Itoudis set to take over Hapoel Tel Aviv

Hapoel Tel Aviv edged past Hapoel Holon 72-68 as Marcus Foster was unstoppable, especially during the second half, to help the Reds secure the win.

In what was Tel Aviv head coach Stefanos Dedas’s last game in charge before Dimitrios Itoudis takes over, the Purples grabbed a slim lead early on as Jalen Adams and Michale Kyser carried the hosts. However, Oz Blayzer and Bar Timor kept the Reds within reach, trailing 36-33 at halftime.

Foster started heating up in the third quarter while Marcus Bingham and Idan Zalmanson answered for Holon, but Foster’s relentless scoring sealed the victory.

Foster scored 23 points, Timor added 12 points, and Blayzer contributed 11 points in the win. Adams scored 16 points, while Bingham and Kyser each added 10 points in the loss.

“It was a very physical game, and both teams played very good defense,” Dedas said. “We didn’t play well offensively, but because of the defense, we were able to stay in the game. We also went with bigger lineups with three forwards, which gave us presence in the paint. I want to thank Holon for the honor during my time here as a coach; it was very nice.”

“We fought hard with the right energy and were there on both sides of the court,” Hapoel Holon bench boss Guy Goodes said. “The game came down to Marcus Foster hitting some huge shots. It was one player that made the difference. We did everything we could but just came up a little short.”

Timor reflected on the win.

“It’s been a while since we won here in Holon. Once again, we had a tough game, and the guys from the bench really made the difference. I want to shout out Oz Blayzer and Guy Palatin, who did some great things off the bench, and I want to acknowledge them for that. It was the small things that really helped us win the game: rebounds by Palatin, steals by Ish Wainright, and stopping them on the pick-and-roll. Plus, Foster hit some big shots.”

Tel Aviv’s new head coach, Itoudis, is one of Europe’s most successful coaches, having won two EuroLeague championships with CSKA Moscow. The 54-year-old Greek tactician was one of legendary head coach Zeljko Obradovic’s top assistants and was part of five continental titles during his tenure with Obradovic.

In the 2013/14 season, he stood on the sidelines for the Turkish squad Banvit before moving to Russia, where he claimed two EuroLeague titles and six VTB Championships, earning Euroleague Coach of the Year honors twice. In 2022/23, he joined Fenerbahce while also leading the Greece National Team.

“The vision and plans presented to me by owner Ofer Yannay were the main reasons for my decision to join Hapoel Tel Aviv, a club with ambitions that match my philosophy and career,” Itoudis said. “Building something big is difficult but satisfying and challenging. Although I could have waited for an offer from a leading EuroLeague team, I chose, together with the team owners, management, players, and fans, to turn Hapoel Tel Aviv into a leading Euroleague team on its own.”

Meanwhile, Hapoel Jerusalem narrowly defeated Hapoel Afula 80-78, with Jared Harper leading the way as the Reds entered the international break with a 5-1 record.

Yonatan Alon’s team started strong, with Harper, Jeremy Morgan, and Derek Ogbeide controlling the pace, but Jalen Lecque and Armaan Franklin kept the game close. However, a pair of late triples by Harper helped Jerusalem secure the win.

Harper scored 28 points, while Morgan and Ogbeide each added 10 points in the win. Franklin scored 24 points, and Lecque contributed 22 points in the loss.

“I think that at some point, we failed to put the ball into the basket,” Jerusalem head coach Yonatan Alon said. “We got stuck and lost a little confidence and flow. We tried to force some things, and we tired at some point, but that’s not an excuse.”

“This was a game that we should have won,” Afula head coach Ariel Beit Halachmi began. “I feel that way and my heart is with the players because they really gave everything. We were able to tune the game around at the exactly right time but we came up” short due to or pwn miscues and part of that is because we have young guys who haven’t experienced many close games.”

Harper, the game’s MVP, also reflected on the victory.

“This was a tough game and a tough win. Every time we win, it’s good. I feel like we did good things. I have to give credit to my teammates and coaches for putting me in a position to succeed. I’ve spent a lot of time working on my game, and it’s thanks to that. There are ups and downs, but we’ve grown as a team.”

Also, Ness Ziona downed Ironi Kiryat Ata 97-82, with Bryce Brown, Ryan Turell, and Darnell Edge breaking the game open with a 33-17 third quarter to notch the win.

 The visitors started strong, with Chavaughn Lewis and Silvio De Sousa dominating early, but an upbeat Turell, along with Brown and Edge, tied the game by halftime. They continued their hot shooting into the second half as Yair Kravits joined the party to secure their second win of the season.

Brown scored 23 points, Edge added 17, and Turell scored 16 in the win. De Sousa and Lewis each scored 15 in the loss.

Turell, the game’s MVP, also commented after helping propel Ness Ziona to victory.

“Kiryat Ata came out with energy and punched us in the mouth. But we brought more energy in the second quarter, tied them up by halftime, and raised our defensive level from there. Hopefully, we can carry this into the next games.”

In other action, Gilboa/Galil defeated Hapoel Haifa 100-81. Ish El Amin led Gilboa with 34 points, while Gur Lavy and Lotan Amsalem added 17 each. Young scored 17 points to lead Hapoel Haifa.

Bnei Herzliya overcame Elitzur Netanya 85-80 as Jimmy Clark, Ethan Burg, and Xavier Sneed neutralized Bryce Washington’s impressive 28-point performance to notch the win.