Maccabi Tel Aviv heads to Athens where they will face the reining Euroleague Champions Panathinaikos at the OAKA Arena (21:15 Israel time). The yellow-and-blue will look to improve on their 3-5 record in a double week that will see them also host Olympiacos in Belgrade on Thursday at Pionir Arena.

Head Coach Oded Katash knows that these two games will be very pivotal in the team’s chances of making noise in continental competition this campaign and after falling to Bologna on Friday which was followed up by a loss at Bnei Herzliya.

Both of those games saw the debut of David DeJulius who joined Maccabi last week after starting the season with Aris in Greece. The 25-year old is someone that the club is very high on and feels has a very good upside going forward after having attended both Michigan and then Cincinnati for college ball which was followed by stops at Lavrio and Gottingen.

DeJulius scored 15 points against Herzliya while playing a central role on both sides of the court before being ejected with a second unsportsmanlike foul while in the game against Bologna he knocked down a crucial 3-pointer in the 4th quarter to keep Maccabi relevant.
 
“I have zero complaints about David,” Katash began when asked about the newcomer. “He is a young player and I am happy that he joined the team. He has a desire to learn, but it’s not easy for him as there aren’t too many practices. He gives us things that we need on offense and defense. This game was like a practice for him and he will learn while playing in games. In terms of energy and positivity, I’m happy that he is with us.”

Levi Randolph also gave his thoughts on DeJulius joining the squad, “He brings intensity for us, from what I’ve seen so far. He changes the pace defensively he pressures the ball, he’s a strong guard and changes the pace for us. He’s only been here a few days and he has a lot to learn but so does the team. We are trying to get a complete roster and put it all together, day by day we are trying to get better.”

While the PAO date will only be DeJulius’s second contest in yellow-and-blue, there’s no doubt that Katash will find a way to use him against the Greens and going forward but that’s only part of the battle for Maccabi as they try and navigate some very rocky waters with the chance to really make a dent in their Euroleague campaign this coming week. But the fact of the matter is that the deck is stacked against them.

“PAO are a really good team with a really good roster,” Will Rayman opined. “We played against them twice in the preseason. We have to forget about our last game and go out there, play hard, play together and play smart – and I think we will be happy with the result.”

Katash added, “We are facing one of the most challenging weeks the EuroLeague calendar can offer. We are about to play against two opponents that could easily be at the Final Four this season. We don’t have much time to recover. We will do our best despite the tough matchup.”

“We are aware of the things that have been done but the entire system also understands the things that we could have done better. Within the framework of what we have to deal with, we are trying to make the best of it. It’s just not going to happen. Also David just joined us and there are also the injuries. Our goal now is to try to keep our heads above water. The players are all together and there is great character here. Ultimately, the situation is not optimal.”

Last season the two squads played a tight 5-game series that Panathinaikos was able to get out of alive winning 3-2 after a superb showing from both teams as Jerian Grant played an important part in taking the necessary wins.

“Both teams are a little bit different, but they still kind of run the same offense – we do, too. It’s going to be a difficult game. We know it’s not easy, they play good basketball, so we’ve got to come ready to play. Every game is important, so we’ve go out there and do what we need to do to get the win.”

Panathinaikos will most probably have Ergin Ataman back on the sidelines after a health scare on Sunday following their league matchup against Peristeri.

“I have been sick the last 2-3 days, I had this problem but I wasn’t hospitalized. Just after the game yesterday, the doctor told me that it is good to check if there is something – if it is serious and I need to stay in the hospital. We went there, we did tests. It is an influenza virus. Okay, I am sick but I am alive and I am with my team.”

“Maccabi changed a lot in their roster, but they are a very athletic, very energetic team. I watched them last week live when they beat Real Madrid. They run, they play very aggressively, and in preseason we played two games against Maccabi and we lost. Tomorrow will be a very important game on our home court. We need to play aggressively, we need to play with confidence, and we need to get the victory, but for sure it will be a very tough game because Maccabi is a very dangerous team.”