In the first-ever EuroLeague derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv, it was the yellow side of the city that came out on top, with Maccabi pulling away in the final quarter for a 103-90 win Wednesday, earning their first EuroLeague victory of the season.
Though the game was officially a Hapoel home match, it was played in Sofia, Bulgaria, due to security concerns in Israel. Hapoel entered the game as clear favorites, having impressed with two straight wins to start their debut season in Europe’s top club competition. But Maccabi's late surge — capped by a 13-0 run in the fourth quarter — flipped the script.
After three closely contested quarters, Maccabi exploded offensively in the final period, outscoring Hapoel 31-20. The run began with three straight three-pointers from Jeff Dowtin, all coming off Hapoel turnovers. Dowtin, who hadn’t scored in the first three quarters, finished with 13 points off the bench.
The win was powered by Maccabi’s NBA imports. Lonnie Walker, who struggled in the loss to Paris, led all scorers with 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Oshae Brissett added 19 points, going 5-for-6 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line.
Jalen Hoard contributed 13, Roman Sorkin had 12, and Tamir Blatt chipped in 11 points and seven assists, giving Maccabi five double-digit scorers in the starting lineup. The team shot a blistering 58% from three-point range (14-of-24), compared to Hapoel’s 35% (9-of-26).
Elijah Bryant, a former Maccabi player, led Hapoel with 18 points. Antonio Blakeney scored 16 and Dan Oturu added 15. Star guard Vasilije Micić had 14 points but committed six turnovers to just four assists and was quiet until late in the game.
Hapoel, now 2-1, will look to bounce back next Wednesday at Valencia, a team they beat in last season’s EuroCup semifinals. Maccabi, improving to 2-1, will face Barcelona a day earlier.