Hapoel Jerusalem Stays Perfect in League Play

Hapoel Jerusalem maintained its undefeated status in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, defeating Hapoel Eilat 88-78 on Sunday to hold a 4-0 record. Jaylen Smith led Jerusalem with 18 points, describing the team's chemistry and winning streak as a result of "chemistry, we win and everything comes with wins." He added that the team is focused on their upcoming game against Aris and aims to enter the international break without a loss.

Despite facing Eilat's zone defense, which Smith noted they hadn't encountered often, Jerusalem adapted and secured the victory. The team played without key players Lorenzo Brown and Kenny, with Smith emphasizing the need to step up in their absence. He also highlighted the potential return of Jared Harper, who he believes can significantly contribute offensively.

Coach Sasha Obradovic acknowledged that his team missed easy shots and struggled to adapt to Eilat's zone defense initially, but ultimately achieved a "solid result." He pointed out Eilat's player Makolum as a challenge due to his speed. Obradovic also mentioned that the team is preparing for a physical game against Aris, noting Aris's recent upset victory over Panathinaikos. He expressed that while he never likes winning too much, citing a "trauma" from losing the EuroCup final in 2018 with Kuban to David Blatt's Darussafaka, the team's strength lies in its "team basketball."

Eilat's coach, Oren Aharoni, whose team fell to a 2-2 record, lamented a poor start and lack of intensity. He acknowledged Jerusalem's ability to exploit multiple weaknesses and admitted his team was not focused enough to close the gap. Aharoni credited Jerusalem's strong defense, particularly from their big men, for forcing Eilat into difficult plays.