Hapoel Tel Aviv Shocks Panathinaikos, Coach Itoudis Declares Team "Unstoppable"
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Panathinaikos 91-81, handing the Greek team their first EuroLeague loss of the season. Coach Dimitris Itoudis praised his players' composure and belief, stating the team is "unstoppable" when they play together. The victory improved Hapoel's record to 4-2 and was highlighted by strong performances from Zach LeDay and Elijah Bryant. Players emphasized mutual trust and the team's potential to be among Europe's best.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Panathinaikos 91-81, marking Panathinaikos's first EuroLeague loss this season.
- Coach Dimitris Itoudis stated Hapoel Tel Aviv is "unstoppable" when the team plays together.
- The win improved Hapoel Tel Aviv's EuroLeague record to 4-2.
- Zach LeDay cited competing against top European teams as his reason for joining Hapoel.
- Elijah Bryant emphasized the importance of mutual trust for the team's success.
Hapoel Tel Aviv delivered a strong statement to the EuroLeague on Friday, handing Panathinaikos their first loss of the season in a 91-81 victory. The win, powered by key performances from Zach LeDay, Elijah Bryant, and DanMathOperatoru, propelled the Israeli team to a 4-2 record in the top European basketball competition. Coach Dimitris Itoudis praised his players' composure and belief, highlighting their ability to execute under pressure.
"I want to congratulate my players for their composure," Itoudis stated. "They continued to believe that good things would happen when you are consistent." He noted moments where the team slowed the pace when leading by 10 points, allowing Panathinaikos to go on a run, but ultimately regained control by reaching the free-throw line and making crucial shots. "We said that if we play together, we will be unstoppable," Itoudis added, emphasizing that the team is still in a building phase, referencing an earlier loss to Bayern Munich.
Itoudis also reflected on the team's potential, contrasting this win with a previous victory over Barcelona. "It makes me happy because we beat Barcelona in a different way. That we won four games in two double weeks says a lot, it means we have potential," he said. He acknowledged Panathinaikos's impressive fanbase and club, expressing a desire to learn from them, while also noting the good relationship between the two clubs.
Player Elijah Bryant echoed the coach's sentiment, stating, "We trusted each other. The coach always says if we trust each other, we will be unstoppable." Zach LeDay expressed his satisfaction with the win, seeing it as validation for his decision to join Hapoel Tel Aviv. "This is why I came to Hapoel, to compete against the best teams in Europe, to prove that I am one of the best in Europe in my position," LeDay commented. He stressed the importance of continuing to focus on the small details and strong defense, believing it could make them one of Europe's top teams.
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