Hapoel Tel Aviv makes history with EuroCup Basketball win, advances to EuroLeague
Hapoel Tel Aviv celebrated last night (Saturday) its historic EuroCup victory after a 2–0 win in the final series against Spanish team Gran Canaria.
The team is expected to return to Israel later today. The victory grants the Reds a ticket to the EuroLeague, the most prestigious basketball tournament in Europe.
Yam Madar, who scored 16 points in last night’s win over the Spaniards, was overjoyed and said after the victory: "We played great basketball and did it together as a team. This club has been waiting for this title for 52 years, and it’s unbelievable that we managed to bring it home. All the players played great today. We have an exceptional team."
Hapoel star Antonio Blakeney added: "It was amazing. Of course, the win is the most important thing, but we did it in a special way. I have self-confidence, but after we beat Valencia in the semifinals, my confidence grew even more. We’re a team of players who love playing together."
Hapoel Tel Aviv owner Ofer Yannay was also elated and said after the win:
"I know that for you, we beat Valencia and Gran Canaria, but for me, we beat Hamas. They tried to break our spirit and failed. We made history tonight – history in Israeli sports, national history. We brought pride to the entire people of Israel. Many more achievements lie ahead of us."
Written by KAN 11 correspondents Lian Wildau and Dov Gil-Har.
Kan.org.il is the Hebrew news website of the The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
