The meetings between Maccabi Tel Aviv and CSKA Moscow are always exciting and interesting. The sporting rivalry goes back to the days of the doubles matches in Belgium, which was in a supposedly neutral place, to a height that was controlled by the yellow crowd that came in droves from the country and Europe. But today, both groups are not at their peak. CSKA has not found a replacement for Mike James and maybe in the next few days you will find one.
Before the start of the game, an exciting ceremony was held, for Pini Gershon and for me, to enter the Maccabi Hall of Fame. As young children, 13 years old, we came to Beit Maccabi and joined the children’s group and started a career of young players. In time we became coaches until each of us in turn was given the great privilege and responsibility of being the coach of a team that was slowly marching towards the greats in Israeli and European basketball.
We were the successors of the late Yehoshua Rosin and the late Ralph Klein, from whom we learned and them and we continued their path. I thank everyone who thought and organized this ceremony. It is an honor for us and an honor for a club that knows how to cherish our activities.
And back to the game. The match opened with a Russian blitz, with a strong defense of Scotty Wilbkin and it silenced the local crowd a bit, but Maccabi Tel Aviv tried to return to the game and succeeded in a big way: two threes by Wilbkin gave the signal for Maccabi’s lead. Ante Žižić marveled at the great help in the defense against the Russian pick-and-roll and dragged after him a defensive transcendence.
More than that, Yannis managed to get some wonderful defensive minutes from John Dibertolomao, Jake Cohen and also Blazer Maoz with two Dibertolomao threes that allowed the coach to give greater rest minutes to the Scot, who returned towards the end of the half when CSKA lost all direction on the pitch, including the attack And also defensively. At the end of the first half, Maccabi easily and rightly led by 21 points.
The second half continued at a lower volume, but with Maccabi Tel Aviv’s defensive and offensive control, with Yannis allowing himself the participation of many players so that the substitutes get confidence and the seniors rest, perhaps with a look at Monday’s derby.
Overall, a good performance by Maccabi Tel Aviv. The players have shown concentration, invested defensively and only Jaylen Reynolds still does not notice when to deliver and when to throw to the basket. A beautiful and justified victory. CSKA has shown why its results this season are bad and why it is pressing hard with exorbitant offers for Kevin Pangos to come and sign with it.
Maccabi Tel Aviv achieved a nice and justified victory at Menora Hall, but the next game in the Euroleague in Istanbul against Andulo Zero is of great importance. Good luck to Maccabi, but before that there is the Israeli Cup Week and it starts with the derby against Hapoel on Monday.
