Hapoel Tel Aviv Mounts Second-Half Comeback for EuroLeague Victory

Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a hard-fought 90-81 victory over Virtus Bologna in Sofia on Wednesday, extending their impressive momentum in the EuroLeague. After trailing by 12 points at halftime, the team staged a significant comeback in the second half, improving their European record to 5-2 and securing a Top 4 spot after seven games.

Zach LeDay was instrumental in the win, overcoming a slow start to finish with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. He provided crucial scoring from both inside and outside the paint, taking responsibility when the team needed it most. This performance followed his strong showing in the previous week's victory against Panathinaikos, demonstrating his reliability for coach Dimitris Itoudis in challenging moments.

Dan Ortero struggled with foul trouble, accumulating three fouls in the first half and spending significant time on the bench. Despite contributing four points, two baskets, and a block in the final quarter, his fourth foul and subsequent technical foul sidelined him again. Ortero described the game as "defense" and emphasized the team's improved focus in the second half, stating, "We came onto the court much more focused defensively in the second half and tried to limit the things they managed to do in the first half, and that's what brought us back into the game."

Antonio Blakeney had a disappointing outing, scoring no points in seven minutes and not playing in the second half. However, other players stepped up to fill the void. Jacob Ruoffin contributed defensively with three blocks and two steals, Amir Coffey added nine points, five rebounds, and two steals, Tai Odiase scored 13 points with six rebounds, and Thomas Satoransky brought valuable experience. Elijah Bryant and Vasilije Micić also provided key baskets.

Coach Itoudis noted the team's "two faces" in the first and second halves, stating that in the first half, they seemed "relaxed rather than competitive." He praised the team's depth, saying, "I'm glad we showed how important it is that we have depth on the bench; today's victory was also achieved thanks to what Ruoffin gave us from the bench." The team is scheduled to return to Israel on Thursday and begin preparations for their next game on Sunday against Hapoel Jerusalem.