The quarter-final stage of the State Cup reaches its climax, with one of the most intriguing games that Israeli basketball can offer: The Tel Aviv derby returns to the floor at this time, when Maccabi Tel Aviv meets Hapoel Tel Aviv in a battle for the ticket to the half. This is the 126th derby of the first Hebrew city, while in the meantime the balance of power is clear: 94 victories on the yellow side, only 32 on the red side.
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Sapropoulos’ Maccabi will arrive with relatively positive momentum, with four victories in the last five games, and certainly after the big 80: 101 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem last Thursday. The Greek coach (of Maccabi) has chosen not to include Tyler Dorsey, Chris Jones and Othello Hunter in the squad, ie will go up with the same team of players that played on Thursday against the Reds from the capital.
And what about the verb? Yannis Castritis and his players will arrive with the painful loss, 77:63 to Hapoel Holon, still in their mouths – and in the last five games they have only two victories (one of them in the previous stage of the cup, against Elitzur Netanya). The Reds will arrive with just three foreign players, with John Dibler and Talib Zana injured, and the international release of Tyrrick Jones yet to come.
the progress of the game
Hapoel started with JP Tokoto, Daniel Kuperberg, Gabe York, Reggie Apshou and Yam Madar. Maccabi on the other hand with Angelo Cloiaro, Ante Zizic, Elijah Bryant, Scotty Wilbkin and Yuval Sussman.
From the start of the game, the host came to the episode: Ante Žižić entered an excellent game, controlled under the baskets on the way to 11 points and 8 rebounds after ten minutes of basketball. Omri Caspi also came off the bench with a big block on Bar Timor, and good points from the line. Hapoel had no real answer, and at the end of the first quarter, 13:25 to Maccabi Tel Aviv.