digit lead in the first half but faltered in the second, allowing Maccabi to rally for the win.

Hapoel Jerusalem coach Sasha Obradovic acknowledged Maccabi's superiority, stating, "Maccabi deserved to win. We played very well in the first half, but Maccabi's individual and team quality brought them the victory." He highlighted Maccabi's efficient scoring and Hapoel's excessive 19 turnovers as key factors in the loss. "This was our first serious opponent, a EuroLeague team on a different level than what we've played against," Obradovic added, noting that missing a leading point guard was a contributing factor, though not an excuse.

Obradovic also pointed to poor offensive decisions and a loss of momentum in the second half as critical issues. "Against a team like Maccabi, you are punished quickly," he said. He praised his players' fight and tactical execution but identified Brynton as the player who hurt them the most. "We need to be physically better against an opponent like this," he concluded.

Looking ahead, Obradovic emphasized the need for his team to recover from the loss, stating, "We lost to a better team at this stage." He expressed hope that Lorenzo would be available to help the team on Tuesday. Obradovic believes Maccabi will be a strong team this season and suggested this game might be a turning point for them.