Hapoel Jerusalem Secures Dramatic EuroCup Victory in Spain
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Hapoel Jerusalem achieved a narrow 85-84 road victory over San Pablo Burgos in Spain, maintaining a perfect 3-0 record in the EuroCup. Key performances from Kenny Lofton Jr. with 28 points and Jalen Smith with 13 points and 9 assists secured the win. Despite a late surge by Burgos, a late three-pointer and defensive stops sealed the dramatic victory for the Israeli team, which now prepares for a domestic league game.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Jerusalem narrowly defeated San Pablo Burgos 85-84 in Spain to remain undefeated in the EuroCup.
- Kenny Lofton Jr. led Jerusalem with 28 points and 6 rebounds in the dramatic victory.
- Jalen Smith contributed 13 points and 9 assists, crediting divine intervention for the win.
- A late three-pointer by Shayk Milton proved decisive in the close EuroCup contest.
- The team improved ball security and dominated rebounding in the hard-fought game.
- Hapoel Jerusalem will return to Israel to prepare for a domestic league game on Saturday.
Hapoel Jerusalem secured a dramatic 85-84 road victory against San Pablo Burgos in Spain on Wednesday, maintaining their perfect record in the EuroCup with a 3-0 standing. The win places them atop their group alongside Aris Thessaloniki.
The Israeli team, coached by Sasha Obradovic, displayed strong performance in the first half, building a double-digit lead fueled by excellent play from Kenny Lofton Jr. and Jalen Smith. However, Burgos gained confidence in the second half after Jerusalem eased up, and the Spanish team managed to take the lead in the closing minutes.
A crucial three-pointer by Shayk Milton and missed shots by Burgos ultimately sealed the win for Jerusalem. The team also improved its ball security, committing only 13 turnovers after struggling with this aspect in previous games, and dominated the boards.
Kenny Lofton Jr. led Jerusalem with 28 points and 6 rebounds, while Jalen Smith contributed 13 points and 9 assists, despite losing his starting spot to Lorenzo Brown. Smith acknowledged divine intervention in the close game, stating, "God was on our side today and we managed to finish this game." He also noted improvements since their earlier loss to Maccabi.
Coach Obradovic expressed relief, emphasizing the importance of the win and acknowledging the team's fighting spirit despite defensive lapses. He noted the team is improving but still has areas to work on. Lorenzo Brown finished the game with 5 assists in 17 minutes without scoring. Hapoel Jerusalem is set to return to Israel and prepare for their upcoming home game against Hapoel Be'er Sheva on Saturday.
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