Hapoel Holon Suffers Disappointing Loss in European Season Opener
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Hapoel Holon lost their European Champions League opener 99-79 to France's Cholet Basket after a strong start faltered in the second quarter. The team cited defensive struggles and 19 turnovers as key factors in the defeat. Despite a double-double from Adama Sanogo and a promising debut from Leicester Medford, Holon's performance was marred by injuries and a lack of player fitness. Their next game is Sunday against Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli Premier League.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Holon lost their European Champions League opener 99-79 to Cholet Basket.
- The team's performance collapsed in the second quarter, being outscored 33-9.
- Holon committed 19 turnovers and shot poorly from the field.
- Adama Sanogo recorded a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
- Several key players were absent due to injuries or pending medical tests.
- Hapoel Holon will play Hapoel Jerusalem next in the Israeli Premier League.
Hapoel Holon began their European Champions League season with a significant 99-79 defeat against French team Cholet Basket on Tuesday. The Israeli team started the game strongly, leading by four points after the first quarter. However, their performance unraveled dramatically in the second quarter, where they were outscored 33-9 by the French visitors.
Club officials described the start to the season as "difficult and not good," attributing the loss to a lack of defensive intensity in the second quarter. "We simply couldn't cope with them and stop them. We weren't there defensively, and that quarter ended the game," a club representative stated.
Holon struggled with turnovers, losing the ball 19 times, and had a poor shooting night, making only eight three-pointers out of 32 attempts and shooting 39.7% from the field compared to Cholet's 55.6%. Center Adama Sanogo was a standout performer for Holon, recording a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Leicester Medford impressed in his debut, contributing 15 points and 6 assists, while Natanel Artzi added 10 points.
The team also played with caution regarding Drew Thelwell, who was diagnosed with a hamstring tear and had not completed a full training session since his injury. He played for just 2:30 minutes, as the team was short on players and wanted to assess his condition. "We have work to do, we are not yet in rhythm and not everyone is healthy," the club concluded, noting the absence of Greg Lee, Brandon Jones due to injuries, and Skylar Weeks who had not yet completed his medical tests.
Hapoel Holon's next game is scheduled for Sunday against Hapoel Jerusalem in the first round of the Israeli Premier League.
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