Starting the season on the right foot!

After advancing to the Winner Cup semifinals, we kicked off the new EuroCup season in style on Tuesday evening with a comfortable 94-73 "home" victory over the Rostock Seawolves in Belgrade. Hapoel took control of the game from the opening tip, won all four quarters and gradually extended its lead to as many as 24 points, securing its first European victory of the 2026/27 season and improving to 1-0 in Group A.

Hapoel scorers: Kenny Lofton Jr. 22 (10 rebounds), Jaleen Smith 20, Shake Milton 14, David Roddy, Yovel Zoosman and Devontae Cacok 9 each, Dusan Miletic 6, Nimrod Levi 5. Also played: Ethan Burg and Roi Huber.

Smith was our standout performer in the first half, scoring 14 of his points in the second quarter, including three three-pointers without a miss. However, it was Lofton Jr. who finished as the game's leading scorer. The forward reached double figures just before halftime, doubled his scoring total in the third quarter and dominated the paint on his way to a double-double, despite facing significantly taller opponents.

Although the rest of his teammates combined for just three three-pointers, Hapoel finished the game shooting an impressive 44.4% from beyond the arc and missed only four of its 26 free-throw attempts. Hapoel also outshot the German side from two-point range, converting 49% of its attempts compared to Rostock's 39.5%. The Reds won the rebounding battle 42-34 and displayed excellent offensive chemistry, dishing out 24 assists compared to just 13 by their opponents.

Rostock managed to put up a fight in the first half thanks to an outstanding performance from T.J. Crockett, who scored 22 points before the break, including 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range. However, Hapoel completely shut down the German side's leading scorer after halftime, holding him scoreless for the remainder of the game. Zack Copeland added 15 points, but no other Rostock player reached double figures.

In exactly one week, Hapoel will travel to face Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana in the second round of EuroCup action. Before then, the Reds will return to Israel for the semifinals of the Winner Cup, a competition they won last season. On Sunday, Hapoel will look to continue its title defense when it faces Maccabi Tel Aviv at Toto Arena in Holon.

Hapoel players. Opened their European campaign with a comfortable victory

Hapoel started with Burg, Smith, Lofton Jr., Roddy and Miletic, using a 10-0 run to take an early 13-5 lead. Rostock cut the deficit in half, but another 10-0 run by the Reds extended the advantage to a game-high 14 points. Three consecutive three-pointers from Crockett brought the German side back within five, before Milton closed out the first quarter with Hapoel leading 25-18.

In the second quarter, Hapoel once again pushed its lead into double digits behind Milton and Smith. At the other end, Crockett reached 22 points, including 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, but Lofton became the third Hapoel player to reach double figures, sending the Reds into halftime with a 49-37 advantage.

Smith. Caught fire with 16 first-half points

Coming out of halftime, Lofton doubled his scoring total with ten additional points, leading Hapoel on a 17-4 run that extended the advantage to a new game-high 23 points. The Germans managed to cut the deficit to 17, but Milton reached 14 points and sent the Reds into the final ten minutes with a 73-54 lead.

Little changed in the fourth quarter, as Sasa Obradovic's men extended their advantage to as many as 24 points before sealing a commanding 94-73 victory.