In the latest round of games, Hapoel Holon suffered a surprising home loss to Hapoel Jerusalem with a final score of 96-89. Hapoel Jerusalem’s strong performance at the free throw line, making 17 out of 22 shots, contributed to their victory. American point guard Kenneth Smith led the winning team with 26 points and 8 assists, while former international swingman Yovel Zoosman added 19 points and 9 rebounds. Despite a double-double performance from former international point guard Niv Misgav, scoring 13 points and 12 assists, it was not enough to secure a win for Hapoel Holon. Hapoel Jerusalem extended their winning streak to four games and moved up to fourth place in the league standings. On the other hand, Hapoel Holon dropped to fifth place after their third consecutive loss. Next, Hapoel Jerusalem will face Maccabi Ramat Gan at home, while Hapoel Holon will play against Hapoel Eilat and aim to bounce back with a win.
In another noteworthy game, second-ranked Hapoel Tel-Aviv suffered a road loss to ninth-ranked Afula with a final score of 84-78. Afula’s strong defensive performance, highlighted by 9 blocks and 19-of-21 free throw shooting, secured the victory. American center Justin Briggs led Afula with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks, while Lucas Goldenberg added 15 points and 6 rebounds. Despite a strong performance from former international Tomer Ginat with 22 points and 8 rebounds, Hapoel Tel-Aviv could not secure a win. Afula moved up to eighth place in the standings, tied with Hapoel Haifa, while Hapoel Tel-Aviv dropped to third place. Afula will face Kiryat Ata in the next round, while Hapoel Tel-Aviv will play against Ironi Ness Ziona and aim to return to the winning track.
