Maccabi Rishon LeZion stunned Maccabi Tel Aviv 93-90 in overtime, handing the yellow-and-blue their first Israeli League loss of the season and extending their struggles following a EuroLeague defeat to Real Madrid. In a thrilling contest, Maccabi Tel Aviv erased a 20-point deficit to force overtime, but the hosts held on to secure an impressive upset.

Chaunce Jenkins scored 18 points, Justin Tillman added 17 points while Qua Grant and VJ King each scored 16 points in the win while Roman Sorkin scored 23 points, Jaylen Hoard added 13 points while Keaton Wallace scored 12 points in the loss.

A strong start from Roman Sorkin and Yam Madar gave Maccabi Tel Aviv an early 7-2 lead, but Rishon LeZion quickly settled into the game and eventually moved in front. The teams traded baskets throughout the opening quarter, with Oded Katash’s squad taking a narrow 17-16 advantage into the second period.

Guy Kaplan’s team caught fire from beyond the arc in the first half, while Maccabi Tel Aviv struggled to find its rhythm. The hosts took advantage, building a double-digit lead and heading into halftime with a 45-34 advantage.

Turnovers plagued Katash’s team early in the second half, allowing Rishon LeZion to push the pace in transition and stretch its lead to 20 points at 60-40. However, the defending Israeli champions began to fight their way back, with Sorkin leading the charge to cut the deficit to 66-55 heading into the fourth quarter.

Keaton Wallace, who had struggled to find his rhythm through the first three quarters, came alive in the final period, joining Sorkin and Bonzie Colson in chipping away at the deficit. A corner three-pointer from Jimmy Clark electrified the visitors, before Sorkin scored inside to tie the game at 82-82. Chaunce Jenkins missed at the other end, sending the contest to overtime.

Sorkin gave Maccabi Tel Aviv its first lead since the second quarter at the start of the extra period, but Rishon LeZion quickly responded to keep the game tight. Tillman and Jenkins came through at the free-throw line, while Will Rayman missed a three-pointer that could have tied the score. A costly turnover by Madar in the closing moments proved decisive, as Rishon LeZion held on for a stunning 93-90 overtime victory.

Maccabi Head Coach Oded Katash summed up the loss, “We talked before the game and I said we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. They did what they needed to do and were very aggressive. Everyone knows the schedule we have and they ran the floor and dictated a fast pace. We shot 2/18 from 3-point range in the first half. You have days like that and you can lose games because of them.”

Guy Kaplan shared his thoughts on the win, “That’s the power of Maccabi Rishon and its fans. We just need to play hard. Basketball is secondary and when you come in with the right energy and believe in yourselves, you can play good basketball and win. Credit to the fans for the atmosphere and to the players for their fighting spirit. We took a very painful hit on Monday, and I’m glad we’ve at least started to respond. We still have a lot to make up for.”