Hapoel Jerusalem Beats Rostock 94-73 in EuroCup Opener
Sasa Obradovic's side opened the EuroCup with a win in Belgrade's Ranko Zeravica Hall and has four wins from four official games in its new job.
Taronte Kroket scored 22 of Rostock’s 39 first-half points, then missed every shot after the break. Hapoel Jerusalem pulled steadily away in the meantime, and the EuroCup’s first round in Belgrade ended 94-73.
The Israeli club is the nominal home side in the competition at the Ranko Zeravica Sports Hall in New Belgrade, because it plays its European games in the Serbian capital. The team has been coached since this season by Sasa Obradovic, for whom Rostock was the first European test on the new bench. The game was played on Tuesday, September 29.
How did Hapoel decide the game?
Kroket kept Rostock in it only as long as his shot was falling. Even with his 22 first-half points, Hapoel went into the break with a double-digit lead and kept widening it afterward. According to B92, Hapoel won every quarter and the margin kept growing.
The sources disagree on one figure. B92 says the home side’s biggest lead was 24 points, while Arena Sport puts it at 34. Only the undisputed number stays here: the final margin was 21 points.
Who carried Hapoel?
Kenneth Lofton led the winners with 22 points and nine rebounds. The American arrived from Shanghai this summer and has been his team’s top scorer in three of its four games this season. He was one rebound short of a double-double, an output he reached four days ago against Bnei Herzliya. He shared the game’s top-scorer honor with Kroket, who also finished on 22.
Two former Partizan players were right behind him. Jaylen Smith had 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds, and Sheikh Milton finished with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. Serbian center Dusan Miletic added six points and two rebounds in under ten minutes on court.
What does this start mean for Obradovic?
This is Hapoel’s fourth win in as many official games this season. Before the EuroCup it won three games in the Israeli League Cup and reached the semifinals. Obradovic is still unbeaten in official games in his new job.
The goal in the EuroCup is high. Hapoel went out in the quarterfinals of this same competition last season, and Mozzart Sport counts it among the favorites to win the trophy.
The first round produced more results the same day. Neptunas lost to Trento 73-76, with 23 points from Olivari for Trento and 13 from Franke for Neptunas. Tofas beat Chemnitz 82-69, with Fleming Junior top-scoring for the losers on 18 and Jones on 13 for Tofas.
The round continues tonight. At 6:30 p.m. Lietkabelis hosts Bosna, at 7:00 p.m. Slask plays Buducnost, and at 8:30 p.m. Burgos hosts Cedevita Olimpija.
