Hapoel Tel Aviv Crushes Anadolu Efes 118-88 Behind Blakeney's 35 Points

Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a dominant 118-88 victory over Anadolu Efes in the EuroLeague, delivering an offensive masterclass led by head coach Dimitris Itoudis.

Despite playing without Vasilije Micic and Jacob Tuffin, the red-and-white squad overwhelmed the Turkish defense from all ranges to claim their fourth consecutive win, improving their record to 6-2 and moving up to third place in the standings. Antonio Blakeney starred for Hapoel, exploding for a career-high 35 points in the competition.

Head coach Dimitris Itoudis praised his squad after the match:

"Congratulations to my players. We arrived here late last night with a short roster, but we handled the pressure. We controlled the pace, played well defensively, and faced a team with great offensive quality. We keep going and have a flight tomorrow to chase our next win."

Addressing the team's injuries, Itoudis noted that Jacob Tuffin experienced vertigo issues requiring a hospital visit, while Micic deals with a separate concern. He expressed hope for their return ahead of the upcoming matchup against Dubai, while also commending the performances of Oturu and Caboclo in filling the rotation gaps.

Match hero Antonio Blakeney added: "There are very competitive teams in the EuroLeague, and we had to push until the final whistle. I hit my shots because my teammates believed in me and found me open time after time."