Hapoel Tel Aviv beat Maccabi Tel Aviv this evening (Saturday) at Shlomo Group Hall with a score of 86:89 at the end of a dramatic game in the first derby of the season.
As I recall, the police demands from the Hapoel Tel Aviv audience to present identification cards at the entrance and the problematic treatment received by the team's fans led the club's management to decide in a precedent-setting step not to appear at the game at a turning point in the history of basketball derbies, which over the years has become a display of burning hatred.
A lot of water has passed in Yarkon since that derby that was not played at the end of September, and since then Israeli sports - like Israeli society as a whole - have experienced terrible tragedies.
Crowds of fans lost brothers in the stands and friends on the road in the difficult war, and fans who before her were considered "haters" - just because they support different teams - found themselves fighting shoulder to shoulder for the homeland.
As a shocking reminder of the grim reality that is still going on in the real hall outside of sports, before the start of the match, an emotional ceremony was held with the participation of members of the Biebs family, four of whose family members have been kidnapped in Gaza for 106 days, including the baby Kafir, who this week celebrated his one-year birthday in captivity.
The game was marked by the absence of key players on both sides of the field.
On the red side, the injured parade included Jacoben Brown, Jaylen Hurd and John Holland, while Oded Ketch had to manage without Lorenzo Brown.
Despite the early concerns and the extensive preparation of the goal, the game passed without special incidents and the atmosphere in the stands was warm but remained sporty, as should happen in big games of this type.
On the floor, both teams looked a little tired and unfocused.
The Reds, who played in the European framework just three days ago, and the Yellows, who returned to Israel from a game just two days ago, lead the league in the statistical index of points per game with 97 and 93 respectively, but as befits a big and important game, the pressure and nerves spoke and the shooting percentages of both teams dropped accordingly.
The game remained close throughout.
Bonzi Coulson's late awakening with a wonderful ability in the fourth quarter increased the guest's advantage to 11 points, but the yellows once again this season fell asleep in the decisive moments.
A 7:21 run by the Reds led by Xavier Manford who woke up in the final minutes gave the dramatic victory to the Reds.
The Yellows had one last chance to force overtime but Roman Sorkin missed the shot.
Finney Belili also came to the hall, photo: Alan Shiver
Hapoel players at the ceremony calling for the return of the abductees, among them the Biebs family, photo: Alan Shiver
The Hapoel players before the opening whistle, photo: Alan Shiver
The management of Maccabi Tel Aviv, this evening, photo: Alan Shiver
Ketch, this evening, photo: Alan Shiver
Manko, the evening, photo: Alan Shiver
Mansford sniper, photo: Alan Shiver
Colson in the moments when Maccabi seemed on the way to victory, photo: Alan Shiver
Hapoel fans in a frenzy, tonight at the Drive In, photo: Alan Shiver
Hapoel players celebrate at the end, photo: Alan Shiver
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More of the celebrations in red, photo: Alan Shiver
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