It could have been the decisive game for Dimitris Itoudis’ future on the Hapoel Tel Aviv bench. But Hapoel Jerusalem won 91-105.
The victory was even more decisive than the score, with the Jerusalem team already up by 18 at the end of the third quarter. Jared Harper scored 23 points, Cassius Winston 18 and Khadeen Carrington 17.
Hapoel Tel Aviv’s 21 points from Elijah Bryant and 20 from Antonio Blakeney were not enough. The team has lost its last four EuroLeague games, five in a row in total, and tomorrow Maccabi Tel Aviv can take the lead by winning at Maccabi Raanana.
In the press room, however, Dimitris Itoudis dismissed certain rumours, showing serenity, at least as far as his position is concerned: ‘I must apologise to the fans, the owners, and everyone who supports this club. It wasn’t a game, it was a defensive disaster, without taking anything away from Hapoel Jerusalem. Congratulations to them. I apologise. I want to say that there will be a completely different defensive approach in the next games. We have no right to come into this game with this attitude.’
The Greek coach is convinced he can turn things around: ‘Of course I believe in what I have here. I have strong faith and everyone believes in it. It will change, this cannot be accepted by anyone. I have the support of the management.’
‘We haven’t tried everything, we’ll try. There were many difficult things against Jerusalem, but we should have reacted yesterday, not tomorrow. I take responsibility for that, I apologise and we will change the situation.’
And on the rumours about Nigel Hayes-Davis: ‘The club is keeping an eye on the transfer market.’
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