Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv edged Real Madrid 92-91 on Tuesday night at the Aleksandar Nikolić Hall in Belgrade, Serbia, in a dramatic EuroLeague showdown decided by a Tamir Blatt three-pointer with 4.3 seconds left. The win capped a triumphant week for the Israeli club, which also celebrated the return of European basketball to Israel next month after a two-year hiatus.
Mario Hezonja had a chance to win it for Madrid at the buzzer but missed, giving Maccabi its second EuroLeague victory of the season (2-4). Lonnie Walker IV led Maccabi with a career-high 27 points, including a club-record 20 in the second quarter. Roman Sorkin added 21 points and 6 rebounds, Oshae Brissett scored 18, and Blatt finished with 12 points and 9 assists.
Hezonja paced Madrid with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Trey Lyles scored 16, Facundo Campazzo added 14 with 5 assists, and Usman Garuba contributed 12. The loss dropped Real to 3-3 overall and winless on the road this season.
Controversy grows over EuroLeague’s return to Israel
The Turkish powerhouses criticized EuroLeague leadership for what they called a lack of transparency, saying: “EuroLeague statements claimed the decision-making process was based on consensus among all members, but in fact no vote was held. Anadolu Efes and Fenerbahçe openly expressed their opposition and concerns about the possible consequences.”
Their statement followed comments from Valencia coach Pedro Martínez, who condemned the decision as premature.
Maccabi Tel Aviv — one of the EuroLeague’s 13 founding clubs — spearheaded efforts to bring games back to Israel beginning December 1. Co-owner Danny Federman held talks with EuroLeague president Dejan Bodiroga and CEO Paulius Motiejūnas, who ultimately approved the move after receiving formal security guarantees from President Isaac Herzog, Police Commissioner Daniel Levi, and the Foreign and Sports ministries.
With the victory over Madrid and EuroLeague basketball set to return home, Maccabi celebrated both on and off the court — even as the broader debate over safety and politics continues to divide Europe’s top clubs.