Hoard Shines as Maccabi Tel Aviv Beats Hapoel Holon to Take 2-0 Lead

Photo: Oded Karni, Winner League

Jalen Hoard delivered a huge performance with 30 points and 15 rebounds, and Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Holon 74-84 to take a 2-0 lead in the semifinal playoff series. Tamir Blatt was injured in his calf muscle and did not return to the game, and the Yellow and Blue can clinch a place in the final as soon as Friday.

Maccabi Tel Aviv took another major step toward the playoff final on Wednesday night, after beating Hapoel Holon 74-84 on the road and moving into a 2-0 lead in the semifinal series. The Yellow and Blue can secure their spot in the final already in Game 3, which will be played on Friday at Yad Eliyahu.

The man who led the Yellow and Blue was Jalen Hoard, who delivered one of his most impressive games in a Maccabi Tel Aviv uniform. The forward finished with 30 points and 15 rebounds, a personal career high in the paint, along with a 45 efficiency rating, tying Nikola Vujcic’s club record for efficiency in a playoff game.

Maccabi Tel Aviv opened the game in excellent fashion and set the pace from the first minutes. Hoard led a 0-15 run, scored 12 points in the first quarter and gave the Yellow and Blue a 9-23 lead after the first 10 minutes. Hapoel Holon struggled to get into the game and went more than six minutes without a field goal. Despite comeback attempts led by Adama Sanogo and Darrin Green Jr., Maccabi managed to maintain its lead thanks to strong minutes from Iffe Lundberg and Oshae Brissett.

The worrying news for Oded Katash came during the second quarter, when Tamir Blatt was injured in his calf muscle and did not return to the court. Despite the absence, the Yellow and Blue continued to control the game and extended their lead in the second half as well. Holon managed to cut the gap to seven points, but Hoard continued to dominate in the paint, recorded an early double-double and drew Sanogo’s fourth foul. Maccabi Tel Aviv responded with another decisive run, went into the final quarter leading 43-64, and kept the margin until the end.

In addition to Hoard, Oshae Brissett contributed 13 points and nine rebounds, Iffe Lundberg added 12 points, and John Dibartolomeo finished with 11 points. For Holon, Adama Sanogo stood out with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

With a 2-0 lead in the series, Maccabi Tel Aviv will now try to finish the job in Game 3 and secure a place in the championship series. Hapoel Holon, meanwhile, will try to force another game and bring the series back to Toto Hall.