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Israel State Cup's Final Four is set as Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Bnei Herzliya all secured victories in their quarterfinal matchups to advance to the semifinal stage.
By JOSHUA HALICKMAN JANUARY 22, 2025 04:55
MACCABI TEL AVIV’S Jaylen Hoard dunks for two of his game-high 23 points in the yellow-and-blue’s 78-63 State Cup victory over Ness Ziona.
(photo credit: Dov Halickman)
The Israel State Cup Final Four is set as Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Hapoel Jerusalem, and Bnei Herzliya all secured victories in their quarterfinal matchups to advance to the semifinal stage. The knockout tournament will take place in early February in Jerusalem.
Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Ness Ziona 78-63, with Jaylen Hoard delivering an outstanding performance to lead his team into the Final Four.
The yellow-and-blue came flying out of the gate with a 10-0 lead as Hoard dominated the paint. Levi Randolph and Roman Sorkin provided key contributions in the first half, while Tamir Blatt and Marial Shayok extended the lead in the second half, keeping Ricky Lindo, Yair Kravits, and Bryce Brown at bay.
Hoard scored 23 points, Shayok added 11 points, and Sorkin contributed 10 points in the victory. For Ness Ziona, Lindo scored 14 points, Kravits put up 12, and Brown added 11 in the loss.
“It was a good game for us, but we could have played better in the second half,” Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Oded Katash said. “We defended well, and I’m happy with how we began the game and set the tone. We’re disappointed with our recent performances in Europe, but we need to focus on domestic competitions.”
“We let Maccabi take a 10-0 lead, which meant we had to chase them the entire game,” Ness Ziona coach Amit Sherf said. “We needed to be more aggressive on defense, secure rebounds, and avoid giving up points at the end of the shot clock. While we improved in the second half, by then it was too late.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Ramat Gan
In another matchup, Hapoel Tel Aviv cruised past Maccabi Ramat Gan 86-50 to secure its place in the Final Four.
After a slow start, Bar Timor’s entrance midway through the first quarter provided the spark needed. With contributions from Patrick Beverley, Yam Madar, and Antonio Blakeney, Hapoel Tel Aviv built a commanding 41-23 halftime lead. In the second half, Jonathan Motley dominated the paint, while Bruno Caboclo and Guy Palatin added points to secure the victory.
Blakeney scored 14 points, Madar added 13, while Motley and Beverley each had 11 points in the win. For Ramat Gan, Kendale McCullum scored 14 points, and Roi Huber added 10.
“We were very serious and left no hope for our opponents,” Hapoel coach Dimitrios Itoudis said. “Ramat Gan deserves respect for their performances this season. I wish them luck in the Basketball Champions League, where they have a chance to achieve something special for Israeli basketball. Palatin and Timor gave us a boost despite recent illnesses, and we came in strong to beat a good opponent. This game felt like a final.”
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“We’re disappointed; we could have played better,” Ramat Gan coach Shmulik Brenner reflected. “We didn’t start well, missed too many shots, and struggled in a tough arena. Hapoel played tough defense, and we had to conserve energy for our upcoming BCL game.”
Bnei Herzliya vs Hapoel Holon
Meanwhile, Bnei Herzliya defeated Hapoel Holon 84-73 to advance to the semifinals.
The trio of Jimmy Clark, Chris Silva, and John Meeks led Herzliya’s charge, while Idan Zalmanson and Elijah Mitrou-Long paced the visitors, who also lost Brendan Adams to a foot injury during the game.
Clark scored 22 points, Silva added 18, and Meeks contributed 16 for Herzliya. For Holon, Zalmanson scored 16 points, Mitrou-Long added 15, and Jalen Adams chipped in with 9.
“We’re a young team, and I’ve said that all season,” Herzliya coach Yehu Orland noted. “We need more than talent – we need spirit and fight. I told the players that winning requires both, and they delivered.”
“It wasn’t a good game for us,” said Holon coach Guy Goodes. “Herzliya was aggressive from the start, and we didn’t match their intensity. Injuries and player losses left us scrambling, which hurt our game.”
Hapoel Jerusalem vs Hapoel Beersheba
In Ashdod, Hapoel Jerusalem edged Hapoel Beersheba 99-96 to book its place in the Final Four.
The game remained tight throughout, with Beersheba leading late in the fourth quarter, thanks to Iverson Molinar, Ron Zipper, and newcomer Justin McKoy. However, Khadeen Carrington, Yovel Zoosman, Chris Johnson, and Jared Harper turned the game around in the closing minutes.
Carrington scored 20 points, Tarik Phillip added 18, Harper contributed 17, and Zoosman scored 15 for Jerusalem. McKoy led Beer Sheva with 27 points, Molinar added 26, and Zipper scored 19.
“I knew it would be a tough game,” said Jerusalem coach Yonatan Alon. “We dominated the first half, but our defense faltered in the third quarter. The main thing is we won, and that’s what matters.”
Beersheba coach Rami Hadar expressed his disappointment.
“We led late in the game, so this loss is hard to accept. We’re still adjusting to lineup changes and players in unfamiliar roles, but we’ll keep working.”
Jerusalem’s Carrington summed up the victory, saying, “I feel great. It was tough, but at this stage, I’ll take any win, especially in the cup. It was a game of runs, but we stayed focused. We’re fighters, and we always want to win.”
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