Maccabi Tel Aviv understands: "This is no longer realistic" | Israel Today

The Yellows are desperate after another close loss, 84:80 to CSKA, which apparently eliminated their chances of qualifying for the Euroleague quarterfinals ("frustrating"). Of Himki

• Desperate Cohen, last night at the shrine

  Photo: 

  Alan Shiver

"It is no longer realistic," Maccabi Tel Aviv said yesterday (Tuesday) after the dramatic 84:80 loss to CSKA Moscow, which is apparently just a matter of chance to qualify for the Euroleague quarterfinals.

The team is aware that practically ending the season as early as March with nine rounds left, it is a failure, but Yannis Sapropoulos continues to broadcast that for him he intends to fight to the end, as his team did not lower its head and came back from a delay of 22 to minus 2, 13 seconds to go.

"It's frustrating on the one hand, but it's also better than losing by 25 points," the Greek coach commented on the number of times he and his players have lost this season in a close game, "the fact that we don't give up and fight until the last minute is good.

At the break of the half, when Maccabi trailed by 18 points, Othello Hunter gathered his teammates and asked them to continue to believe and not lower their heads.

The veteran actor also set a personal example when together with Tyler Dorsey he dragged his teammates to a crazy comeback that ultimately was not enough.

"Coming back from behind 20 is very difficult," said Dorsey, "but as we did many times this season we did not give up and kept fighting. We had a hard time against a team with so much talent like CSKA."

2. After the game, Sapropolos was asked about his team's instability between games and during them and provided an interesting explanation: "This is the first time in my 35-year career that my team has not rested for two consecutive seasons. We are probably the only ones in Europe The first is not considered because everyone was worried about the corona and we did not train at all. "

3. Before the game, an amusing moment was recorded when the CSKA men watched the dramatic game between the Moscow Khimki and Real Madrid and burst into loud cheers when the city rival stunned the Blancos. promised.

"This season there is no favorite in the Euroleague and you can see that in the results," said Russian team coach Dimitris Itudis. "Any team can win on any given day. ".