Hapoel Tel Aviv Coach Itoudis Warns Team Against Casual Play in EuroLeague
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Virtus Bologna 90-81 in the EuroLeague, improving their record to 5-2. Coach Itoudis criticized his team's relaxed first-half performance, stating they "have no right to play like this in the EuroLeague," but praised their competitive second-half comeback. Key players Zach LeDay, Vasilije Micić, and Tai Odiase were instrumental in the victory, alongside a strong bench contribution from Topin. The team now prepares for upcoming league and EuroLeague games.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Tel Aviv beat Virtus Bologna 90-81 to improve their EuroLeague record to 5-2.
- Coach Itoudis stated the team "has no right to play like this in the EuroLeague."
- The team rallied from a double-digit deficit with a strong second-half performance.
- Zach LeDay, Vasilije Micić, and Tai Odiase were key players in the victory.
- Coach Itoudis praised bench player Topin's crucial contribution to the win.
Hapoel Tel Aviv secured an 81-90 victory over Virtus Bologna on Wednesday, improving their EuroLeague record to 5-2. The team rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second quarter, with strong performances from Zach LeDay, Vasilije Micić, and Tai Odiase in the second half. This win allows them to prepare for their upcoming league game against Hapoel Jerusalem and a challenging EuroLeague "double week" hosting Anadolu Efes.
Coach Itoudis described the game as having "two faces," with a poor first half where the team played "too relaxed" and failed to compete against Bologna's athletic and aggressive style, which led to 12 offensive rebounds for the visitors. "We saw a completely different team in the third and fourth quarters," Itoudis stated, emphasizing that the team "finally decided to compete." He noted significant improvements in defense, limiting Bologna to just two offensive rebounds, and better offensive execution and rebounding by Hapoel.
Itoudis highlighted the team's 17-42 run and praised the bench depth, specifically mentioning Topin's contribution, which was crucial for the win after the team's recent losses. "We have no right to play like this in the EuroLeague," Itoudis asserted, stressing the need for competition rather than casual play against the league's strong teams. He also acknowledged the challenges of playing away from Israel but expressed gratitude for the support, urging for more. Itoudis concluded by reiterating that the team's second-half performance, showing competitiveness, is what they need to replicate from the start of games to avoid losses.
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