Hapoel Opens the Season with a Win!

Hapoel got its journey - one it hopes will end with the EuroCup trophy - off to a winning start, as Yonatan Alon's team defeated Hamburg 100-85 in Germany to improve to 1-0 in Group A.

Hapoel scorers: Khadeen Carrington 19, Jared Harper 16, Austin Wiley (11 rebounds) and Justin Smith 14 each, Anthony Lamb 12, Roi Huber 10, Nimrod Levi 6, Yovel Zoosman 5, Josiah-Jordan James 4.

It wasn't the Reds' most convincing performance, but they didn't need an exceptional night to overcome their opponent. Perhaps the best indication of that was the fact that Jared Harper, Hapoel's undisputed star, finished the game with just two field goals.

With last season's Israeli League and EuroCup MVP having a quieter night, Khadeen Carrington took on the responsibility and led the team with 19 points, one of six Hapoel players to finish in double figures.

And even on a night when Hapoel wasn't at its best, the Reds never trailed at any point on the road and still finished with 100 points. Those numbers are another indication of the enormous potential in Yonatan Alon's roster - and of the advantage Hapoel could hold in many of its European matchups this season.

Game Recap

Hapoel opened the game with Harper, Carrington, Zoosman, Lamb and Wiley in the starting five. But the Reds' standout player in the first quarter wasn't one of the starters - it was Roi Huber.

The guard scored 8 points in the opening quarter and helped Hapoel take a 32-26 lead after 10 minutes. The Reds continued to control the game early in the second quarter, and a Carrington three-pointer extended the advantage to 46-35 with just under four minutes remaining before halftime.

From that point, Hapoel stalled and Hamburg began to fight its way back into the game, helped significantly by 15 offensive rebounds in the first half. Hapoel's lead was down to just 53-50 heading into the locker room.

Our man in the first quarter, Roi Huber

Hapoel couldn't pull away again in the third quarter, but it never fell behind either. Nimrod Levi scored just before the buzzer to give the Reds a 74-68 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.

The fourth quarter was a different story. Another Carrington three-pointer early in the period restored Hapoel's double-digit advantage, and from there the Reds cruised to a comfortable victory.

100-85 to Hapoel, as the Reds opened their EuroCup campaign on the right foot.