8 hours ago
7
ARTICLE AD BOX
Led by Caboclo's 19 points, Tel Aviv cruises to victory while Jerusalem wins in Romania, but Holon and Ramat Gan fall short in Champions League play.
By JOSHUA HALICKMAN JANUARY 9, 2025 22:14
HAPOEL TEL AVIV forward Bruno Caboclo dunks for two of his game-high 19 points in the Reds' 89-68 EuroCup home victory over Trento.
(photo credit: YEHUDA HALICKMAN)
Hapoel Tel Aviv cruised past visiting Trento 89-68 this week in EuroCup action at, with Bruno Caboclo dominating the Italian squad and leading his team to victory.
The Reds jumped out to an early lead, thanks to contributions from Jonathan Motley, Marcus Foster, Tomer Ginat, and Caboclo. Jordan Ford tried to keep the visitors close, but Yam Madar, Antonio Blakeney, and Caboclo piled on points to secure the win for Dimitrios Itoudis’s team.
Caboclo scored 19 points, Blakeney added 13, and both Madar and Foster contributed 11 points each in the victory. For Trento, Ford led with 17 points, while Anthony Lamb added 11.
“We were in control from beginning to end,” said Itoudis. “Congrats to the players for their composure. We played team basketball and tried different lineups while maintaining the same level of play. Ish Wainright didn’t score but contributed to the team, and Caboclo stepped up as the main scorer, which reflects our balance. Trento is a tough team and leads the Italian league.”
Caboclo, the game’s MVP, reflected on the win.
“We are improving a lot. We followed the plan, and it worked well. Coach Itoudis pushes us hard, and that effort shows on the court. Our defense was solid, which is what makes us a strong team.”
Trento coach Davide Dusmet acknowledged Hapoel’s dominance.
“We played our game but struggled against their physicality and committed 18 turnovers, which was too much. We had a good stretch in the third quarter, but Hapoel deserved the win. This is a high-level league, and we need to keep competing.”
Meanwhile, in Romania, Hapoel Jerusalem claimed another EuroCup victory, defeating U-BT Cluj-Napoca 91-79 to improve to 9-5 on the season, trailing only Valencia.
DJ Seeley started hot for Cluj, but Khadeen Carrington led Hapoel to a 17-9 lead after the first quarter. Cluj responded in the second quarter with Gediminas Orelik and DeShawn Stephens scoring, taking a narrow 37-35 halftime lead.
Harper and Yovel Zoosman kept Hapoel close, countering Cluj’s Seeley and Zavier Simpson. Points from Morgan and Smith gave Hapoel a 61-59 lead entering the final quarter. Carrington scored both inside and out, Harper added buckets, and Smith threw down two emphatic dunks to seal the win.
Stay updated with the latest news!
Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter
Carrington scored 23 points, Harper 21, and Smith added 13 in the victory. Seeley poured in 27 points, with Simpson adding 17 in the loss.
“It’s a good win,” said Jerusalem coach Yonatan Alon. “We’re a wounded team, but this shows we can win with the players we have. Other than a poor second quarter, we controlled the game, especially defensively, and dominated the boards. That’s how you win on the road.”
Game MVP Harper highlighted teamwork.
“It was a tough game in a challenging environment. It came down to runs, but we stuck together and got a big win.”
Meanwhile, Hapoel Holon fell short against Petkimspor 82-81, as Wesley Van Beck’s clutch play secured the win in the opening game of their best-of-three Basketball Champions League Play-In series.
Due to the security situation in Turkey, the game was held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Mike Davis Jr. got off to a strong start for Guy Goodes’s squad, with Michaele Kyser and Jalen Adams helping to build a 46-38 halftime lead. However, Van Beck, Jamie Echenique, and Breein Tyree sparked a second-half comeback, with Van Beck blocking Iftach Ziv’s potential game-winner in the final seconds.
Van Beck scored 24 points, Echenique added 16, and Tyree contributed 11 for Petkimspor. Mitrou-Long scored 16 for Holon, while Davis Jr., Adams, and Idan Zalmanson each had 12.
“We can split the game into two halves,” Goodes said. “We dominated the first half, but Petkim was more aggressive in the second. We had a good game plan, but turnovers cost us. Losing by one point, with the ball in our hands, and not creating a shot was tough. Next Tuesday is do-or-die, and we’ll bring full power.”
Zalmanson also reflected on Holon’s loss.
“It’s a pity. We played a great first half, but the little things slipped in the second. We’ll regroup for the next game and fight to bounce back.”
In Hungary, Maccabi Ramat Gan lost to Falco-Vulcano Szombathely 88-81, putting it in a must-win situation for the next two games in its Basketball Champions League Play-In series.
Amin Stevens, Roberto Gallinat, and Kendale McCullum led Ramat Gan, but Matt Tiby, Trey Diggs, and Zlatan Perl powered Falco to a 49-36 halftime lead. Though Ramat Gan cut the deficit to four late in the game, Tiby’s clutch play sealed the victory for Falco.
“For a few games, we’ve put ourselves in a hole and had to fight back,” Ramat Gan coach Shmulik Brenner said. “We need to break this habit. I’m proud of the fight we showed, but this must be a learning experience.”
English (US) ·