By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a victory in the first game of Round 36 of the EuroLeague by defeating Fenerbahce 95-80 in Sofia.
Elijah Bryant was once again impressive, leading Dimitris Itoudis’ team to victory with 21 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Dan Oturu had two points more, Vasilije Micic added 19, and Antonio Blakeney scored 17 points.
On the other side, Wade Baldwin was the best with 22 points and six assists, Tarik Biberovic and Devon Hall had 11, and Talen Horton-Tucker ten, but with only 4/16 shooting.
Hapoel entered the game much better from the start, achieving a 16-4 lead, which they maintained until the end. The home team’s advantage grew to a maximum of +24 (80-56), after which the EuroLeague champion slightly reduced the deficit but failed to threaten the Israeli team’s lead.
Hapoel’s triumph further complicates the standings situation. Fenerbahce entered the round tied for first place but will lose it after their fourth consecutive loss, following the Olympiacos and Real Madrid match. Real is the next opponent for the Turks, who now have a 23-13 record.
On the other hand, Hapoel has a 22-13 record, and they won by a larger margin than they lost in the first game against Fenerbahce, so they will be better in any potential tie. In the next round, Itoudis’ team will host Olympiacos in another very important match for the top of the standings.