Maccabi Tel Aviv captured their 58th Israeli league championship with a 83-79 win over Hapoel Tel Aviv close out the final series 3-1. Iffe Lundberg earned Most Valuable Player honors in what was a back-and-forth game that saw the yellow-and-blue come out on top after Roman Sorkin hit a backbreaking 3-pointer as time wound down and then put down an alleyoop dunk to close out the game four victory.

John Dibartolomeo got busy early while Yam Madar kept Hapoel close but seven straight points from Jimmy Clark helped Maccabi to a slim 22-20 lead after the opening period. Dan Oturu and Tai Odiase scored at will in the paint, however, Jaylen Hoard and Iffe Lundberg started to find the bottom of the basket but Hapoel took a 43-42 advantage into halftime.

Hoard and Lundberg began the second half with points while Madar and Ginat responded at the other end to keep the reds ahead 64-62 after thirty minutes of action. Madar and Lundberg traded baskets but a relentless Madar kept filling the bucket, however, Sorkin drilled home a corner 3-ball with half a minute remaining and then added a dunk off a fast break to seal the win and send the Maccabi Tel Aviv fans into ecstasy.

Lundberg scored 21 points, Hoard added 14 points while Brissett and Clark each scored 13 points for Oded Katash’s team while Madar scored 26 points and Ginat along with Odiase each scored 13 points for Dimitrios Itoudis’s squad.

Maccabi Head Coach Oded Katash reflected on winning the championship, “This was one of the biggest league titles and we really deserved it. We were exhausted but we wanted it so badly, we bared down and were able to do it. I’m proud of the players and the entire staff. We came into this game with the last ounce of energy we had and I’m so happy that we were able to do it. We fought and battled and ended the season with a double.”

Hapoel Head Coach Dimitrios Itoudis spoke about the series, “It was another street fight like the last few fans but not like game one where it wasn’t. We tried to contain Maccabi but they were bake to go downhill and score points. We hopefully will be altogether and compete for all of the titles going forward. There were questionable moments over the course of the season, but the smart thing is to do is to learn from the mistakes and if we do that we will come back stronger next season.”

Roman Sorkin talked about winning the championship and hit the huge , “The game still wasn’t over and we had to calm down, but it was a big 3-pointer and I owed it to the team. I played a game and a half that was under par. This was a very long season and it was a tough year in general for the country. Hapoel was a great team and winning it was even sweeter the way we did it. We really enjoy playing together.”

Ish Wainright summed up the series, “It was an amazing season and we didn’t finish the way we wanted to finish and I wish it would have been a better outcome. We had to rebound better and knockout down shots in order to win. I’m not looking back at the last two seasons and I’m looking forward coming up and our goal is to win. We deserve to win.”

John Dibartolomeo went from deep to open the game, Iffe Lundberg put in a layup while Ish Wainright knocked down a corner 3-ball and Yam Madar added a deuce at the other end while Vasilije drained a triple to give Hapoel a 11-7 lead midway through the first quarter.

Jimmy Clark caught fire as he hit a jumper, added a layup and nailed a 3-pointer for 7 straight points, Roman Sorkin scored inside, Madar and Tomer Ginat responded from the outside, Oshae Brissett scored off the glass, Dibartolomeo went from beyond the arc while Keandre Cook tipped in a rebound at the buzzer went but Maccabi took a 22-20 lead after ten minutes of play.

Dan Oturu scored a pair of baskets to begin the second quarter, Brissett hit a turnaround jumper and put down a monster dunk, Tai Odiase put in a pair of buckets in the paint, Cook nailed a corner triple, Hoard hit a turnaround, Clarke added a deuce, Odiase dunked, Lundberg went from deep and Hoard put points in the paint but Hapoel went into halftime holding a 43-42 advantage.

Dibartolomeo went in for a layup to start off the third quarter, Ginat put in a tear drop, Wainright drilled home a corner 3-ball, Hoard banked in a 3-pointer, Odiase and Hankins traded baskets, Lundberg went from deep, Hoard hit a step-back jumper, Lundberg went from way downtown, Madar went from the outside and inside, Ginat went from deep while Brissett and Madar traded layups as Dimitrios Itoudis’s team stayed in front 64-62 after thirty minutes of action.

Clark put in a layup to get the final frame underway, Madar went from deep, Lundberg hit a step-back, Madar hit a jumper, Lundberg dropped a layup to give Oded Katash’s team the lead, Clark fed Brissett for a dunk, Oturu put in points, Brissett and Odiase traded layups, Madar dropped in a deuce, Sorkin drilled home a corner 3-ball, Madar came back from deep but a Sorkin dunk wrapped up the championship.