Hapoel Tel Aviv Dominates Anadolu Efes in EuroLeague Blowout
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
Hapoel Tel Aviv crushed Anadolu Efes 118-88 in Bulgaria on Wednesday, improving their EuroLeague record to 6-2. Antonio Blakeney led the scoring with a career-high 35 points, supported by Dan Ortero's 20 and Elijah Bryant's double-double. The team, now focused on their next game in Dubai, faces potential absences due to player illness and injury.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Anadolu Efes 118-88 in a dominant EuroLeague road victory.
- Antonio Blakeney scored a career-high 35 points in the commanding win.
- Dan Ortero added 20 points and Elijah Bryant recorded a double-double for Hapoel.
- The win improved Hapoel's EuroLeague record to 6-2, placing them second in their group.
- Hapoel faces Dubai next, with potential player absences due to illness and injury.
Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a decisive 118-88 victory over Anadolu Efes in Bulgaria on Wednesday, improving their EuroLeague record to 6-2. The win places them in close pursuit of league leaders Panathinaikos, as Hapoel remains the only team to have defeated the Greens this season. The game remained competitive for the first quarter and a half, with the score tied at 33-33. Hapoel then launched an explosive 30-8 run, establishing a 22-point lead by halftime. The second half devolved into extended "garbage time," allowing coach Dimitris Itoudis to distribute playing minutes among his ten participating players without overexerting anyone.
Antonio Blakeney was the standout performer, setting a new EuroLeague career high with 35 points. Teammate Dan Ortero contributed 20 points, while Elijah Bryant delivered a strong double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. "We came out aggressive from the start," Ortero stated post-game. "This is a double week, we wanted to start this week off right, and I think we did that. We played aggressive for all 40 minutes, offensively and defensively." Ortero also praised Blakeney's performance, calling him "different" and a "great player" who "works very hard."
Eugene German added 14 points in just 14 minutes, noting the team's focus from practice. "We came and played a really good game, and I feel like the energy was there from all the guys," German said. He echoed the sentiment about Blakeney's unstoppable performance, stating, "There's no one who can stop him."
Hapoel is scheduled to play in Dubai on Friday without fans. The team is hopeful that Jake Toppin will be cleared to travel after experiencing vertigo and undergoing medical tests. However, Vasa Micić is dealing with an ankle issue, and the team is hesitant to risk him, though he might be available. Hapoel views the upcoming game against Dubai as a significant test for their season, aiming to maintain their current momentum despite Dubai's recent struggles.
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