Hapoel Tel Aviv Scrapes Past Bnei Herzliya in Hard-Fought League Victory

Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a difficult 78-71 victory over Bnei Herzliya in their sixth Israeli Basketball Premier League game on Saturday, ending a three-game losing streak across all competitions. The win, watched by a sparse crowd of 1,359 at Drive-In Arena, came after a tough week that included two derby losses.

Despite the return of Antonio Blakeney and Eugene German to the roster after they were benched in a Euroleague loss, neither player impressed. Coach Dimitris Itoudis relied on Tai Odiase, who scored 21 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, and Tomer Ginat, who contributed 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, to lead the team. Hapoel Tel Aviv trailed 8-0 early and never led until late in the first quarter, closing it up 23-18. They extended their lead to double digits in the third quarter, reaching a high of 58-42.

Bnei Herzliya mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, narrowing the deficit to just four points with strong play from D.J. Broughton and Dusty Hannahs. However, crucial free throws from Blakeney in the closing moments sealed the win for Hapoel Tel Aviv, who had an otherwise poor offensive performance. The loss extended Bnei Herzliya's losing streak to four games.

Key scorers for Hapoel Tel Aviv included Odiase (21 points, 7 rebounds) and Ginat (14 points, 15 rebounds), with Bar Timor adding 10 points and 6 assists. For Bnei Herzliya, D.J. Broughton led with 21 points, and Dusty Hannahs added 13.