Maccabi Tel Aviv Sweeps Hapoel Holon, Sets Up Championship Final With Hapoel Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv completed a 3-0 semifinal sweep of Hapoel Holon on Friday with a 89-61 home win, advancing to the Israeli Basketball Premier League final for the fourth straight season. The defending powerhouse will now face its bitter rival, Hapoel Tel Aviv, in the title series.

Coach Oded Katash said his team cannot be viewed as the favorite despite having home-court advantage. “In our situation, we cannot be favorites,” he said, pointing to the absences of Leaf, Le'vi, and now Tamir Blatt. “That is significant. We will need to make adjustments in the coming days,” he added.

Katash also addressed whether Lonnie Walker will be registered for the final, saying, “I do not know whether it will be possible to register him.” He added that the decision may depend on the health of the other players, but that Walker, like the rest of the roster, “Israeli and foreign players alike, needs to be ready.”

Jimmy Clark said the team’s difficult season prepared it for this stage. “All the hardships we went through this season prepared us for these moments,” he said, adding that winning the championship would be “very meaningful for all of us.” Looking ahead to the derby final, he said the atmosphere will be excellent and he is eager to see what happens.