Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball team celebrates a victory in the National Cup final games against Hapoel Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2017. (Flash90)
Maccabi Tel Aviv won the Israeli Basketball State Cup for the eighth consecutive time on Thursday night, with an 82-68 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem.
Playing in Jerusalem’s Pais Arena, the yellow and blue team won Israel’s second most important basketball competition for the 44th time.
Devon Smith, who scored 13 points, said after the game, “You couldn’t call us the underdog. Our job was just to play basketball. The season is not yet over. Our goal was to win the cup and I’m glad that we succeeded.”
Head coach Ainars Bagatskis only joined the club in December, after the team fired Erez Edelstein following a poor start to the Euroleague competition.
In Israel’s Super League Competition, Maccabi Tel Aviv is currently in second place, five points adrift of Hapoel Beersheva.
Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball team against Hapoel Jerusalem in the National Cup final game in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2017. (Flash90)Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball team celebrates a victory in the National Cup final games against Hapoel Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2017. Photo by (Flash90)Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball team against Hapoel Jerusalem in the National Cup final game in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2017. (Flash90)
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