On October 4, 2026, Hapoel Tel Aviv completed a strong showing in the EuroLeague, achieving a win against Real Madrid with a score of 102-98, while Maccabi Tel Aviv fell to Panathinaikos 90-67, marking their third consecutive loss this season.
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Hapoel Tel Aviv improved to a 2-1 record, with Elijah Bryant earning MVP honors after scoring 22 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists. The team initially surged to a 63-43 lead at halftime, led by Bruno Caboclo, Zach LeDay, and Vasilije Micic. However, Real Madrid rallied back to tie the game at 75-75 by the end of the third quarter. Undeterred, Bryant propelled Hapoel to victory in the final quarter.
Real Madrid's coach, Pedro Martinez, acknowledged the team's performance, stating, "Two different halves in this game. The first half we saw bad defense and a slow offense with no rhythm. It was a very bad half. But in the second half, with aggressiveness, we were able to come back... Hapoel deserved to win the game."
In contrast, Maccabi Tel Aviv struggled without injured player Daniel Theis and captain John DiBartolomeo, who missed the game for a family commitment. They fell behind early, ending the first quarter at 25-10. Roman Sorkin led Maccabi with 13 points, while the Greeks found success with Gershon Yabusele scoring 17 points.
Maccabi's coach, Oded Katash, expressed concern over the team's early struggles, noting, "It’s not about the result... We can miss shots, we can lose games. What worries me is that too early, we started having bad body language and a lot of turnovers. We have to learn from this."
Maccabi's player Iffe Lundberg added, "I think we play with a lack of energy and lack of intensity... It’s still early in the season, so there’s no reason to panic. But we have to lock in, look within, and then go out there and do our job."
Hapoel Tel Aviv will look to build on their momentum, while Maccabi aims to turn their season around as they prepare for upcoming matches against Valencia and Milano.