Hapoel Tel Aviv staring down 0-2 Euroleague quarterfinal hole vs Real Madrid

Hapoel Tel Aviv finds itself staring down a daunting 0-2 hole against powerhouse Real Madrid in the Euroleague quarterfinals, following a decisive 102-75 defeat in Game 2. The team, which showed flashes of brilliance in the first half, ultimately succumbed to Madrid's relentless pressure and superior execution in the latter stages of the game.

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IT IS going to require quite a turnaround for Elijah Bryant and Hapoel Tel Aviv to overcome their 2-0 deficit to Real Madrid in their Euroleague quarterfinal series.

Coach Dimitrios Itoudis expressed his disappointment, noting the stark contrast between the two halves. "We saw two different teams," he stated, lamenting the loss of composure and collapse in the third quarter. He acknowledged Real Madrid's effective pressure, which disrupted Hapoel's playmakers and exploited their inconsistencies. The coach stressed the urgent need for his squad to replicate their first-half competitiveness over the full 40 minutes if they are to have any chance of advancing.

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Dimitrios Itoudis’s squad came out with a ton of energy early, thanks to impressive play on the inside by Dan Oturu, as Hapoel grabbed a 42-40 advantage at halftime.

Player Dan Oturu echoed the coach's sentiments, calling the team's performance unacceptable. "The difference between the halves? Two completely different teams, and that’s unacceptable," he said. Despite the grim situation, Oturu maintained a belief in the team's ability to turn things around, emphasizing the importance of focusing on practice and bringing the right energy to the upcoming games.

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However, the second half was all one-way traffic as Campazzo, Garuba, along with Mario Hezonja and Theo Maledon started to score at will and locked down on defense to close out the 27-point win.

The series now shifts to Bulgaria for Games 3 and 4, where Hapoel Tel Aviv will play its "home" games. The team faces an uphill battle, needing to sweep both contests to force a decisive Game 5 back in Madrid. The pressure is immense, and Hapoel must rediscover the form that saw them lead at halftime to avoid being swept and continue their Euroleague campaign.

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We saw two different teams. In the first half, we were competitive, we followed the game plan, and knew how to cope even when they were leading. Unfortunately, we lost our composure, there was pressure on the playmakers, we collapsed in the third quarter, and Real Madrid’s second unit scored 16 points. They deserved to win. We’ve shown on many occasions that we can compete. We’re here to compete, and we need to extend those 20 minutes into 40 minutes. We need to win, we don’t want to get swept.