Starting the Season in Style: Hapoel Defeats Holon

Hapoel opened the 2026/27 Israeli Winner League season in impressive fashion last night (Sunday), securing a convincing 92-69 road victory over Hapoel Holon in the opening round. Following the win in Ljubljana, the Reds were determined to carry their positive momentum into domestic competition, and they did just that with an impressive team performance at Toto Arena in Holon. Saša Obradovi?'s side took control of the game in the second half, delivered an excellent performance, and claimed an important victory to start the league campaign.

The game began as a closely contested battle, with both teams fighting to control the tempo and the lead changing hands throughout the opening stages. In the second quarter, Saša Obradovi?'s team stepped up the intensity, allowing the Reds to head into halftime with a 43-37 advantage.

The turning point came in the third quarter. Hapoel raised its intensity, dominated the boards, and executed efficiently on offense, putting together a 13-0 run to establish a 67-51 lead heading into the final period. The Reds showed no signs of slowing down in the fourth quarter, continuing to extend their advantage on the way to a convincing 92-69 victory.

Jaleen Smith and Kenneth Lofton Jr. led the scoring with 15 points apiece, while Dušan Mileti? recorded an impressive double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Two more players reached double figures, with Ethan Burg and Nimrod Levi contributing 12 points each. Yotam Hanochi added 9 points, Devontae Cacok finished with 8, Yovel Zoosman scored 6, and Lorenzo Brown contributed 5.

Today (Monday), Hapoel will travel to Spain ahead of Wednesday's EuroCup road game against San Pablo Burgos, scheduled for 21:30 Israel time. Following the European matchup, the Reds will return to Israel to continue their domestic campaign, hosting Hapoel Be'er Sheva at Pais Arena in Round 2 of the Winner League.