Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv will face off in the Winner Cup final on November 9 at Holon Arena, following their respective semifinal victories on Sunday. Maccabi secured a decisive 88-71 win over Hapoel Jerusalem in a matchup often described as the Israeli Classico, while Hapoel Tel Aviv narrowly defeated Ness Ziona 79-76.

After trailing by one point at halftime against Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv surged ahead in the second half behind strong performances from Oshae Brissett and Iffe Lundberg. Brissett led all scorers for Maccabi with 17 points, supported by Roman Sorkin’s 16 points, Lundberg’s 14, and Jaylen Hoard’s 13. For Hapoel Jerusalem, Kenny Lofton Jr. contributed 16 points and Shake Milton added 14, with Devontae Cacok and David Roddy each adding 12.

Maccabi head coach Oded Katash expressed satisfaction with his team's ability to maintain energy levels through a demanding schedule. “I’m very happy with the win after a double week, both from the physical and mental standpoint,” Katash said. He noted that the team still needs to improve its starts but praised the fans’ return for boosting morale. “Jerusalem has built a very good team and was very tough with large guards. I hope that this win will also help us with our confidence.”

On the other side, Jerusalem coach Sasa Obradovic acknowledged that Maccabi’s physical play and depth were decisive factors. “Maccabi deserved to win,” Obradovic said. “While we played well in the first half, in the second half their quality came out.” He singled out Lundberg, Clark, and Brissett as the key players who impacted the game’s outcome.

Roman Sorkin of Maccabi underscored the importance of the victory given the stakes. “This win was particularly important because we were playing for a place in a championship game,” he said.

The Winner Cup final will mark a renewed chapter in the longstanding Tel Aviv rivalry, with both teams aiming to claim the preseason trophy and set a positive tone for the upcoming season.