Real Madrid Falls 102-98 to Hapoel Tel Aviv After Intense Battle
Real Madrid dropped a 102-98 decision to Hapoel Tel Aviv, coming up short despite a furious second-half comeback led by 26 points from Timothé Maledon. The Spanish powerhouse erased a massive deficit on the road before falling just short in the game’s final minutes.
Hapoel Tel Aviv Builds Early Lead over Real Madrid
Hapoel Tel Aviv asserted control early, building a commanding advantage by halftime. Led by Vasilije Micić and Bruno Caboclo—who hit every three-point attempt—the hosts carved up the Real Madrid defense. Turnovers plagued the visitors, allowing Hapoel to pull ahead by 20 points at 63-43 as the game reached the intermission.
Maledon tried to shoulder the scoring load for Real Madrid in the opening two quarters, but the defensive lapses proved too costly. By minute 22, a basket from Leday pushed the margin to 22 points at 67-45, leaving the visiting side searching for answers.
Real Madrid Surges Back in Explosive Third Quarter
Real Madrid completely flipped the script coming out of the locker room. Anchored by Walter Tavares inside and an aggressive defensive scheme, the visitors unleashed a 19-0 run in just over three minutes. Timothé Maledon, Smith Jr., and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot fueled an explosive 32-12 third quarter.
Luwawu-Cabarrot connected on three three-pointers during the surge, while Maledon added his fourth long-range shot of the night to briefly put Real Madrid ahead 75-74. Maledon finished the contest with 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists, generating an efficiency rating of 40 in his best performance as a madridista.
Hapoel Halts Real Madrid Momentum to Secure Victory
Hapoel halted Real Madrid’s momentum at the start of the fourth quarter. The visitors struggled to find open looks and endured a scoring drought of nearly five minutes before hitting their first field goal of the period. Micić and Caboclo restored a comfortable cushion with timely perimeter shooting, handing the Israeli side an 11-point lead by the 35th minute.
Real Madrid mounted one final push in the closing stages behind Maledon’s continued scoring, but the offense lacked the fluid rhythm of the third quarter. Bryant sealed the victory for Hapoel in the final minute, securing the 102-98 final scoreline at minute 40.
Box Score Statistics
Hapoel Tel Aviv’s offense was powered by Micić and Bryant, who scored 22 points apiece. Caboclo added 15 points, matching the output of teammate Leday, while Tomas Satoransky contributed 9 points and Oturu chipped in 7 points.
For Real Madrid, Luwawu-Cabarrot tallied 21 points alongside Tavares’s 14 points. Facundo Campazzo chipped in 3 points, while Jantunen scored 7 points, and Gabriel Deck added 1 point.
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