Hapoel Tel Aviv Suffers Major Disappointment After EuroLeague Loss

Hapoel Tel Aviv is experiencing significant frustration following a second consecutive loss to their city rivals, Maccabi Tel Aviv, this time by a score of 80-73 in a EuroLeague game played in Cyprus on Thursday. This defeat comes just days after a dramatic loss in the Winner Cup final, where Hapoel squandered a 23-point lead. The team, coached by Dimitris Itoudis, has now lost three straight in the EuroLeague, slipping to tenth place in the standings. There is a growing concern within the club that the team is not playing with the same hunger and energy that characterized their strong start to the season and their performance last year.

Club sources described the recent losses as "a second game where we are losing to ourselves," indicating a belief that the team is not sufficiently motivated. Hapoel struggled to find its rhythm in the first half, appearing low on energy, and only managed to rally in the third quarter. However, they faltered in the crucial final moments. The team committed 18 turnovers and shot poorly from beyond the arc, making only six of 24 three-point attempts (25%).

Key players struggled to make an impact. Vasilije Micic scored 14 points but made only one three-pointer out of nine attempts and had six turnovers. Dan Ortero and Amir Coffey contributed 13 points each, but it was not enough to secure a victory. Coach Itoudis expressed his disappointment with his players' approach, stating, "We were a bit without energy, for no reason, at the start of the game." He acknowledged that the 18 turnovers were costly and that the team's energy level was insufficient compared to earlier in the season.

Itoudis, who was visibly frustrated during the game, breaking a tactics board during a timeout, recognizes the urgency for his team to find solutions quickly. After a promising start, Hapoel's dominant form has waned, and the two recent losses to Maccabi have deepened the sense of missed opportunity. The team is set to return to Israel on Friday afternoon and will immediately hold a practice session to prepare for their upcoming game against Bnei Herzliya on Saturday evening.