Maccabi Tel Aviv captured its 2026 title after a bruising finals series against Hapoel Tel Aviv, in what the article calls one of the most deserved championships in the club’s 58-title history. The victory came after a season marred by injuries, uncertainty, travel and mounting pressure, and was sealed only after Maccabi pushed itself to its physical and mental limit. The team did it with a short, battered but tightly bonded roster, including significant minutes for Will Rayman and Zach Hankins, a revived Iffe Lundberg, Clarke, 35-year-old captain, and without its most expensive player even dressing.
The article argues that the key difference between the teams was timing. Maccabi’s cohesion was built from November, when Lundberg arrived and added leadership and quality, while Hapoel’s final shape only came together after its EuroLeague campaign ended in May. Hapoel, which had prioritized Europe, paid for that choice in the domestic playoffs. Even so, coach Dimitris Itoudis managed to rebuild a rusty squad in about six weeks, eliminate Hapoel Jerusalem, and stretch Maccabi to four games. The series was also shaped by Hapoel’s dependence on Yam Madar, who was given major responsibility despite being overlooked for most of the season.
Game 4 was defined by constant mismatch hunting, physical play and repeated attempts to force advantages, with both coaches mainly managing fouls and rotations. Hapoel tried to use pick-and-roll pressure to stop Maccabi’s offense, but the game turned on a moment of defensive inattention that left Roman Sorkin completely free for a decisive corner three. Before that, Sorkin had struggled badly, but in the closing stretch he finally delivered the shot that ended the series. Hapoel also hurt itself by missing 11 free throws, including tired misses from Dan Oturu and technical problems from Odiasi.
The piece also criticizes the lack of sportsmanship after the game, including Hapoel’s repeated playing of its anthem and the walk-off after receiving silver medals, while noting that Itoudis and Madar stayed on the court. Tomer Ginat’s confrontation with Maccabi players is described as ugly, with the writer also pointing to Ginat’s prior provocation of Jake Blustein. In the end, the title is presented as a major achievement for coach Oded Katash, whose short, inexpensive, injury-hit roster stayed top of the league for much of the season and brought home the club’s latest championship.
