By Alex Molina / info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Tel Aviv head coach Dimitris Itoudis used his post-game press conference to send a defiant message to critics after his team secured a landmark victory over city rivals Maccabi Tel Aviv, sealing a EuroLeague playoff spot with one game still to play in the team’s first season in the competition.
The win not only reinforced Hapoel’s remarkable debut season in Europe’s elite competition, but also highlighted the growing identity of a team still in construction—one that, according to Itoudis, thrives under pressure and external doubt. It’s a significant win,” Itoudis said. “We secured a playoff spot with one game to go, and we are happy for that.”
The former EuroLeague champion coach praised the mentality and resilience of his squad, stressing that their consistency throughout the season has been no coincidence. “The team has never lost contact with home-court advantage and playoff or play-in spots,” he explained. “For a new team in the EuroLeague, it says a lot. We are in the process of building something, and it says a lot about the quality and character of the players.”
Beyond tactics and results, Itoudis emphasized the broader challenge of managing a new environment at the highest level of European basketball. Coaching, he suggested, extends beyond players on the court. “When you are in a new situation, you need to coach everybody, not only the players,” he noted, pointing to the demands of establishing a competitive culture from scratch.
Despite the celebration, Itoudis was quick to underline that the job is not finished. With one game remaining against a highly experienced opponent, he insisted his team’s focus must remain intact. “We are happy about tonight. We secured the playoff spot, that’s already an achievement, but it’s not only that,” he said. “We have one more game against a very talented and experienced opponent.”
However, it was his comments about external criticism that defined the tone of the evening. “We are in the process of building, we have had a lot of haters,” he said. Then, with a smile, he doubled down on the sentiment: “But you know what? They motivate us. Give us more haters, we like that.”
Hapoel Tel Aviv coach Dimitris Itoudis after his team punched a ticket to the EuroLeague playoffs
“We’ve had a lot of haters. But you know what? They motivate us.
So give us some more haters. We like that” pic.twitter.com/kXl7Z7E7v1
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) April 12, 2026