Basketball

Hapoel Tel Aviv earns Euroleague triumph

First-place Reds improve to 16-6 • Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated in Greece • Jerusalem, Holon also lose

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
HAPOEL TEL AVIV guard Chris Jones celebrates after scoring two of his team-high 16 points in the Reds’ 71-66 Euroleague victory over Anadolu Efes in Bulgaria.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija drives past the Sacramento Kings’ Precious Achiuwa during the Blazers’ 117-110 victory over the host Kings.

Avdija nets 30 in winning return for Blazers

Deni Avdija returned from injury with a dominant 30-point performance, leading Portland to a 117-110 win over Sacramento, as the Blazers extended their win streak to three.

|ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
IN HIS sixth NBA season, Israeli forward has taken a big leap with the Portland Trail Blazers and is favored to make his first All-Star Game.

Deni Avdija nears Portland Trailblazers NBA return following injury

Portland forward Deni Avdija is close to returning after missing one game with lower-back soreness, as his strong season keeps him in the All-Star conversation.

|ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
ZALGIRIS GUARD Maodo Lo (in red), a veteran of top European clubs and a regular member of the German national team, brings extensive international experience into tonight’s Euroeague matchup against host Maccabi Tel Aviv.

‘It’s a marathon, not a sprint’: Zalgiris, Lo eye big night vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

The Lithuanian squad was in Israel just a couple of weeks ago, and came away with a win over Hapoel Tel Aviv. It would like to replicate that success after splitting its last two Euroleague games.

|ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN

NBA Draft-bound 19-year-old Israeli guard Ben Saraf shines on big stage

Israeli teen sensation leads Ulm vs Bayern in German finals, strengthens case for 1st-round pick.

JUNE 23, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
BEN SARAF drives to the basket while playing for Ulm against Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga finals, which the 19-year-old Israeli hopes to win tonight ahead of the NBA Draft.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija headlines blue-and-white’s EuroBasket roster

Avdija will return to the national team for the first time since EuroBasket 2022, while former Indiana Pacers forward TJ Leaf has also been called up.

JUNE 23, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
AFTER TAKING a jump in his NBA career this past season, Deni Avdija will suit up for Israel's squad at the EuroBasket this summer.

Israel U19 basketball team heads to FIBA World Championship in Europe

Israel’s U19 basketball team overcomes hurdles to compete in the FIBA World Championship this June.

JUNE 23, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ISRAEL’S UNDER-18 National Team poses after its fourth-place finish at the 2024 EuroBasket clinched the country a spot in this year’s Under-18 World Championship.

Pair of Tel Aviv hoops clubs still finalizing Euroleague plans

Both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv will take part in Europe’s top basketball competition – a milestone moment for the country’s hoops scene.

JUNE 19, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
FOR THE first time ever, both Hapoel Tel Aviv (in red) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (in yellow) will compete in the Euroleague.

Israel basketball league admin. ends 2024/25 season without champion

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem were tied 1-1 in the best-of-three finals when Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran, initiating the current war.

JUNE 17, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
HAPOEL JERUSALEM (red) and Maccabi Tel Aviv were locked in a tight best-of-three finals, but the league opted to end the season with the series tied 1-1 due to the war.

Israeli basketball team given 24-hour ultimatum on FIBA U19 World Cup participation

Several countries have offered to host the team for training purposes, but without security clearance and logistical approval, the squad remains sidelined.

JUNE 17, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
THE ISRAEL Under-18 team celebrates in August 2024 after qualifying for this year’s U19 World Championships, a tournament that is now in jeopardy for the blue-and-white squad due to the ongoing war with Iran

The games must not go on: Iran attacks halt Israeli basketball finals, other sports

Celebrations quickly gave way to anxiety as sirens echoed across central Israel and the specter of war overshadowed the sports world.

JUNE 16, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
YAD ELIYAHU sits empty as the Israel basketball league finals remain on hold amid escalating tensions with Iran. The decisive Game 3 between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem has been indefinitely postponed due to security concerns

Rishon Lezion earns promotion as Leumit League champion

Rishon will return to the Premier League after three years in the Leumit League, and many of the players will follow the club up to the top division, while Drucker is expected to be back as well.

JUNE 12, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI RISHON LEZION celebrates after defeating Hapoel Eilat in Game 5 of the Leumit League final to capture the title.

Tamir Blatt delivers in crunch time for Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Tamir Blatt scored the final nine points for his team in a 91-88 victory on their home court at Yad Eliyahu.

JUNE 11, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
MACCABI TEL AVIV’S veteran guard Tamir Blatt scored the yellow-and-blue’s last nine points in the narrow 91-88 Game 1 finals victory over Hapoel Jerusalem.

Maccabi Tel Aviv takes tight opener over Hapoel Jerusalem

Team effort powers yellow-and-blue’s comeback • Reds eye adjustments in best-of-3 finals

JUNE 11, 2025ByJOSHUA HALICKMAN
ROMAN SORKIN (left) and Maccabi Tel Aviv battled back from a double-digit deficit in Game 1 of the finals again Austin Wiley (right) and Hapoel Jerusalem, claiming a 91-88 win with Game 2 of the best-of-three series slated for the capital on Thursday.