By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Hapoel Tel Aviv secured their second win of the season by defeating Real Madrid 102-98 in the third round of the EuroLeague in Sofia.
Elijah Bryant had another incredible game, nearly achieving a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. Vasilije Micic also scored 22 points, while Bruno Caboclo (5/5 for three) and Zach Leday added 15 each.
For Real Madrid, the French duo was impressive – Theo Maledon scored 26 points, and Timothe Luwawu Cabarrot added 21. Walter Tavares completed the game with a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The game in Sofia was very interesting, and it seemed that Hapoel would secure an easier victory after a brilliant first half, where they led by 20 points (63-43).
However, Real played excellently in the third quarter, going on a 19-0 run at one point and even taking the lead. Still, Hapoel turned things around in the final quarter with Bryant’s outstanding performance, securing their second victory, with one loss.
On the other hand, Real Madrid started the season with three losses, the first time in EuroLeague history.
Zvezda defeats Efes, Mike James suffers a severe injury
In the second game of the evening, Crvena zvezda defeated Anadolu Efes 77-72 in Belgrade.
The match in the Arena was marked by a severe injury to Mike James, one of Europe’s best players, who remained on the floor holding his leg after a contact, and was subsequently carried out of the venue.
We witnessed a great drama in Belgrade, and although Efes was trailing throughout the match, they almost clinched the victory. However, Collin Malcolm missed an open three-pointer, which could have given Anadolu Efes the lead with eight seconds remaining in the game.
Chima Moneke led Zvezda to their first win with 18 points and seven rebounds, Jordan Nwora added 12, and Tyson Carter contributed 11.
On the other hand, Efes suffered their second loss, with Jordan Loyd scoring 15 points, Matthew Strazel and Dario Saric each adding 13, while the injured Mike James contributed 11.
Virtus Bologna and Paris Basketball get the first wins
Virtus Bologna claimed their first win of the season in spectacular fashion, edging defending champions Olympiacos 96–94 in a thrilling contest in Italy. The Greek side had arrived with a perfect 2–0 record, but were denied victory by a last-second shot from Marcus Carr.
Carr was the undisputed hero of the night, capping a superb performance with 22 points and 10 assists. With the game hanging in the balance, the guard buried the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer, sending the home crowd into celebration.
Aliou Diarra was also instrumental in the Italian side’s victory, producing a dominant 18-point, 14-rebound double-double and making several key plays during the decisive final minutes.
Olympiacos, meanwhile, received a career-best performance from Mbaye Ndiaye, who finished with 23 points and 7 rebounds, but his efforts were not enough to secure a third consecutive win. Tyler Dorsey added 22 points, while Sasha Vezenkov contributed 20 in a game that ultimately slipped away from the defending champions in the final second.
Paris Basketball also got its season off to a winning start, edging Zalgiris Kaunas 82–78 in the French capital.
Despite strong support from their travelling fans, the Lithuanian side came up short, with Nadir Hifi leading the way for the hosts with 21 points. Zalgiris found a key contributor in Azuolas Tubelis, who finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, but his performance was not enough to secure the victory.
The visitors managed to take a five-point lead in the fourth quarter, putting themselves in a strong position down the stretch. Paris Basketball, however, responded when it mattered most, eventually turning the game around to seal a four-point victory and begin the season on a high.
EuroLeague Round 3
October 1
Hapoel Tel Aviv – Real Madrid 102-98
Crvena zvezda – Anadolu Efes 77-72
Virtus Bologna – Olympiacos 96-94
Paris Basketball – Žalgiris 82-78
October 2
Beşiktaş – Barcelona (19:00 CEST)
Fenerbahce – Dubai (19:45 CEST)
Bayern Munich – Partizan (20:00 CEST)
ASVEL – Valencia (20:00 CEST)
Panathinaikos – Maccabi Tel Aviv (20:15 CEST)
Baskonia – Olimpia Milano (20:30 CEST)
EuroLeague Standings
1. Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens — 2-0
2. Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul — 2-0
3. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade — 2-0
4. Valencia Basket — 2-0
5. Dubai Basketball — 2-0
6. Olympiacos Piraeus — 2-1
7. Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv — 2-1
8. Besiktas Istanbul — 1-1
9. FC Barcelona — 1-1
10. LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne — 1-1
11. Armani Olimpia Milan — 1-1
12. FC Bayern Munich — 1-1
13. Zalgiris Kaunas — 1-2
14. Anadolu Efes Istanbul — 1-2
15. Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade — 1-2
16. Virtus Bologna — 1-2
17. Paris Basketball — 1-2
18. Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv — 0-2
19. Kosner Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz — 0-2
20. Real Madrid — 0-3
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