Roman Sorkin and Jeff Dowtin propel Maccabi Tel Aviv into Israel Cup final
Maccabi fight back to reach the Israel Cup final
Maccabi Tel Aviv edged past Hapoel Jerusalem 94-85 in a physical Israel Cup semifinal to book their place in the final. Hapoel Jerusalem led for much of the night and still had the advantage at the start of the fourth quarter, but a decisive 10-0 run swung momentum and left Maccabi with a comfortable lead down the stretch.
Coach Oded Kattash was without Iffe Lundberg, who picked up an Achilles injury in the previous game and will be out for several weeks. Lonnie Walker and T.J. Leaf also missed the contest. Despite those absences, Maccabi continued a strong run of form, recording another win across competitions.
Roman Sorkin was stellar, finishing with 20 points, while Jeff Dowtin added 19 and Jimmy Clark chipped in 16. Jaylen Hoard was the other double-digit scorer for Maccabi with 13 points. For Hapoel Jerusalem, Khadeen Carrington led the scoring with 22, Austin Wiley had 16, and Jared Harper finished with 13.
Maccabi will now wait to see which team comes through the Hapoel HaEmek vs Bnei Herzliya game to learn their opponent in the final; that matchup is scheduled for Monday at 18:00.
EuroLeague notes: Partizan’s turnaround and voices around the league
There’s been a noticeable shift in Partizan’s performances — where they were once seen as an easy target, their recent numbers suggest a much tougher defensive identity. Several figures around European basketball have commented on the change and the wider ambitions of other clubs.
Players and club officials have stressed that stability and sustained effort are crucial after months of building toward success. One veteran said it would be heartbreaking to see progress undone after so much work. Another former player pointed out how influential top coaches can be in getting everyone to live and breathe the game every day.
Meanwhile, representatives from other teams have signaled clear intent: some clubs are planning carefully for long-term improvement and aiming to compete at the highest level in the near future. And on the fundamentals, the recurring theme remains that strong defense is often the backbone of championship-calibre teams.
