By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening a best-of-five series against Ironi Hai Motors Ness Ziona, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv pulled away in the third quarter en route to a convincing win, 96-73, in Menora Mivtachim Arena.
Headlining a list of six double-digit scorers in Game 1 of the opening round of the 2025 Winner League Playoffs, Jaylen Hoard tallied 17 points. Roman Sorkin added 15 points. Jimmy Clark III added 14 points for the back-to-back defending champions in Israel, Rokas Jokubaitis threw in 13 points, and Tamir Blatt and Trevion Williams finished with ten points each.
Combining his 250th game as the head coach of the Yellows with a first out of three necessary wins to advance to the Semifinals, Oded Kattash saw Alex Tyus start his latest spell with the storied club with seven rebounds in seven minutes. Fellow newcomer Nathan Mensah remained unregistered, while Will Rayman joined Marial Shayok and Jasiel Rivero on the injury list.
Bryce Brown stood out for the visitors with 15 points.
Elsewhere in the Quarterfinals, Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv, Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem, and Hapoel Netanel Holon also went up 1-0.
Winner League Playoffs
Quarterfinals (best of five)
1. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv – Ironi Hai Motors Ness Ziona 1-0 (96-73)
2. Bnei PenLink Herzeliya – Hapoel Netanel Holon 0-1 (78-86)
3. Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv – Hapoel Gilboa Galil 1-0 (103-95)
4. Hapoel Bank Yahav Jerusalem – Maccabi Ramat Gan 1-0 (81-58)
Semifinals (best of three)
Winners 1-2
Winners 3-4
Finals (best of three)
Winners of Semifinals